Demand for content marketing agencies has been on the rise ever since businesses shifted online. This increased demand has led to a direct increase in the supply of marketing agencies in the market. As a result, you are faced with many options when searching for the best match. Moreover, it has become necessary to hire a content strategy agency as if you don’t, you will be left behind in the competition.
But the real question is, how do you decide which content marketing company to hire? Here are seven factors that will help you make the decision. But let’s first get into the costs and the expected turn around time for results.
How much does content marketing cost?
Content marketing on average will cost most businesses between $2,000 to $50,000 a month ($2,000 to $10,000 for SME). This depends on a lot of factors including the services you opt for and the expertise of the agency. Some agencies can even cost more than this depending on your type of content, budget and business needs.
On the brighter side, some agencies have flexible pricing plans. This allows you to choose the services you require within the price range that you want.
What is the average turn around for results?
When you hire a content marketing agency, you cannot expect them to produce results overnight. Agencies that tailor the content specifically for your business will take their time to study your industry, your company, your competitions and other relevant information. Once done, they devise and implement a suitable strategy.
Content strategies focus on fostering relationships and therefore take time to show results. Due to this, depending on the need of your business, type of content, type of goal (long term or short term) as well as the money you have spent, it could take anywhere from 6 months to a year for the results to show. But the wait is well worth it.
Factors to consider before hiring a content marketing agency
Since content marketing takes time to show effects, it is important for you to consider all the vital aspects before picking an agency to work with. Here are seven factors that every business should take into account when hiring a content marketing agency:
1. Their website
This is one of the most basic yet the most important factors to consider. A website forms the first impression for any company.
If a content marketing agency does not have a good website of its own, how can you expect them to do wonders for you? Therefore, thoroughly go through their website and see if the experience is something you would want visitors on your website to have.
2. Ask them to share their strategy
Asking them to share their strategy beforehand will help you understand what it is that you need from them. Moreover, you can also filter out whether they have what you are looking for.
By having that conversation, you will be able to see if you two are a good match. Besides, you will also be able to see if they are using the modern strategies or are still dependent on the traditional methods of marketing. It is very important that the agency is up to date with all the marketing trends.
3. Solid understanding of various tools of digital marketing
It is very important that the content marketing agency has a good grip over all tools of digital marketing. Hiring a marketing agency that specializes only in one or two areas of digital marketing won’t bring you much good. You need someone who has a thorough understanding and can optimize your marketing strategy using a diverse set of tools.
If a content marketing agency cannot provide you the full package of services that your business needs, then it is not likely that you will be able to stand out from the competition. Therefore, it is important for you to make sure that the agency that you are hiring is qualified and has the relevant experience and expertise your company requires.
4. Are their services a good match for what you are looking for?
Some content marketing companies offer an exorbitant package of services that are available. However, every business is unique and has different needs. Some companies may benefit more with a strategy that is focus on SEO whereas some need more effort on their web design.
It is also important to consider the agency’s work environment and attitude as it is much easier to work with one that has a similar work culture as yours. Hopefully, the agency that you ended up working with will provide flexible services designed specifically for your company.
Finally, make sure that you have an interview with them to make sure they will be able to collaborate and cooperate with you.
5. Understand your company’s needs and budget
Another important thing to consider is the need for the hour and the budget at hand. The content marketing agency should be able to work with the budget you have and offer a package of services that will maximize the results.
While it is important to spend on content marketing, it is even more important to spend wisely and within the allocated budget. This is especially true for start-ups who have just begun their journeys.
Many companies hold back from investing on a marketing agency due to tight budgets. However, what they fail to realize is that there are agencies out there that are offering their services in customized plans to tailor to their customer’s needs.
For more information on how to determine your marketing budget spend, check out our blog post here.
6. Ask for samples of their past work
The best way to analyze the work of any content marketing agency is to ask them for a sample of work they have done for their clients. Sit with them and ask them questions about how and why they implemented a specific strategy for a company in the given location. This way, you will get further insights into their strategy and be able to see how effective they are at execution and producing results.
7. Transparency and confidence
Transparency and confidence are two things that can build a strong foundation for any partnership. Being your partners, you need to ensure that the marketing agency is 100% transparent and does not hide anything from you.
Ensure they have good reporting and be able to define clear KPIs to track your campaign’s performance. Make sure you only hire a content marketing agency if you are absolutely sure and confident that they have what you are looking for.
Conclusion
With the increased use of digital marketing, it is now getting more difficult to differentiate your business from your competition. Content marketing has repeatedly proven how effective it is in building trust and establishing companies as the authorities in their industry.
If you are still unsure whether content marketing is for you, schedule a free consultation with our team today. Our experts are more than happy to walk you through the services that we provide so that you can evaluate whether we are the right solution for you.
What do you consider when choosing a content marketing agency? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
Enjoy this article? Subscribe to get similar articles delivered to your inbox and don’t forget to share it with your friends.
Other Related Blog Posts:
Alan Lo, Managing Partner of Stratwell Strategic Solutions, brings a decade of entrepreneurial and business development experience. Early in his career he was instrumental in building out the distribution channels of a real estate investment firm with over $2 billion in AUM. He has then founded an investment company in 2014 which he successfully exited in 2019.
