How can I choose a Top Digital Agency?

It used to be that you would hire a web designer, maybe consult with a marketing firm and possibly hire a writer to help promote your business online. Of course ‘used to be’ is one of those phrases that people have said a lot in the last decade. As business and technology have evolved now the question people should be focused on is how can I choose a top Digital Agency for all my business needs?

Why do you need a Digital Agency?

A digital agency can be the solution your company needs in today’s business world which blends information, marketing and technology over multiple platforms to help drive success. Whether or not your company actually requires the services of a digital agency should be based on self-evaluation of what your company needs and also can provide for itself internally.

A good digital agency can provide you with:

• Ability to generate websites, applications and customized aspects for your business using cutting edge technology
• Experience and understanding with SEO, online marketing and trends
• Knowledge of digital branding
• Ability to connect campaigns across various mediums and platforms for a consistent and well-targeted message

It is more than just understanding technology and marketing along with the ability to craft unique aspects of both; it is also the knowledge and understanding of how to combine all of these things successfully in our ever-changing world to meet each business’s unique needs.

Questions to Ask

Before you hire anyone, you need to ask them the right questions to ensure that they can provide you the experience and knowledge you need. Consider these questions to start the ball rolling:

• What is the digital agency’s core service?
• What are their credential and qualifications?
• What do their offices look like?
• How large is the agency and how are teams assembled for projects?
• Do they provide staff in-house for projects or do they sub-contract?
• How will they measure results?
• Are they established and will they be a long-term partner for you if needed?

Ideally you want to partner with someone that is strong in a particular area that you have a problem in. For example, if your website is old and tired, you might hire an agency that has a track record of crafting stunning creative designs that showcase your brand to its’ fullest.

Get Comfortable

As you go through the process and start to narrow down a list of candidates that meet your needs and satisfactorily answer your questions, the next step is getting comfortable. Hiring a digital agency involves trust and comfort because in essence you are asking them to help craft a representation of your business. Just like you don’t let drop your kids off with a stranger, you don’t drop your business reputation into the hands of someone you don’t feel comfortable with and trust.

More than likely after talking with a few agencies one will stand out with the right vibe and fit for your business, showing you excitement and interest as partnering with you. If you do have any more concerns now is the time to sit down face-to-face and discuss those issues which will allow them to show you if they truly can provide the solutions your business needs.

Your business and its’ brand are very important and as such you should look to partner with people that have only your best interests in mind and not just making a quick buck. A good digital agency will be staffed with quality, experienced people that understand technology and the best ways to utilize it to meet your needs and solve your business problems. They should know how to tweak existing websites and platforms or build a powerful brand presence from scratch.

The Success Factor

Let’s just be blunt, you want to hire someone who has a track record of success. While this is a relatively newer business field, there are plenty of digital agencies out there which have been around for a decade or more having morphed from web design or marketing as the business changed.

Why is success important? The simple answer is that you want to know that an agency knows how to achieve results for their clients, both those that are similar to you and those who aren’t. Experience is a very important factor in this industry; knowing what works, what to do when certain problems arise and also how to work with different types of people and industries.

With each agency that you are considering, check for existing case studies to see how they have achieved success for their clients. Check and see what types of awards they might have earned for various aspects of design and marketing. You want a sense of their ability to understand a client’s needs along with delivering a final product that meets your specific needs.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that there are a lot of great companies out there. Choosing the right one is going to depend on numerous factors such as business goals, budget, and fit. This article provides a nice starting point for figuring out, “How can I choose a top digital agency,” focusing on the areas that you need to explore to ensure your search results in finding the right partner.