Before you outsource a portion of your digital marketing processes, it would be a great idea to first create a balance between what your internal e-commerce team will do and define what online marketing companies can do and where do they come in.

Aggressive Changes in the Online Marketplace

Online shopping activities are on the rise. More consumers turn to mobile purchasing even for usual items like groceries and daily home supplies. This phenomenon has increased the landscape of e-commerce as we know it.

In many cases, your internal marketing team won’t have the tools and skills to cope with these changing demands and increasing competition. That is why bringing in online marketing companies to help you navigate this ever-changing market environment is a big win for everyone.

Important Factors to Consider

You need to consider several factors, such as the role your internal e-commerce team will play, the functions of the digital agency and how they enter the scene as a consultant, and how both teams will work together to achieve your specific marketing goals.

Here are the details of the different aspects of your online marketing processes that you need to work on:

1. Services and Functions Needed

What are your company’s objectives? You need to clearly define your marketing goals before you bring in online marketing companies to consult with. Meet with your internal marketing team and identify where the gaps are in your marketing efforts.

Find out if you need help with brand awareness, extending your reach, launching new products and services, development and deployment of your apps, social media marketing, improving conversion rates, the formulation of innovative ad campaigns, and others.

Make sure to identify specific points where a third-party agency can come in, look at where you’re at, and recommend actual steps that you should take to improve results.

2. Your Budget

Let’s face it; hiring a team from online marketing companies will cost money. Some will incur a higher cost than others. What you need to do is to sit down with more than one agency. Present the areas where you need help and ask for a quote.

Do your research and find out what the current market average is. Be wary of agencies charging way below the current average. Consider the cost versus the benefits that you can get. Don’t just think with your pocket—remember that this is an investment, a long-term one.

3. Communication

Find out how well these online marketing companies communicate. Are they local? Do they have offices in your city? Can you reach them easily when you encounter trouble? The trend is today is to have multiple communication channels, which means digital marketing agencies tend to be more responsive to their clients.

4. Analyze Their Diagnosis

There are several areas in your digital marketing efforts. You may need help in the following areas:

● Website: Optimizing for mobile use and capacity to deal with increased traffic

What is the level of usability of each of your site’s pages?

● SEO: Improve positions of your sites and pages on the SERPs

You may need help with analyzing how keywords are distributed across the different pages and in the actual text as well.

● Social Networks: Increase brand awareness and create engagement

● Blogs: Are the blog posts of good quality? What types of content can the agency help you produce? Do you need white papers, informational content, infographics, eBooks, video tutorials, and webinars?

Analyze their recommendations and sit with your team. You can decide then and there if their recommendations are worth your time and money.

5. Client Base

The agency’s official website will usually have a list of clients that they have served and are currently serving. Take the time to research these companies and how well their online marketing efforts are doing.

Find out the type of customers their previous clients have. Do they have things in common with your very own market segment? Do they relate in any way to your products and services? It shows how well the agency can understand different industries and marketplaces.

6. Case Studies

Case studies will help you gauge the results that an agency can deliver. You will get to see the actual numbers. This is a more objective way to judge the aptitude of online marketing companies.

Case studies allow you to better scrutinize their portfolio. The case studies that are on display on their website only reveal the data partially. Ask for eBooks and white papers of these case studies. They would usually have their best works ready to share with potential partners like you.

Conclusion

These are the six important factors that you need to consider before you work with a digital marketing agency. Create a balance between what your internal and external teams will do to improve your position.