As a local business, selecting a digital marketing agency is one of the most impactful decisions you’ll make to grow your brand, attract customers, and establish a digital presence. But with so many agencies offering a range of services, how can you choose the one that truly understands and aligns with your business goals?
In this guide, we’ll walk through key factors to consider when choosing a digital marketing agency, so you can make an informed decision that leads to real results.
1. Define Your Goals and Budget
Before you start your search, take the time to define what you want to achieve with digital marketing. Are you looking to build a local audience on social media, improve your search rankings, run ads to drive immediate sales, or enhance your brand’s online presence? Having specific goals in mind will help you find an agency that specializes in those areas.
It’s also crucial to determine your budget for digital marketing. Agencies offer a range of packages, so having a clear budget will allow you to evaluate which agencies are a good fit for you financially. Consider using our estimate tool to understand your investment range.
2. Look for Local Experience and Expertise
For a local business, it’s essential to partner with an agency that understands your market and community. Agencies experienced with local businesses often bring valuable insights on local SEO, community engagement, and location-based advertising strategies. Look for an agency with a history of working with similar clients, preferably within your area, so they can tailor strategies that resonate with local customers.
3. Review Their Service Offerings
Digital marketing is broad, covering everything from SEO and content creation to paid advertising, email marketing, social media management, and more. When evaluating agencies, consider whether they offer comprehensive services that align with your needs. Here’s a quick overview of essential digital marketing services for local businesses:
- SEO: Optimizing your site to appear in local search results, helping your business rank higher when people search for services in your area.
- Content Marketing: Blog posts, articles, and other content can help establish your brand as an authority and improve search engine visibility.
- Social Media Management: Maintaining an active, engaging presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Business Profile.
- Email Marketing: Sending newsletters and updates to keep customers informed and engaged.
- PPC & Social Advertising: Running paid ads on Google or social media to drive targeted traffic.
Ask yourself if you need a specialized package, such as a focus on local SEO or a strong social media presence, and choose an agency that offers the right mix of services. You can explore more details on our digital marketing services page.
4. Assess Their Transparency and Communication Style
Transparency is key to a successful relationship with a digital marketing agency. A good agency should keep you informed, provide clear reports on performance metrics, and be willing to explain their strategies. Communication should be open and proactive, with the agency keeping you updated on campaign progress and adjusting their approach based on your feedback.
When evaluating agencies, ask about their reporting process, how often you can expect updates, and what type of metrics they track. Look for an agency that values transparency and is willing to explain the results to you in plain language.
5. Ask for Case Studies and Testimonials
An established digital marketing agency should have a portfolio of past work and case studies that demonstrate their expertise and results. Request case studies or client testimonials to see examples of how they’ve helped other local businesses succeed. Pay attention to metrics such as increased website traffic, improved search rankings, social media engagement, or sales growth, as these reflect their ability to achieve tangible results. To learn more, explore our marketing resources.
6. Evaluate Their Approach to Customization
Every business has unique needs, and a one-size-fits-all approach may not work for you. Look for an agency that tailors their services to your goals and industry, rather than offering a fixed package. An agency willing to create a customized strategy based on your objectives will be more effective than one using a generic approach.
Ask potential agencies how they customize their approach for each client. For example, do they assess your competition, analyze local market trends, or develop a strategy based on your brand’s strengths?
7. Explore Their Knowledge of Local SEO and Community Engagement
For local businesses, optimizing for local search results is critical. Your agency should have expertise in local SEO, helping your business show up on Google Maps, in local directories, and at the top of search results for location-based keywords. Additionally, community engagement on social media and reputation management are important factors for local businesses, as they build trust with your audience.
Look for an agency that can create local-focused campaigns and manage customer interactions to help you become a trusted part of the community. To understand more about our approach, check our local reinvestment strategy.
8. Consider the Agency’s Size and Culture
The size and culture of the