How to Hire a Digital Marketing Agency: A Beginner's Guide

So, you’ve come here because you’re thinking of hiring a digital marketing agency, but you’re unsure of where to start.

First off, congratulations! Hiring a digital marketing agency brings you one step closer to accelerating your growth and building an online presence that helps your business thrive.

Now comes the interesting part — finding and choosing the right agency for your business. Hiring a digital marketing company is more than just choosing an agency at random and calling it a day. It takes careful planning and consideration.

Luckily, we’ve got you covered with this guide on how to hiring a digital marketing agency. Stay tuned as we cover:

• How to hire a digital marketing agency in 6 steps
• Top digital marketing agencies
• FAQs for hiring a digital marketing agency

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$10 billion

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24 million

leads for our clients

7.14 million

client phone calls

How to hire a digital marketing agency in 6 steps

Ready to learn how to hire a digital marketing agency? Follow these steps!

1. Decide what kind of agency you want to work with
2. Outline your digital marketing goals & objectives
3. Determine your budget
4. Identify what services you need
5. Research, research, research
6. Ask questions

1. Decide what kind of agency you want to work with

All digital marketing agencies are different — from where they work to the industries they serve. Before embarking on your research journey, you’ll want to decide what kind of agency you want to work with. More specifically, what kind of agency is best suited for your business.

Ask questions like:

• Do I want to work with a fully remote agency?
• Would I prefer to work with an agency that’s local or far away?
• Do I need a full-service or specialized agency, like an HVAC marketing company?

2. Outline your digital marketing goals & objectives

One of the most important things to do when you hire a digital marketing agency is to ensure the company you choose aligns with your own digital marketing goals. There are plenty of agencies out there, but not all of them will be a perfect fit for you.

To avoid choosing the wrong marketing partner, take the time to clearly define your digital marketing goals and objectives. What do you want to get out of this partnership? What results are you trying to achieve? Ask yourself these questions to help you outline your goals, this way you can focus your research efforts on agencies that have to expertise, knowledge, and resources to help you achieve them.

3. Determine your budget

Another factor to consider when you hire a digital marketing agency is your budget. Digital marketing is an incredibly beneficial investment, but we don’t want you to break the bank in the process.

Determine how much you’re willing to spend on outsourcing digital marketing services and look at agencies that fall within your budget. Whether you’re extremely strict about staying within budget, or you’re willing to spend a little more, having a number in place can keep you focused.

4. Identify what services you need

The services you need can greatly impact the agencies you look at and, ultimately, the agency you choose. Get a good idea of what services you need before diving into any agency research. This way, you can exclude any companies that don’t have the solutions you’re looking for.

You can also better determine whether you’re better off working with a full-service, specialized, or industry-specific agency.

5. Research, research, research

Now comes the fun part: researching agencies. When browsing the thousands of companies out there, don’t be afraid to really get into the weeds of each potential marketing partner’s background.

How large is their team? What’s the cost of their services? Keep these questions in mind as you research, as they can help you better narrow your search and zero in on the right partner for you.

During your search, also keep an eye out for client testimonials, reviews, and case studies. It doesn’t have to be on the agency’s website either — check other third-party sites like Clutch, G2, Google, and social media to see what past clients have to say. Past client experiences can speak volumes about an agency and lend unique insights that you may not find on their site.

6. Ask questions

Finally, take some time to gather a list of questions to ask agencies you’re interested in. Asking questions can help you get a better idea of who these agencies are, how they operate, and, more importantly, whether they’re a good fit for your business.

Consider these questions as you browse agencies and begin connecting with them:

• What services do you offer?
• Have you worked with businesses in my industry before?
• What type of businesses do you typically work with?
• What marketing tools and resources do you use?
• How often do you communicate results to your clients?
• How do you stay up-to-date with the latest digital marketing trends and technologies?

Top digital marketing agencies

Now that you’ve learned how to choose a digital marketing agency for your business, kickstart your search with some of the top digital marketing agencies in the world in 2024:

Show Me More Top Digital Marketing Agencies!

FAQs for hiring a digital marketing agency

Do you still have questions about hiring a digital marketing company? No problem! Check out these FAQs:

How much do digital marketing services cost?

Digital marketing services can cost anywhere from $51 - $10,000 a month. The cost of digital marketing services varies based on a number of factors:

• An agency’s experience
• Company size
• Services needed
• The scope of your project(s)
• Industry
• And more

Do I need digital marketing services?

Not every business needs digital marketing services, but there are a few questions you can ask to help determine whether you fall under that category:

• Are my in-house marketing efforts producing results? If the answer is “No,” a digital marketing agency could be a great move for you to kickstart lead generation, sales, and more.
• Is my business’s growth at a standstill? If “Yes,” this could be a sign that you’re current digital marketing efforts aren’t cutting it. No worries, though — a digital marketing agency can help you revamp your marketing efforts so your business can flourish!
• Am I having trouble balancing business operations with marketing? If the answer is “Yes,” it’s time to relieve that unnecessary stress and consider hiring an agency to handle your marketing efforts!

When should I hire a digital marketing agency?

Not everyone needs a digital marketing agency right away, but there are some ways you can tell when it’s time to start looking into one. Below are some signs you should hire a digital marketing agency:

• Your in-house marketing efforts aren’t meeting its goals
• You’re looking to try new marketing channels
• Your business growth is stalled
• You’re finding it harder to balance running your business and marketing it at the same time

Is hiring a digital marketing agency worth it?

The short answer is yes, hiring a digital marketing agency is worth it! … If you need the services. Remember, not everyone needs a digital marketing agency by their side. If you’re struggling to keep up with your marketing efforts while also running your business, outsourcing digital marketing services is a fantastic investment that’ll save you time, stress, and so much more.

Meet WebFX:

Your world-class, tech-enabled marketing agency with over 1.6 million hours of combined expertise.

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Let WebFX be your online marketing agency

If you’re looking to hire a digital marketing agency that meets all of the criteria listed above, let us make things easy on you: Choose WebFX. With over 1,100 client testimonials, we’re the digital marketing company businesses trust to drive results — and drive them we do.

Over the past five years alone, we’ve driven 24 million leads and $10 billion in revenue for our clients. We also have more than 28 years of experience in digital marketing, making us some of the best in the business.

To get started with our digital marketing services, just call us at 888-601-5359 or contact us online today!