4 Tips for Finding the Best Inbound Marketing Agencies

Converting leads into sales requires a highly skilled, imaginative group of specialists. But turning leads into customers through a detailed nurturing process that transforms leads into lifetime customers who spread the word on your business requires the best inbound marketing agency with SEO and creative chops. That said, finding an agency is easier said than done.

Today’s digital landscape is chaotically fragmented due to the diversified channel preferences and ease of instant communication engagement that customers have at their fingertips. As online search technology has advanced, consumer behaviors and brand expectations have also changed dramatically. It is for this reason that finding an ideal inbound marketing agency is so hard; every single person from the CEO to the staff writer needs to understand how and why this shift happened, and offer superior services that keep pace with buyer demands and capabilities. Here are four tips to help you find a Google partner inbound agency centered on offering custom strategies through agile marketing automation.

1. Identify the Experts

An inbound marketing agency should be looked at like a chef’s spice rack. Rather than having really good quality salt to enhance flavor profiles, having high-quality spices for specific types of cuisine is ideal and therefore gives the chef more freedom to excel at different dishes. You may find a company of experts who use software like HubSpot to deliver every aspect of the inbound methodology, but if the agency is lacking specific wizards for various services, you aren’t making a good investment. You should also do a little research on the agency to see if they are expert enough to leverage all platforms to expose your content to the right buyers. For example, knowing how to use Facebook to get more customers goes hand-in-hand with expert content strategies.

Look for the SEO team; who is the SEO director and what makes that person an expert? Who is doing SEM and PPC? Who runs that department and why are they an all star? Who does creative development; who is responsible for building out websites, making landing pages, and designing creative assets? Who is the CEO and why is he in this business? Inbound marketing incorporates all of these services. So if you aren’t convinced that the agency has a team of ninjas manning every department, you had better keep up the search.

2. How do they Price Out their Services?

Your brand isn’t identical to your competitors, nor do you have all of the same needs they have. You may not even have all the same customer types. So why pay for a one-size-fits all service or choose from a service package from a three tier offering (hey, you aren’t choosing a cable TV bundle). The best inbound marketing agencies base their pricing on fulfilling the client’s goals and meeting or exceeding their expectations. This means pricing should be customized for each client based on their needs.

3. Who Has the Agency Worked With?

If you investigate an inbound marketing agency and their only clients are small time mom and pop operations like Dale’s Pool Supplies or Malibu Smoothie Hut, don’t even proceed interviewing them. If they haven’t been able to grow to the next level and pick up some midsize or enterprise level clients, then their services and ability to deliver at a high level are mediocre. Also, large companies don’t hang on to vendors if the ROI isn’t there, while small businesses tend to hang on in the name of hope. Find an agency with big clients, and you will likely find one that delivers big results.

4. Go With Your Gut Instinct

When speaking with the agency, ask to talk to multiple people. Schedule a call with the SEO, CMO, content department and creative teams; get a good feel for the personalities, ethics, and creativity levels. Remember, your inbound marketing agency will have your brand’s identity and reputation in their hand. It is important you trust them, and like the people who will be working with you over the course of the engagement.

Did You Find Our Tips to be Valuable?

If these tips got you thinking and you want to learn more, we invite you to download our FREE gift–a guide on inbound marketing that will better help you understand its practices and procedures. If you have any questions give us a call; we love to say hello!