Today, outsourcing your company’s Twitter and Facebook profiles to a social media agency is an increasingly popular option, and there’s a good reason for this. Increased flexibility and reduced costs are just some of the reasons why small and large companies embrace these agencies.
If you’re wondering how to get a reliable agency to work with, here are some ways to choose an agency that will make your social media experience a smooth one.
- Are They Skilled Communicators?
Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter all have one thing in common- they all revolve around communication. Your agency will need to communicate concisely to ensure your brand’s values and reputation are well projected.
A successful social media agency has skilled communicators on board. For instance, digital marketing managers usually come from various roles revolving around interaction with people like journalism or customer service.
It’s highly likely that the agency you’re looking to work with has a mix of people from these backgrounds, which is a great advantage. This is much better than weighing one person in-house with all the responsibilities that come with social networking. This person may only be skilled in one area.
- Do They Understand Your Culture and Vision?
Always ensure that you go for an agency that understands your company’s vision and culture. The social media agency will be representing your brand online, so it’s of utmost importance that they know your brand to the core.
However, as much as you expect the agency to know your industry and brand perfectly from the get-go, it is also crucial to stick to your brand values and visions. When appointing an agency, always ensure they understand your brand by organizing seminars or workshops. Here you can take them through what your company stands for.
- Plan for A Long-Term Relationship
Employing the services of an agency is not about throwing money to increase your brand’s status. And of course, it’s not a process that happens just once. Social media marketing is continuous, and you have to develop a strategic partnership with the agency.
This way, you’ll be setting your business up for a brighter future. Since it takes time to establish a brand over any social media forum, trust must be established since your relationship with the agency is for the long haul.
- How Do They Measure ROI?
This is another crucial factor that cannot be overlooked. As mentioned earlier, digital marketing is always evolving, so trends of measuring an ROI as recent as six months may not be applicable one year later. Social ROI on your business’s bottom line. Fortunately, some tools help to measure this.
Be on the lookout for a modern social media agency that tracks all its moves using the same metrics used in your digital marketing platform. A great example of such tools is Google Analytics, which is able to track potential customers from their first contact with you right through to the close of the deal. Make sure your chosen agency understands how to intertwine your digital marketing into your social media platforms efficiently. This way, you can harness the full potential of social media into your business.
- Look for Value, Not Price
While the job’s cost plays an important role in your final decision, the cheapest option is not the best option. Always go for an agency that offers the best value for each dime you’re putting in the agency. Get a clear understanding of what the agency is ready to offer your business to help build the confidence that your money is going into the right place. It’s important to always look for quality services rather than price.
- The Right Methods
One of the best ways of telling apart one social media agency and another is through the methods they apply in running their agency. You need to be sure the agency is using modern methods that bring in results.
To do this successfully, ensure that you’re abreast with social media industry resources like Social Media Examiner or Mashable. Taking this proactive step will help you question agencies on methods you don’t understand and accurately audit their potential effectiveness.
A familiar and common way of comparing agencies is through case studies. When using a case study, ensure to ask when those campaigns were conducted. Digital marketing trends are rapidly changing, so campaigns as recent as two years ago could be considered out of date since businesses had different objectives on social networks previously.
