Businesses have always enjoyed a comfortable position when it comes to planning and preparation. Sadly, this isn’t the case anymore. Due to the competitive digital landscape, business owners need to chalk out entire outlines, strategies, and implementation within weeks – or even days. So if you can’t keep up with this accelerated pace, somebody else …
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Businesses have always enjoyed a comfortable position when it comes to planning and preparation.
Sadly, this isn’t the case anymore.
Due to the competitive digital landscape, business owners need to chalk out entire outlines, strategies, and implementation within weeks – or even days.
So if you can’t keep up with this accelerated pace, somebody else will.
The best way to stay ahead in the competition? Having a carefully drafted digital strategy.
Think of the whole thing as the guiding light.
Without it, companies will be stuck with their old-fashioned efforts and won’t be able to take advantage of moving online. Plus, a result-driven approach serves as the basis of digital strategy, which can be very beneficial for your company.
If you think that the ongoing pandemic has changed things, you‘re wrong.
On the contrary, experts at DMEXCO predict that 70% of executives expect the pace of digital strategy to boost further during these unique times.
So yes, you do need a comprehensive digital strategy that works for you.
And what better way to develop this other than enlisting the help of an expert digital strategy consultant who can do a broad set of activities, each of which is directed towards helping you meet your goals.
In this guide, our team at Neil Patel Digital will take you through the whole process of hiring the best consultant, along with the benefits of seeking a consultancy for your business.
Let’s begin!
What is your primary objective for launching a business?
Profit and long-term growth, right?
Well, identifying your digital strategy is the most crucial aspect for attaining both goals.
After all, it’s a high-level overview that defines and outlines where you are currently and where you would want to be. It also includes milestones set throughout a specific course of your journey, making it a reliable long-term plan.
Keeping this in mind, digital strategy consulting can help you recognize new technologies and services suitable for your platform. And hiring a consultant will make sure you‘re taking advantage of everything that’s out there and reaping the profits.
If there’s one thing that companies want, it’s consistent improvement in efficiency. Whether it’s targeting employee collaboration and performance or better delivery to customers and clients – everything counts.
You’ll be able to jumpstart your company‘s efficiency with the help of a digital strategy consultant.
You see, being an expert gives them the knowledge to use cutting-edge digital tools that can ensure precise and fast communication within your company. The data they offer will be more accessible and polished.
Plus, there’s zero risk of anything being lost or repeated due to clear and carefully designed strategies that have been optimized for efficiency.
Getting a consultant can be useful for streamlining client communication too. As a result, you can build long-lasting relationships by giving customers higher value for their investment.
Happier clients translate to higher profit margins and more referrals, so it’s only positives for your company.
Turning digital means you‘ll have several competitors – nay, several tough competitors.
Entering a digital culture means your customers do everything digitally, from transactions to information gathering to investing.
You can stay ahead in your niche industry by offering a unique product that no one else offers, but it still isn’t the endgame.
You have to go beyond your website, electronic device optimization, or implementing best SEO practices.
A consultant will guide you with the digital changes that are happening around us, equipping you with the newest technologies as they arise, and incorporating the latest market developments into your business direction.
Essentially, the expert will make your business digitally competitive right from the start and establish you as a digital leader.
You must already be on the lookout for investments that can maximize ROI – or get rid of bad investments altogether.
But this isn’t a perfect world.
You have to be careful about the decisions you make and how you run your company.
Working with a digital strategy consultant does require investment, but it’s one that has a greater possibility to pay off – in fact, some might say it’s guaranteed too if you have the right man for the job.
They give you access to a lot of crucial information and are ready to do all the hard work to provide you high value in a short period.
And not only that, you get a clear idea of the path you should take for your company to maximize your revenue and ensure success.
Moreover, having a consultant also eliminates the need for other employees, hence, cutting down costs in the long run. This will then contribute towards a boosted ROI in the end.
Partnerships with business and corporations are a necessity for long-term growth, no matter how old your business is.
In fact, you can transform your company vision and enter a new frontier in your niche if you choose your partnerships carefully. This, in turn, can relatively increase your customer base as well as present a lucrative alternative to going solo.
In other words, a consultant will point you in the right direction to become digitally competitive.
You might also receive invites from organizations that want to enter into a mutually beneficial partnership, and ultimately, achieve digital leadership.
Let’s not forget there is also a possibility of turning your competitors into partners that can increase market demand and customer base as a consequence.
Remember all the dinosaur processes that will only be you down today?
Digital transformation will help you bid farewell to all of them, as well as cut down unnecessary costs for employees, products, and services.
Since a consultant makes you more available and accessible for your customers, you’ll be able to maximize user experience, allowing you to climb to the top of your industry.
A digital strategy will lay down the stepping stones that you and your team can follow to become digital relevant.
Good digital strategy consultants have a similar style of working with the odd exceptions as they primarily focus their attention on your customer and company goals.
Before choosing a specific candidate, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
Look for a prospective consultant that can refine your understanding of the above questions further. In addition to this, you should ask to see a list of samples, references, reviews, and case studies to determine their competency.
A consultant won’t be able to create a digital strategy for your company if they don’t have an in-depth understanding of your business.
So the first thing that they do is ask you a lot of questions to gain a clear understanding of how your business functions and its objectives. For instance:
Don’t shy away or get irritated by these probing questions. After all, your digital strategy shows you your current situation, tells you where you’re going, and devises ways to help you get there.
