At Kate Coote we’ve been offering digital marketing services for a long time… Well over a decade ago, Kate attended the very first TweetUp in Auckland. So, as you can imagine we’ve seen some changes in our industry over time. One thing that has remained constant in the business we love is that it’s always been populated by a high number of self-proclaimed ‘digital marketing experts’. And while there are many people out there offering fantastic services, how do you know if they’re everything they say they are? Or, more importantly, if they’re the right person for you to work with. Read on for inspiration…
Digital Marketing Services – Choosing the right partner:
Doing your homework on a digital marketing service provider is vital. It’s especially important if you’re a little baffled by the subject. So, we thought we’d share three simple tips to help you determine whether the person or company you’re thinking of hiring practices what they preach.
Do a Google search:
If a digital marketing service provider is telling you they can help you stand out from the online crowd, Google is your go-to resource. When you Google their name or company name their website should be top of the tree. If they can’t get themselves to #1 in the hit parade, how are they going to get your business up there?
Check out their website:
You’d do that right? But look beyond any initial fancy imagery or staggering value propositions. And consider the following:
- Does their website perform?
- Is it easy to navigate?
- Do the links work?
- Do their ‘Read More’ Calls to Action take you to the right place?
- Have they got plenty of engaging content? Because, as any of you who have heard Kate speak at a public event will know… Fresh, optimised content is the #1 solution to high organic search results. If the last time your prospective digital marketing service provider published a blog or news post was over a year ago, you might want to reconsider.
- Do they have an ‘About Us/Me’ page that tells you how and why they are qualified to help your business?
Stalk them on other platforms:
Okay, don’t actually stalk them. But do check them out on different channels. Do their Facebook followers comment on their posts? Do they get lots of Insta ❤️? Are they even sharing content on their social platforms? Keep in mind that Digital Marketing is about so much more than Adwords and analytics. It’s easy to throw money at an ads campaign. It’s more challenging to build tremendous tribes and faithful followers.
When you’ve done your homework and are reassured they have the skills to help you or your business get found online, it’s time to consider whether they are the right person or company for you. This is, of course, subjective, and only you can ultimately decide on the digital marketing service provider you’ll use. But here are a few things to consider.
Find out who else they’ve worked with. A big brand portfolio can be reassuring for some, but for some small business owners or entrepreneurs, it might not be. You might prefer to work with a service provider who has experience working with businesses of your size.
Read testimonials. Have their previous clients achieved the things you want to achieve?
Have a chat… It doesn’t necessarily need to be face-to-face. We work with clients all over the world and some we’ve never even met. But we’re always there to have a virtual catch up, which is, after all, the new normal. An initial conversation will generally reveal whether this person gets you and your business, and therefore are likely to be a good fit.
If you’re ready to discuss digital marketing services, we’d love to talk.
Contact us HERE.