Did you know there are more than 13,000 different marketing agencies in the United States alone?

Because of this, you have a lot of options when looking for a firm to work with.

In order to make sure you make the right choice, it's important that you ask the important questions before hiring an agency. But this can be easier said than done. What questions are most important to ask?

For this reason, we've created this guide outlining the marketing questions to ask a digital agency when hiring them. Keep reading for more.

What Services Do You Offer?

The truth is that digital marketing is a broad industry. There are lots of different strategies and tactics available and not every agency specializes in everything. These tactics could include any of the following:

• SEO services
• Web design
• Video production
• Content marketing
• Paid social media advertising
• Organic social media strategy
• PPC
• Brand development
• Listing management
• And many more

You typically find one of two types of digital agencies: the one-trick pony and the Swiss Army Knife. One isn't better than the other--it just depends on what your goals are.

The one-trick pony agency focuses on one core area of digital marketing and masters it to the core. For example, maybe a firm specializes in just SEO or just PPC. If you're looking for someone with deep experience in that area, great!

Other agencies take the Swiss Army Knife approach. These businesses offer a wide range of services.

Depending on your goals and your potential budgets, different strategies will work for you compared to other businesses and industries. There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to marketing.

Can We See Some Previous Work?

Next, as you're vetting potential agencies, it's a good idea to ask about their previous work. What industries have they worked in before? Who are some of their former clients?

This will give you an idea of the scale and type of expertise.

It's also a good idea to ask to see their previous work. Are you looking for an agency to help you grow your organic social presence? Ask to see examples of social media campaigns they've run for clients in the past.

Looking for an agency to build you a brand new website? Make sure you see examples of sites they've worked on before.

Often, this information can be found on the portfolio section of their website as you're browsing through options. But don't be afraid to ask for more examples. This will help you make a truly educated decision.

Who Will Work on Our Account?

Once you've narrowed down your choices, it's common to have in-person meetings with your top agency choices. In these types of meetings, it's also common to meet with executives and high-level management or salespeople.

This is totally appropriate for these situations. They'll be able to give you an excellent look at the company as a whole.

But what about the day-to-day work? You should definitely find out who will be executing on your requests.

If you're contracting an agency to do SEO work for you, ask to meet the SEO manager and their team. Have them walk you through their strategy and software that they use. Obviously, they aren't going to do work for you without signing a contract, but as you are thorough, you'll make a better choice.

What Will Our Working Relationship Look Like?

Another thing to consider: what will your working relationship look like with the agency?

How often will you have regular status update meetings with your account manager? What will the agenda of these meetings be? Can you expect monthly or quarterly business reviews?

If you have questions, what's the best way to get a hold of them? Do they prefer email, Slack, or video calls?

Also pay attention to the personality traits of the employees. Do they listen you? Are they optimistic?

These types of soft skills are super important in a potential partner.

At DeSoto Consulting LLC, we pride ourselves on creating great relationships with our clients. When you succeed, we succeed.

How Will You Measure Success?

Last but not least, you should discuss how you'll measure success. Start by having clear goals.

Are you looking for increased sales? More leads? Improved brand awareness?

Whatever you're looking for, make this clear to your agency. And then as you go throughout the process, keep in mind that digital marketing isn't a cure-all for your business.

And it often takes time to see results.

But don't let this discourage you. Instead, set clear expectations and then encourage your agency to keep you in the loop with progress along the way.

Depending on the work they're doing, you could also ask for them to set up a tracker that they regularly update with data about click-through rates, calls, or other important data points.

Marketing Questions to Ask an Agency

There you have it: the top marketing questions to ask before you hire an agency. As you do this thorough vetting, you'll end up with a better partner. It can seem like a lot of work, but it's definitely worth it.

Soon, you'll start seeing great success.

Need professional digital marketing services? At DeSoto Consulting, we have years of experience helping more than 300 clients find great results.

Whether you need brand development, SEO help, web design, or more, contact us today. We're here to help you take your brand to the next level.

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