After you answer their questions, you can expect the consultant to show you a cohesive strategy that has been tailor-made to suit your business needs.
The plan should include details about the following:
The expert will show you a proposed digital strategy or examples from previous client campaigns, and how they plan on moving forward with your campaign.
You can use this as an opportunity to evaluate the consultant’s work and skillset. Don’t be afraid to suggest specific tweaks and adjustments if you deem it fit.
Here’s what you can do:
Another alternative would be to pick a specific part of your business, such as advertising or content, and ask the consultant to build a strategy to accommodate a specific goal. This can be to increase sales for the worst-performing products, double the traffic within a month, etc.
If you’re happy with the consultant after analyzing their approach, the next step would be to provide them with necessary documents and give access to things that could help them implement the strategy effectively.
This includes an official agreement, brand content (brochures, flyers, images, logos, content), relevant photography (company photos, portraits of key people, location, office space, event photos), and social proofs.
Having your consultant create an effective digital strategy is crucial, yes. But it isn’t as important as its successful execution.
So just having a great strategy isn’t enough.
Your consultant should have the experience, expertise, and team back up to implement the strategy and produce results.
After execution, you should ask the consultant to collect, analyze, and provide you with useful insights about the launched campaigns. You can incorporate their suggestions and increase your budget to drive results, if required, as well.
Consider this: How will you be able to conclude whether you‘re on the right path without knowing the ROI?
Luckily, figuring out the right KPIs for your business can help you measure the success of a business strategy.
The following are a few KPIs that allow you to analyze the overall performance of your digital campaigns:
Your brand is necessary for building customer loyalty, creating a competitive advantage, and just… long-term survival.
It’s what distinguishes you from your direct competitors.
To properly measure brand engagement on your website, you need to consider the more refined KPIs that provide valuable metrics, such as:
Knowing where your customers come from is key to developing a powerful digital strategy since you know exactly what or who is driving visitors to your website.
For this purpose, you need to consider four main traffic sources:
Of course, you want to see a return on your investment.
However, it can be difficult to see the full potential and value of inbound marketing if you don’t have KPIs. For this purpose, consider the following formula:
ROI = (Sales growth – Marketing Investment) / Marketing Investment
Social media is an integral part of every digital strategy. If your consultant doesn’t include it, know right away that they don’t know what they’re doing.
At the same time, simply creating accounts on popular social media platforms isn’t enough for success. In this case, the KPIs are as follows:
You should check whether your landing page is sending your customer on the right path, which is why KPIs are crucial here.
The tricky part here is this metric is a little difficult to measure since the consultant may have a different goal for landing pages. Nevertheless, you can ask the expert to use Google Analytics to gain access to reports that help you measure organic traffic as well as per search traffic.
You can also make changes to your CTA, CTA buttons, revise written content, or add reviews and testimonials depending on the results generated after A/B testing.
If you’re still figuring out how to find the right digital marketing consultant for your company, take a look at our short checklist to know where to start.
Whether it’s setting short-term goals or long-term goals, the digital strategy consultant should have demonstrated knowledge about the market to think of strategies that can enhance your inbound marketing and outbound marketing efforts.
Creating a plan will always differ according to your business. For instance, some businesses require CRMs, while some need ERPs. The expert should know the right way to proceed to help you achieve your business objectives and streamline campaign processes.
We would highly recommend working with industry thought leaders who understand the digital world and have the credentials to back it up.
As mentioned before, knowledge of custom tools is important for delivering satisfactory results. More so, in the ever dynamic landscape of digital marketing.
You want to hire a consultant that uses relevant marketing techniques which include:
At Neil Patel Digital, for instance, we have an in-house SEO program powered by content marketing, that can be useful for enhancing the effectiveness of digital campaigns.
While it’s true that you can find several freelance digital strategy consultants, your main lookout should be to identify the extent of their experience and expertise.
Yes, they say that they can triple your conversions, but do they have the brain and muscle to back their claims?
It’s best to work with seasoned professionals who understand your current marketing strategy and can identify weak spots that require improvement.
A digital strategy expert must have expertise across several different verticals. The idea here is to make sure the professional knows the technical foundations of different things where they can use their marketing know-how and promote your offerings.
The best way to ensure this is by choosing a consultant who has worked with diverse clients. Working with a reputable digital marketing agency, for instance, will give you access to a team with several specialties that can be beneficial for your campaigns and other operations.
Now more than ever, businesses had to adjust their plans and offerings to meet customer expectations.
Digital strategies that played out over the course of years may now be over in a matter of days, which is why hiring expert help can be useful to keep up with this dynamic arena.
Having the right digital strategy consultant will ensure your company adapts smoothly to rapidly changing markets and remain ahead of your competition.
Thinking of the next steps? Get in touch with our experienced professionals here.
The post Digital Strategy Consulting appeared first on Neil Patel.
According to a recent survey from the DMEXCO, 70 percent of executives worldwide expect the pandemic to accelerate the pace of digital strategy. In the past, businesses had more time to plan and prepare.
That’s no longer the case.
Today, businesses are expected to outline, plan, implement the digital strategy in a matter of days or weeks. The market is moving at an accelerated pace; many businesses find they’re unable to keep up. If you can’t keep up, does that mean you’ll be left behind?
Not if you have the right digital strategy agency.
With the right agency, you’ll be able to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and events. Here are some steps you can take to find and vet the right agency.
