In the past few years, digital marketing has not only grown in scope and added more value for small and medium sized companies, but has been the platform that initiates direct conversations with audiences for small and large organizations alike. No doubt a digital marketing company has its advantages, but if not chosen smartly, it could be ineffective in regards to time, money and resource utilization.

Here are a few tips to factor before hiring a digital agency on board:

1. Business Strategies should align

Just before you embark on a long and confusing journey of looking for the right match to your company, sit back and give a thorough look at your own company goals and objectives. What is it that you want to attain in the next 6 months? What future plans do you want to address over the span of 6 months to 1 year. With that, you might also consider market conditions, and business challenges that might hamper the growth of your company, or simply reduce the rate at which you expect to grow. Clear goals and objectives will help in setting aside a budget for a particular campaign or a few months.

Once you as a company are aligned with your resources you will be able to demand and ask for the same from the agency you are about to hire.

2. Practice what they preach – Online Presence

The digital company you are about to hire should be practicing what they preach or claim to be experts at. Are they regular smart content producers on their own social channels? It is imperative for the company you hire is familiar and have a strong following on the platforms that they claim to sell to you.

3. Jack of all and expert at none?

You do not want to be stuck with a marketing company, that has bits and pieces of information on all platforms, but command over none. As a hiring company, you will have to do some necessary homework about the company you are considering to work with. The platforms they use and marketing tools that they use to brand their own organization should say a lot about the knowledge they hold. Is the team technically attuned to industry standards?

4. Knowledge of integrating marketing tools

A good digital agency should be updated with advanced technology in their own marketing endeavors, along with being adept to innovations in the tech world that are not only useful for their own business, but also the services they offer to clients.

You might want to run a few background checks by looking through their online portfolio, the clients they have had, and the social improvement and engagement they have had or created for their clients. This will also speak of their own credibility and transparency as an individual organization and of their expertise.

5. Creativity

The world of digital runs on content that is produced and then marketed. If the agency under consideration is not creative and innovative in their design element, and are not experimenting with new digital tools to create content, to create a strong digital presence of their own brand; then it is likely that they might use a similar approach with their client work.

Remember, the rules of marketing have not entirely changed, nor have the rules of referral. It is just the platforms that have switched roles in terms of priority. Your online marketing efforts will push the offline traffic to notice your brand.

6. Price Sensitivity against Cost of Customer

At the end of the day, it is all about the numbers, and the number of customers standing outside your doorstep. Don’t ever ignore the basics of business, that will define the success of a campaign and give a direction to the budget spend. If an agency does not inquire about this, you definitely need to think twice before hiring them. It is all about the customers knocking at your door, whether you market it offline or online.