In the 21st century, business success and failure can hinge on the effectiveness of digital marketing. A company might not have revolutionary products or services, but with the right digital marketing strategy, the organization could secure incredible success. In contrast, a brand with innovative and valuable products or services might collapse in record time if they lack digital marketing support.
Given the importance of digital marketing, most businesses rely on dedicated agencies — but not all digital marketing firms are created equal. Though most digital marketing companies are eager to provide clients with online success, many agencies are not deserving of their clients’ trust. Here are a few signs that a firm cannot deliver the results that a company needs to survive and thrive in digital marketing.
They Make Incredible Promises
All digital marketing firms want to make a client’s dreams come true, but sometimes, those dreams are unrealistic. Good agencies will tell clients when their expectations are too grandiose and suggest more practical goals and methods of achieving them. If a digital marketing company continues to “yes, and” every client whim, promising incredible results, they likely have little intention of creating success for their clients.
They Don’t Have Any References or Testimonials
One of the best ways to determine the effectiveness of a digital marketing firm is to look at the success enjoyed by previous and current clients. If an agency cannot point to evidence of their past success, a company should assume they have had none. It is dangerous to be a digital marketing firm’s first client; instead, organizations should prefer to work with established digital marketers, who have more experience achieving their clients’ goals.
They Use a Free Email Service
A small but certain indication that a digital marketing firm is not trustworthy is the domain of their email address. If an agency is continuing to use a free email service, like Gmail, rather than setting up their own professional domain, they are likely to maintain other amateurish practices, as well.
They Are Constantly Busy With Other Clients
As a digital marketing firm becomes more established, it is likely to attract a larger clientele — which can be a double-edged sword. Though it might seem that a digital marketing agency should accept as much work as comes their way, the truth is that trustworthy firms will understand their limits and refuse work if it compromises the quality they can deliver to existing clients. A digital marketing agency may be overwhelmed by its workload if it begins to experience difficulties in communicating with clients, delayed projects and reports and general lower quality in services.
They Don’t Have Digital Marketing Expertise
Noting the continuous growth in the digital marketing space, many business leaders launch digital marketing firms without bothering to gain digital marketing expertise. It is possible for executives from other fields to build effective digital marketing firms — especially if they rely on SEO resellers and other expert-level digital marketing tools and services. However, if an agency’s leaders lack a background in digital marketing, companies should perform more research on the firm before trusting them to provide high-quality services and success.
They Lack a Presence on Social Media
Perhaps the best indication of what a digital marketing firm can do for its clients is the marketing that it performs for itself. Thus, if an agency is missing a significant component of digital marketing — like social media — companies should recognize this as a red flag. Because it is much easier for a business to receive all of its digital marketing services from one firm, business leaders should look for an agency that maintains an exceptional social media presence.
Their Prices Are Not Aligned With the Market
It should go without saying that a business does not want to pay more for digital marketing services than they are worth — but paying too little for digital marketing is also dangerous. In digital marketing, clients get what they pay for; if a firm’s prices are radically below industry standards, it is likely that the firm is using unwise practices that can cause long-term harm to their clients. It is a good idea for businesses to receive a number of bids from different agencies to get a sense of current digital marketing costs before determining a trustworthy partner.
Digital marketing is more important than ever, and most organizations cannot afford to partner with an untrustworthy digital marketing provider. Fortunately, with some research, business leaders can find a digital marketing firm that will work with them to achieve success.