Identifying your digital strategy is the key to long-term growth.
Your digital strategy is about setting goals and objectives. It’s a high-level overview that defines where you are now, outlines where you’d like to go (as an organization), and how you’ll get there. It’s a long(er) term plan that sets a course or destination for you to follow before starting your journey.
You’re going to need a list of:
If you have clear answers to these questions, it’s easier for your agency to supply you with the strategy you need to be effective.
Great agencies have a few characteristics in common. They’re able to focus their attention on the details that matter to your company and your customers.
Your agency can’t create the right digital strategy for your company if they don’t have the answers they need. A great agency asks probing questions that may seem simple, dumb, or unimportant at first. You want your agency to ask these questions because these questions help them to develop an in-depth understanding of your business.
Here are a few examples.
Questions form the basis of your digital strategy; your digital strategy shows you where you are now, tells you where you’re going, and how to get there. Good digital marketing agencies should be asking these questions at the beginning of the engagement process.
Your agency should be willing to share bits and pieces, showing you what a cohesive strategy could look like for you. This is important because it gives you several data points you can use to evaluate their work. This doesn’t mean that you should expect your agency to work for free; it just means they’re willing to demonstrate their skills.
Your agency can share this with you in several ways, over the phone, in your proposal or quote, or a case study. You’re looking for them to share pieces of their proposed digital strategy or examples from previous campaigns they’ve implemented for other clients.
Another option would be to pick one part of your business (e.g., content or advertising) and ask your agency how they’d build a strategy to accommodate one specific goal (i.e., how would you increase sales for my worst performing products using content marketing?).
Digital strategy is important, but it’s not as important as the ability to execute that strategy. A great strategy isn’t enough. Your agency should have the experience, skill sets, and team you need to implement your digital strategy and produce the results you need to grow.
You’re looking for three things.
Your agency should provide you all three of these, and they should be able to provide you with evidence showing that they offered other clients these as well.
As you’d expect with any other agency, you’ll want to see a list of samples, references, case studies, and reviews showing that they’re legitimate and competent.
Ask your clients to provide you with a list of milestones and campaign deliverables. You’re looking for a clear timeline that projects how long everything will take to implement, and when they anticipate, you’ll begin seeing results. Your plan should include details on:
Your agency should be able to show you how they plan on approaching your campaign or project. Ask them to break down the approach that goes into their strategy documents; this document should clarify how they’ll approach your campaign, what you should expect, what their goals are, and more.
You’ll want to provide your agency with the following:
The digital strategy company you choose will provide you with a list of items they need and the options you need to implement their plan successfully.
You can use directories like Clutch.co, HubSpot Agency Directory, or Sortlist to find the right digital strategy agency that’s best for you. Here’s a list of some of the best in the industry. You can go through the traditional RFP process or you can simply request a quote.
Here’s a list of six of the top digital strategy agencies online.
I’ve created more than 4,294 blog posts in 10 years. I’ve written millions of words, and I’ve used content marketing to build three companies of my own generating 195,013 visitors a month. I did the same things for large fortune 500 clients; now I can do that for your business too.
REQ is an award-winning agency with enterprise-level expertise. They’re industry veterans with some of the best talents in the business. They’re part of the Inc.500 and Deloitte Fast 500 lists – they’re one of the fastest-growing companies in America.
With 80% of its clients in the mid-market range, earning between 10M – 1B, the Usman Group, specializes in digital strategy and market research. Their agency is oriented around design thinking; they produce projects that are evidence-driven, practical, and focused on research.
DeSantis Breindel is a digital strategy company that specializes in end-to-end branding strategy. They’re focused on all things branding — they serve businesses via brand differentiation, brand valuation, brand launches, and employee engagement and more.
If your company relies on image and brand reputation, DeSantis may be a good fit.
As a digital strategy firm, Mabbly emphasizes market research and data analytics. They specialize in converting large and complex problems into growth opportunities for established and up and coming brands. Their starting price is slightly higher but worth the investment if you’re looking for a data-driven approach.
Ironpaper bills itself as a B2B growth agency. As a digital strategy firm, their conversion growth strategy focuses on gaining traction with growth up to 1 percent. The growth phase starts at 1 to 3 percent, with anything above 3 percent listed as scaling.
Businesses have less time to adjust; now, more than ever before, customers are expecting companies to meet their expectations and needs immediately. Digital strategies that played out over the course of one to three-year cycle now finish in a matter of days or weeks. Business is accelerating as customers move more of their business online.
Most companies will need help to keep up.
If you have the right digital strategy agency, you’ll have the support you need to adapt to a rapidly changing market and events. Use this guide to find and vet the right agency for your business.
The post How to Choose The Right Digital Strategy Agency appeared first on Neil Patel.
According to Smart Insights, 49 percent of organizations don’t have a clearly defined digital strategy.
Choosing the right digital strategy for your business is essential. Experience helps you sift through what to do differently, what not to do, and where to focus your energy. Having a fresh perspective from an outside eye can make all the difference. What’s more important is choosing a company that can execute that strategy.
When you need to choose the best digital strategy company, you may be wondering where to start. Here’s a list of our picks for the best digital strategy companies in the world.
I’ve written more than 4,294 blog posts in 10 years. I’ve created millions of words and I’ve used content marketing to build three companies of my own. I used content marketing to generate 195,013 visitors a month and I’ve done the same things for my fortune 500 clients. When it comes to digital strategy and content marketing I’ve shown it can work.
