What do clients expect when they work with a digital marketing agency?
Digital marketing was the number one (69 percent) ranked marketing tactic most sought by clients, according to an AdWeek survey of 184 marketing clients from companies including AT&T, Dunkin’ Brands, Merck, MetLife and Revlon. In fact, digital marketing is surging 10.8 percent in 2010 to $25.1 billion, according to a new report by the digital researcher eMarketer. Here’s a recap are key traits that clients seek out in digital marketing agencies:
Strategic Approach That Starts With the Big Picture
Client services can be as diverse as they are comprehensive. Facebook and Google AdWords campaigns, SEO, Twitter profile development, social media contests and newsletter marketing can add up. “While executing on specific strategies, it’s easy for agencies to lose sight of, or miss entirely, the big picture,” writes Omniture, after hosting a client feedback Q&A seminar. “Our panelists each stressed the need for agencies to keep larger goals in mind.”
Grasping the client’s overall corporate vision ranked the number two reason for choosing an agency, according to AdWeek. If client work spans across multiple digital marketing departments, call weekly meetings to re-enforce the overall marketing strategy. A digital marketing agency needs to always be in sync with the corporate vision to be effective and relevant, writes Omniture.
Market and Industry Expertise
Digital marketing agencies have distinct core competencies such as app development or SEO and sometimes have industry expertise. In fact, agencies that thoroughly understand the client’s industry was the number one decision driver among clients, according to a study by AdWeek. Ask the agency to share their experience and case studies in your industry.
Valuable Insight
Your digital marketing agency should be well-connected to consumers, markets, and other clients. The agency should see trends and ideas first and can pass along thought starters that can change your business. A few good business insights could prove more valuable in the long-run than the creative and Internet talent that you’re hiring them for. Look for a team that is able to share thought provoking and new insights that stretch your business to new heights.
Pioneer a Collaborative Attitude
Web 2.0 has created a collaborative environment. Increasingly, clients are looking to digital marketing agencies to network outside of their walls and tap into the expertise within their peer group. “We heard several times from our panelists that it’s increasingly important for agencies to ‘play well together,’” writes Ominture. A digital marketing agency with strong connections to deliver maximum impact for clients ultimately has more value than secluded agencies with a dog-eat-dog philosophy.
Plan for the Future
Find a digital marketing agency that will grow and evolve with you. Understand their plan to add new talent, new competencies, so that they can address your needs today and tomorrow. While you near-term focus might be on a successful brand marketing campaign this year, the bigger goal is to sustain your marketing momentum for the long-run.
A Shameless Plug for Sparxoo, a Full-Service Digital Marketing Agency
Know why we know so much about what clients want from a digital marketing agency? Because Sparxoo.com is a digital marketing agency with an impressive roster of world-renowned digital marketing and branding clients. Our ability to take advantage of the latest web trends for marketing and branding is a hallmark of our success. So if you’re looking for a winning digital marketing and branding agency, contact Sparxoo to discuss how we can ‘spark’ your branding strategy.
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Comments
Digital marketing agencies are only as good as their people. Sometimes within an agency, there are A-teams and B-teams. Be sure that your digital marketing team is talented with expertise in your highest priority areas.
Very good post, I’ve always thought one of the most important qualities of a digital marketing agency is the ability to plan for the future. The internet is like an evolving, morphing living thing and a good digital marketing company must evolve with it.
I think it is also important the tools the agencies are using. How can you tell if all of social efforts are producing results? Take a look at our tool that is specifically mean to address this problem: http://www.socialreport.com
Cheers!