Looking to hire a new agency? Not sure how to evaluate them? You've come to the right place. But whoa whoa, slow down there. Don't pull the trigger just yet.
We can't even count the amount of times we've heard horror stories of non-responsive agency that have their clients locked up in 6+ month contracts. And 9 times out of 10, those serious missteps could have been avoided by simply evaluating the 6 points below. It's really that easy.
No matter who you're evaluating to work on your digital marketing, we'll share how we at crackerJCK weigh in, which candidly, is the type of response you should look for.
The first thing to look for when evaluating a digital marketing agency is their experience and track record. Look for an agency that has a proven track record of success with clients in your industry. They should be able to provide case studies and client testimonials to back up their claims of success.
At crackerJCK, we've been in the game for almost 8 years. You can check out our case studies here.
Not all digital marketing agencies are created equal. Some specialize in certain areas such as SEO, PPC, or social media marketing. Look for an agency that specializes in the areas that are most important to your business.
At crackerJCK, we focus in paid ads marketing with an emphasis on social media platforms. Jacks-of-all-trades aren't usually the folks to look for here.
Good communication is key when working with a digital marketing agency. Look for an agency that is transparent about their processes and is willing to provide regular updates and reports on the progress of your campaigns.
At crackerJCK, we set up shared Slack channels with our clients and pride ourselves on sub-1 hour response times. We also do all advertising in client-owned ad accounts, meaning you retain ownership of all campaigns and all data. That is surprisingly rare in this industry (hint: others will try to keep you by holding your data hostage).
The digital marketing landscape is constantly changing. Look for an agency that is flexible and adaptable, able to pivot quickly in response to changes in the market.
Is your agency staying on top of trends? VR / AR? NFTs? And more importantly, are they staying on top of them enough to know those aren't the right channels to explore for a paid ad campaign as of early 2023?
At crackerJCK, all of our projects are on month-to-month terms with 7 day cancellations. We realize things can change at the drop of the dime, and flexibility is the name of the game.
Digital marketing is all about data. Look for an agency that takes a data-driven approach to their campaigns and is able to use data to make informed decisions about your marketing strategy.
At crackerJCK, everything we do is informed by data. We follow the numbers, which means we A/B test everything from copy to headline to creative to targeting to platform, and everything in between.
A good agency should be able to recognize that while they're experts in this space, even the experts have biases in strategy decisions. We start by taking our best industry estimate, and testing it out so that we can "follow the trial" of numbers to get the best bang of your buck.
The data-driven approach is the most important*: While we can all assume a kids book would sell best to mothers, we still want to test grandmothers in case they turn out to be a more profitable segment to target. Don't pigeon-hold your strategy.
Finally, it's important to find a digital marketing agency that aligns with your company's values and culture. You'll be working closely with this agency for an extended period of time, so it's essential that you find a team that you feel comfortable with and that you can trust to make decisions that are in the best interest of your business.
At crackerJCK, we love what we do and we're good at it, but what's the point if we can't have a little fun with our work and with our colleagues? We love collaborative, supportive teams that are open to ideas and following data. If you're sensing strain, egos, or disrespectful pushback from your agency, maybe it's time to think about a change or drop us a line.
In short, slow those rolls. Ask yourself the above and you'll have no issue picking a quality agency partner you can work with for years. Considering the factors above, you'll be well on your way to finding the right agency to help take your business to the next level.
Have we piqued your interest? Send us a ping at hello@crackerjck.co or check out our homepage to see how we can work together.