I do the same thing for clients with my agency, NP Digital. We help our clients develop a digital strategy that maximizes the results they achieve with their content marketing, advertising, and SEO campaigns.
The focus with our digital strategy is revenue. Everything we do is focused on producing real results for businesses whether that’s more traffic, leads, or revenue.
NP Digital’s client list includes:
REQ is a Washington DC based, award-winning agency with enterprise-level experience. They’re industry veterans with some of the best talent in the business.
Projects start at $50,000. They offer a comprehensive suite of solutions for your marketing and digital strategy needs. Including:
They’ve been named to both the Inc.500 and Deloitte Fast 500 lists – they’re one of the fastest growing companies in America. They have offices in Washington, DC, New York, Boston, San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.
REQ’s client list includes:
With 80% of its clients in mid-market range, earning between 10M – 1B, the Usman Group specializes in digital strategy and market research. They provide analysis, strategy, execution, and measurement to help clients deploy successful campaigns.
They apply the four key principles of design thinking, learn from people, identify patterns, make solutions tangible, iterate continuously, in all of their client engagements.
Projects start at $10,000. You get a hand-picked team that will provide evidence-based, practical strategy and recommendations.
Usman Group’s client list includes:
DeSantis Breindel is a New York City based digital strategy company that specializes in end-to-end branding strategy. They help businesses with brand differentiation, customer experience, merger & acquisition branding, brand valuation, brand launch, and employee engagement.
Projects start at $75,000. They offer thorough research and measurement for your digital branding, brand identity and strategy, content marketing, customer experience design, and film production services.
DeSantis Breindel’s client list includes:
Mabbly is a Chicago based strategic design agency that relies on digital strategy, market research, and data analytics. They focus on turning complex problems into growth opportunities. Supporting human connection with digital experiences, via sophisticated design and data-backed digital strategy.
Mabbly’s team of digital and brand strategists work together to curate a channel strategy that combines the message along with the medium that’s right for your business opportunity. Projects start at $25,000.
Mabbly’s client list includes:
Ironpaper bills itself as a B2B growth agency. Their conversion growth strategy is focused on gaining traction with growth up to 1 percent. The growth phase is set at 1 to 3 percent, with anything above 3 percent listed as scaling.
What’s interesting about Ironpaper is the fact that they discuss the elephant in the room.
“Oftentimes, enterprises try to answer the question, ‘What is a good conversion rate?’’ without any context. What is a good conversion rate? When establishing conversion rates, context is everything.
A lack of context can actually do harm to a marketing team, because it causes teams to make the wrong assumptions.”
This tells you that Ironpaper isn’t focused on vanity metrics or conversion manipulation. They know the difference between high and low value conversions. Their projects start at $10,000 and are focused on small businesses.
Iron Paper’s client list includes:
Your digital strategy company should be able to provide you with specifics ahead of time. While many companies are able to provide you with amazing strategies, many are unwilling to demonstrate this ahead of time.
Creating an exceptional digital strategy begins with your agency asking the right questions. These questions determine what will be answered and where your answers will go. Here’s a small sample of the questions your agency should be asking.
These questions inform your digital strategy.
Your digital strategy framework should answer four high-level questions. Good digital marketing agencies should be asking these questions at the beginning of the engagement process.
The agency you choose should be willing to share sample strategies with you. This doesn’t mean that you should expect your agency to provide the entire strategy upfront, for free. Spec work isn’t ideal and that’s not what you’re looking for.
You’re looking for one example.
They can share this with you over the phone, in your proposal or quote, or in a sample report. You’re looking for them to share a small snippet, a piece of their proposed digital strategy. This is important for several reasons. With sample data you can:
You’re not asking for a comprehensive strategy document, you’re simply asking your agency to pick one part of your business and create a strategy around that; ask your agency a question (e.g., how would you increase sales for one of my products?).
Venture Capitalist Arthur Rock, believes strategy is important, but not as important as people who can execute that strategy.
“Over the past 30 years, I estimate that I’ve looked at an average of one business plan per day, or about 300 a year, in addition to the large numbers of phone calls and business plans that simply are not appropriate. Of the 300 likely plans, I may invest in only one or two a year; and even among those carefully chosen few, I’d say that a good half fail to perform up to expectations.
The problem with those companies (and with the ventures I choose not to take part in) is rarely one of strategy. Good ideas and good products are a dime a dozen. Good execution and good management in a word, good people are rare.”
A great strategy isn’t enough. You need amazing people who can implement your digital strategy and produce the results you need to grow.
Your agency should have two things:
If they can provide you with both or they’re willing to provide you with a trial period where you’re able to test their ability to execute your digital strategy, then it may be a good fit.
Your agency should provide you with detailed specifics for each of these points. If you have more questions or concerns, you’ll want to bring those up with your agency.
The digital strategy company you choose should provide you with the options you need to implement the plan successfully.
Choosing the right digital strategy for your business is essential. You need a plan to guide you, outlining where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. Having a fresh perspective from an outside eye can mean the difference between success and failure.
Remember, executing your digital strategy plan is even more important than simply having a plan. Use this pool to choose a digital strategy company that will partner with you to achieve your business goals.
The post The 6 Best Digital Strategy Companies of 2020 appeared first on Neil Patel.
Article URL: https://newstorycharity.org/careers/digital-marketer
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Digital marketing covers everything from SEO and content marketing to email campaigns, social media strategy, and video marketing too.
With new digital marketing companies popping up left and right offering a bit of everything (and truly speaking to no one), it’s no surprise you’re having a hard time finding the right one.
The best thing to do is narrow down your options by bypassing those digital marketing companies trying to do too many things at once.
Why? Because true highly-niched experts are the best way to get the results you want (and deserve) for your business.
But, it’s not always easy to find those experts when you need them.
So, I put together a list of the top digital marketing companies who genuinely excel at what they do to help you find the right fit for your business depending on what you need.
Then, we’re going to talk about what makes them great and what to expect when working with them.
Let’s get started!
Digital marketing can be done from anywhere in the world.
So, it doesn’t matter if you’re living in New York and want to work with a company in Houston. Or living in London interested in an advertising specialist in Australia.
All this freedom does make it difficult to narrow down your choices.
But this list is a great place to start.
Let’s face it — consistent content creation and effective content marketing are the banes of a lot of business’s existence.
Pair that with constantly evolving search engine algorithms and you have a recipe for burnout and frustration (on top of your every-day to-do’s).
Thankfully there’s an easier way than staying on top of it on your own.
Neil Patel Digital was built by marketers — not bankers — interested in disrupting the way brands (and their target audience) think about the content they create, publish, and promote.
We’ve helped businesses like Facebook, Intuit, and Google, as well as small to medium-sized businesses, disrupt their industries with our holistic and authentic approach to content creation and search engine optimization.
From research to execution to promotion and ongoing optimization, we know a thing or two (or twenty) about helping your brand create the best content for the right people… and putting it in front of them as well.
Your business deserves to be heard and there’s no one more dedicated to making that happen than our team of professional experts equipped with my world-class digital marketing strategies.
Plus, with seven offices around the world, our team is here for you when you need us.
You can have the best ideas and products in the world but without a brand that portrays your story and core values, you’re going to have a hard time connecting with your audience.
But cohesive brand design goes beyond the basics of graphic design best practices and Googling for free information until your eyes gloss over.
That’s where an experienced specialist comes in and saves the day.
Cubicle Ninjas uses a strategic combination of design and technology to develop innovative, inspiring, and one-of-a-kind branding design paired with the mobile apps and websites brands need to stand out in our online world.
They’ve designed high-end customer experiences for companies like Red Bull, Microsoft, IBM, and Hilton but they also work with smaller boutique brands as well.
Cubicle Ninjas believe the best brands encompass visual, written, and interactive elements to create a cohesive customer experience through every stage of their journey from casual visitors to loyal repeat customers.
Their client-proven process works for businesses and projects of all sizes interested in developing a brand and creative assets that help them tell their story.
Social media seemingly changes by the second.
It feels impossible to keep up with new platforms, updated policies, and ever-changing social media marketing techniques on top of running your business.
But thankfully, you don’t have to.
Storm Brain is a digital marketing company specializing in effective advertising campaigns and social media marketing that helps brands of all sizes generate more leads, build brand ambassadors, and make more money with a strong focus on ROI.
They’ve worked with some big names like Zillow, Ford, and Citi Bank but they also work with smaller brands in a wide variety of industries.
Storm Brain focuses on planning, creating, and executing both paid and organic social media campaigns that help your audience connect with your brand across social media channels.
However, they specialize in Facebook and paid social media advertising.
Their four-step strategic approach centers around your target audience and capitalizes on paid media, owned media, and earned media to ensure your brand is in front of the right people.
As a product-based business, you have different marketing roadblocks than service-based or blogging-based businesses.
And there are a lot of other branding elements coming into play as well.
Thankfully, Mad Mind is here to help.
They’re a creative digital marketing studio for both large and small eCommerce brands looking to develop cohesive branding from their website design down to the smallest details of their product packaging.
Brands like Lyft and Sony Music trust Mad Mind to help them create an impactful brand, attract the right people, and turn them into lifelong paying customers.
Furthermore, they’ve been featured on Shark Tank, The Los Angeles Times, and Vogue.
From WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify development to custom websites and thoughtful eCommerce branding, their team of “marketing geniuses” delivers powerful results and dynamic marketing strategies you can leverage for years to come.
Video and visual content marketing are booming right now.
But it’s no secret planning, creating, and producing videos feels overwhelming and downright difficult, to say the least.
The good news is… you don’t have to do it all yourself.
Pop Video specializes in doing the heavy lifting (read: video creation, execution, repurposing, editing, etc.) for you.
They know your audience expects more than one-off videos and other types of visual content. And they also believe your business deserves better, as well. They don’t call themselves a “lean, mean, content-generating machine” for nothing.
Pop Video has partnered with hundreds of brands including Phillips 66, Academy Sports + Outdoors, and Mattress Firm to revolutionize the way their audiences consume and interact with digital content.
However, they don’t just produce great videos.
They help you create a library of visual assets by repurposing content as well so you can walk away with all the visual content marketing material you need.
There’s a reason 93% of B2B brands use email to distribute the content they create — it works.
But starting your email list and growing it into a database of raving fans and customers isn’t easy. Most businesses know this and do everything they can to avoid it like the plague.
Good thing you have another option.
Action Rocket is an email marketing studio leveraging strategic approaches, creative thinking, and in-depth customer journeys to develop results-driven email marketing campaigns.
Furthermore, they’ve worked with some huge names you may have heard of like QVC, Unicef, and American Express.
However, they also work with businesses of all sizes anywhere in the world.
Action Rocket offers courses, workshops, and training as well as world-class email campaign creation services so you can start leveraging one of the most effective forms of digital marketing for your business.
Now you know my top recommendations.
So, let’s talk about what makes these digital marketing companies great and what to look for if none of the companies above match what you’re after. These are the key steps in how to pick the right digital marketing agency.
Smart digital marketers understand the importance of having a well-designed website and an effective digital marketing strategy.
So, it makes sense to expect your digital marketing company to have both, especially if they offer web design or custom development services.
Take a look around their website, sign up for the email list, and peek at their social media profiles to make sure they’re practicing what they preach.
And if they’re not… move on to a digital marketing company that is.
Agencies use their portfolio to show off their best work.
So, look through their published portfolio pieces to see examples of the types of work they produce for their clients.
This also gives you an idea of the types of clients they frequently work with.
Pay close attention to the style and quality of what they do and make sure it closely aligns with what you hope to get out of working with them.
Furthermore, look at the list of clients they have to see if you recognize any of the names.
If anything seems off or doesn’t fit what you’re looking for, move on to a digital marketing company that feels like a better fit for you and your business.
It’s important to work with companies that value the same things and have a strong company culture you can appreciate to get the results you hope to achieve (without wanting to pull your hair out).
Do you prefer a creative and collaborative atmosphere or a more rigid and structured approach?
Look at the words, phrases, and photos they use on their website to get an idea of how they work and make sure it’s a good match to what you’re looking for.
Some digital marketing companies use humor and playfulness while others are more serious.
So, decide what type of experience you want to have and find a company that matches that.
Example: Would you use the word “disruptive” to describe your brand and vision?
It’s important to hire a digital marketing company with the right team that can deliver the results you’re hoping for.
If you’re looking for high-end brand design services, make sure they have an experienced team of designers to take on your project.
Or maybe you’re interested in a custom-coded website.
Check out that company’s team on their about page (if they have everyone listed there) or on LinkedIn to make sure they have an experienced designer and a coder or developer on staff.
Strong communication is one of the most important parts of a fruitful and beneficial partnership between a company and its digital marketing company.
So, it’s important to consider their communication skills and overall customer service before hiring them.
You can do this by evaluating the responses you get and how long it takes for them to respond to your messages and questions before giving them any money.
This doesn’t always work but if they take weeks to respond to a simple question, consider moving on to someone else.
Before scheduling a consultation or reaching out for more information, look through their website to make sure their promises are realistic.
Furthermore, look to see if you can find any data-driven case studies they have regarding the type of results they regularly produce for their clients.
If they’re promising unrealistic things and making outlandish claims on their website, that’s a huge red flag.
Why? Because this means they probably don’t understand how the industry works and they don’t have any actual client results to share.
93% of consumers turn to customer reviews and testimonials when deciding to buy something. They do this because it helps justify the expense and ensure they’re going to get what they pay for.
So, you should do the same.
Keep an eye out for detailed and honest customer reviews or testimonials to give you an insight into what working with the company is like.
If you can’t find any, they probably haven’t worked with many clients and they may be inexperienced.
Which… is fine if you’re on a budget. But it’s not fine if you’re looking for the best possible solution for your business.
Now you know what to look for, so let’s talk about what to expect when working or partnering with a digital marketing company.
The details of each phase look different for every business out there. But, the fundamentals remain the same regardless of the company you choose to work with.
The best digital marketing companies want to learn everything there is to know about your business from top to bottom.
This usually happens through a series of phone calls/zoom chats and detailed questionnaires so they can get to know you and what you’re looking for. They’ll also do a deep dive into your target market, audience, and competition.
Once they know who you are and what you’re looking for, they’ll work with you to develop a detailed timeline and plan of attack to get the job done well and on time.
Once everyone agrees on the plan, it’s time to start executing.
Your digital marketing company will work through the process of creating and finalizing everything you both agreed to during phase 2.
This includes building infrastructure, creatives, ongoing strategies, and anything else you need to achieve the results you’re after. Again, this looks different for different types of projects and the company you’re working with.
Depending on the complexity of your project, this could take anywhere from a few days to several months (or even a few years depending on the type of partnership).
After everything is complete, good digital marketing companies will walk you through the results and outcomes you achieved by working together.
From there, you’ll discuss the next steps and how to move forward on your own (or what happens next if your partnership isn’t over).
Investing in digital marketing is a huge step in the right direction for your business. But, these strategies don’t return results overnight and they generally tend to ramp up over time.
So, expect a long-term relationship with your digital marketing company.
The longer you work with them, the more fine-tuned they are to your needs, and the quicker they can get to work producing even better long-term results for you and your business.
So, whether you choose one of my top recommendations or scout out your own, use the tips and best practices we talked about to make a smart, educated decision… like the future of your business depends on it.
Because it does!
Have you worked with any digital marketing companies recently? How did it go and did you get the results you hoped for?
The post The 6 Best Digital Marketing Companies of 2020 appeared first on Neil Patel.
Deciding to hire a digital marketing agency is easy. The hard part is deciding which digital marketing agency to hire. In today’s world, anyone with an internet connection can create a website and start offering services as an entrepreneur. The barriers to entry are slim to none. Which… is what makes choosing the right digital …
The post How to Choose The Right Digital Marketing Agency appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.
Deciding to hire a digital marketing agency is easy.
The hard part is deciding which digital marketing agency to hire.
In today’s world, anyone with an internet connection can create a website and start offering services as an entrepreneur. The barriers to entry are slim to none.
Which… is what makes choosing the right digital marketing agency so tricky.
However, I know a few things that can help simplify the decision-making process. In this article, I cover what to look for, things to avoid, how to make the most of your digital marketing agency, and my top recommendations.
But first, let’s start at the beginning.
Every business is different, as is every digital marketing agency.
Digital marketing agencies usually specialize in one or two areas. And while many of them are “full-service,” they typically prefer projects within their specialty.
So the first step in choosing the right digital marketing agency is understanding your goals and what you hope to achieve by working with one.
It may be easier to break this down into deliverables, the goal of those deliverables, and the outcome you hope to achieve. Knowing these things helps you communicate what you wish to get out of the project.
And when an agency knows what you’re looking for, they know whether they can actually help you without wasting anyone’s time.
Here are some examples to get your wheels turning.
Pretend you want to hire an agency to help you develop a content marketing system. You ultimately want a blog that continuously runs on autopilot with no work required by you.
From there, you can start looking for companies that fit the bill because you know exactly what you’re looking for and how to communicate your desired outcomes.
Maybe you’re interested in creating a series of marketing videos you can use on social media and your website, but you don’t know how to do it or where to start.
You also want someone to coach you through the process.
Now, you can actively look for digital marketing agencies that are willing to coach you through it. Coaching is more hands-on, so not all video marketing agencies can do this.
But because you know what you want, you can find the right fit for you.
Imagine the disappointment of hiring someone and realizing they can’t or won’t give you what you were really looking for.
This is why it’s essential to pinpoint your goals and desired outcomes before doing anything else.
Now you know what your goals and desired outcomes are. So, it’s time to talk about what makes excellent digital marketing agencies… great.
So, look for these characteristics as you go through the process of deciding who you want to work with. They’ll help you vet out top-notch service providers from those who say they’re the best without proof to back it up.
Let’s dive in!
Smart digital marketing agencies are proud of who they work with and the work they do. Furthermore, they typically display their partnerships for the world to see.
You don’t necessarily have to know who their past clients are (bonus points if you do). But if you can’t find a list of previous clients or examples of their work, that may mean they haven’t worked with anyone.
Which… is fine if you’re on a budget. But not okay if you’re looking for the best of the best.
That said, some types of services aren’t easy to display, like content marketing and SEO. So, agencies specializing in those areas may not be able to showcase their work in a portfolio.
However, a client list is a good indication of their experience.
Note: with services like graphic design or website development, you should see a well-put-together showcase of the type of work they do. If you can’t find any examples, move on to a service provider with a portfolio that matches your expectations.
Regardless of the type of services you’re after, it’s essential to make sure the agency you hire has the right team-members to suit your project.
For example, you wouldn’t hire someone to design a logo if they don’t have a graphic designer.
Look through their about page to see if they list their team members there.
And if not, LinkedIn is also a great place to look. Start by searching for the agency.
Then click “People” to see a list of everyone who works there.
Note: this typically won’t show you any freelancers or contractors they work with, so it’s not always 100% indicative of who’s on their team.
Furthermore, some of their team members may not be on Linkedin at all.
But this is an excellent place to start. You can always ask questions during your consultation if you aren’t sure.
Social proof, like testimonials and previous client reviews, can give you deep insight into what working with that agency is like.
Furthermore, smart marketers understand the importance of displaying social proof on their website. So, if you can’t find any, they may not have any previous clients, or they may not understand the industry as well as you’d like them to.
Besides positive reviews, negative or neutral reviews can also shine a light on areas that agency struggles with to get a clear understanding of their work.
Lastly, you can search for in-depth reviews on Google to see what others in the industry (and their past clients) say about their experiences with the agency.
Take a moment to revisit your company’s core values and culture.
Why? Because it’s crucial to work with a digital marketing agency that values the same things and operates in a similar environment.
Doing so ensures they mesh and work well with your team. Ultimately, an agency is an extension of your business. Choosing an agency with the right values and culture is just as important as considering the quality of their work.
The last thing you want is the stress of working with a group of people who don’t value the same things or operate in the same way.
Look at the words and phrases an agency uses to describe what they do. Does this align with your core values and the results you expect to see?
If not, move on to an agency that feels like a better fit.
Your website is like a cozy entryway that makes the right people feel welcome.
The best digital marketers know how essential a well-designed website is. So, if they’re not executing internal projects well, why would you expect them to deliver something better for yours?
This is especially true if they offer website development or design services.
So, look through their website and listen to your instincts.
If it doesn’t feel right or appears low-quality, you’re better off moving on to an agency that values good design and delivering exceptional user experiences.
The type of results an agency promises on their website is a strong indication of how well they understand the industry.
For example, anyone claiming to fast track your way to the number one spot on Google doesn’t know that SEO is both a long-term and short-term marketing strategy. Or that it requires continuous work to maintain.
So, that’s probably not someone you should hire to help optimize your website.
Pay close attention to the claims and promises they make.
Make sure they align with what you know about the industry. And remember outlandish or seemingly impossible promises are a huge red flag.
Stick to digital marketing agencies that offer transparency and realistic promises.
The best digital marketing agencies make it as easy as possible for potential clients to get in touch with them.
Navigating their website shouldn’t feel like a maze,
In a perfect world, their contact information isn’t more than one click away regardless of what page you’re on. And they provide a clear call to action, so you know what to do next.
Furthermore, your first step should be painfully clear. Do they want you to schedule a consultation? Maybe you’re supposed to fill out a contact form for more information or a custom quote.
If it isn’t obvious or you’re struggling to figure out how things work, consider choosing a digital marketing agency that simplifies the process.
There are quite a few things you can do as a client to maximize your results and get the most out of your strategic partnership with a digital marketing agency.
Doing these things helps set the stage for effective and successful collaboration through every phase of the project.
It’s essential to have everyone on the same page. So, have a meeting with your team and let them know the extent of your new project or partnership with plenty of time to get ready for it.
If you owe the agency anything, be sure to spend time on it and do it well. They need to learn the ins and outs of your business, and this is your chance to put it all out on the table.
This sets the precedence for the rest of the project, so don’t rush to get it done.
Before the project starts, make sure every person with a stake in it agrees on the scope and timeline before moving forward. This is just as much your job as it is your agency’s.
Furthermore, most digital marketing projects go through these four phases:
Layout the details of each step with your team and agency so everything is crystal clear before the project begins.
The best digital marketing projects are highly collaborative.
Furthermore, your input, thoughts, and ideas help move the project forward in the right direction to match your desired outcomes.
Some agencies and projects are more collaborative than others. So make sure you understand what they need from you throughout the entire project.
It may help to have a dedicated point of contact and a team or team member ready to manage the project. Having someone readily available helps ensure you’re not holding things up on your end.
It’s important to remember that the agency you hired is excellent at what it does, and you hired them for a reason — their expertise.
This means giving them complete control over certain aspects of the project to let them do what they do best. It’s also important to listen to what they say.
If they have a reason for doing things a certain way, remind yourself they’re the experts.
You don’t necessarily have to agree, but it’s worth keeping an open mind.
If you’ve never worked with a digital marketing agency before, you will see and experience a lot of new things.
And it’s completely normal if you don’t understand everything that’s happening.
The best thing to do is ask questions.
Maybe you don’t know why they chose this color over that one. Or there’s a piece of data you don’t get. Perhaps someone said something that doesn’t make sense to you.
There’s nothing wrong with not knowing. However, asking about the things you’re unsure of is an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn more. It also helps clear up any uncertainties.
There are countless “full-service” agencies offering every type of service you can imagine under one roof. Which… sounds great, but I don’t recommend hiring them.
Why? It makes more sense when you think about other industries.
Example #1: Would you rather hire a general contractor or a custom porch specialist to build a custom-fit back deck for your house? The specialist, right?
Example #2: Who do you see when you have specific medical issues that need attention? A specialist for that particular problem. Or you get referred to one by your general care physician.
The best digital marketing agencies excel at one or two things with their other services being add-ons or secondary options.
So, choose a niched digital marketing agency specializing in the types of services you’re looking for to get the best results and the most bang for your buck.
Now you know what to look for and how to choose the right digital marketing agency for your next project. To help you get started, these are my top agency recommendations for different types of projects.
Neil Patel Digital is a holistic digital marketing agency specializing in content marketing and SEO for brands interested in disrupting their industry.
Our goal is to change the way brands think about the content they produce.
And we also care about helping that content get the attention it deserves.
Our team of highly-skilled content marketers and SEO experts are equipped with my tried-and-tested digital marketing strategies to help your business deliver the right types of content… at the right time.
Storm Brain specializes in helping brands of all sizes generate more leads and leverage social media through organic and paid campaigns.
They go the extra mile by looking at clients through the lens of an audience member to help craft and deliver long-term experiences that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.
From workshops and online courses to full-scale email campaign creation services, Action Rocket is a go-to expert for all things email marketing.
Their team specializes in email strategy, design, and coding so you don’t have to worry about planning your campaigns or designing them.
Plus, you can rest easy knowing your email code aligns with today’s best practices.
Pop Video is a visual content marketing agency specializing in video and visual content marketing as well as matching visual assets for digital brands of all sizes.
They understand the importance of deep collaboration between clients and their team, which is why they call themselves video partners… not video producers.
At Pop Video, they consider themselves an extension of your team that works in parallel to supply iterative content for every step of the customer journey.
Online stores and eCommerce businesses deal with different challenges. So, you need a digital marketing agency who things differently to help you overcome those roadblocks.
The Mad Mind team understands the importance of visual brand and product development from the look of your website and social media profiles to the intricate details of product packaging.
In a perfect world, your website is your #1 salesman. But it’s no secret we aren’t all be web developers with a keen eye for design.
But that’s why we hire experts, right?
Cubicle Ninjas is a digital marketing agency specializing in custom app and website development. They use modern design, humor, creative thinking, and the latest technologies to create excellent customer experiences.
Every project, big or small, deserves the attention of a true industry expert. However, choosing the right digital marketing agency often feels overwhelming.
With tens of thousands of agencies to choose from, that’s no surprise.
But now you know what to look for, what to avoid, and how to prepare your team. Use the tips and characteristics we talked about next time you’re on the hunt for a niched digital marketing agency ready to bring your ideas to life.
What do you consider before hiring a digital marketing agency?
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