With countless digital advertising agencies out there, finding the perfect one for your business can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. You don't have time to interview them all, so how can you find the best partner as quickly as possible when you’re in need of one? Naturally, as a digital advertising agency ourselves, we believe we're pretty great and suggest you chat with us first. Your fastest solution to finding your perfect digital advertising agency? Just hire us. ;)
Unfortunately though there might be times when we're at full capacity and unable to take on new clients immediately, or maybe we’re just not the ideal match for your business (we won't take it personally). If you need to dig deeper, or if you just want to make sure we're the right choice, or you need to show your boss you've explored multiple options, we're here to help. Follow our recommended steps to make this daunting task easier and discover the perfect digital advertising agency for your business growth.
We’ve put together this handy guide, helping you:
- Understand the advantages of partnering with a digital advertising agency
- Benefits of the partnership
- What to expect from working with a digital marketing agency
- Steps to finding the ideal agency
- Tips to maximizing your agency relationship
Advantages of Partnering with a Digital Advertising Agency
In the fiercely competitive world of ecommerce, standing out is essential for success. By partnering with a digital advertising agency, you can harness their expertise to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Imagine this: an ecommerce business specializing in eco-friendly fashion accessories. To set themselves apart, they need a digital advertising campaign that highlights their unique value proposition. However, amid the sea of similar businesses vying for consumers' attention, delivering that message to the right audience can be somewhat tricky. Drawing on their vast industry experience with working with similar businesses, a digital advertising agency can craft a captivating campaign tailored to that unique business, which resonates with a perfect target audience, driving engagement and ultimately boosting sales.
Benefits of the Partnership
Aside from the benefit of collaborating with a skilled team of digital marketers who feel like an extension of your in-house team (hint: that's us, Shoelace, at your service), partnering with a digital advertising agency brings a whole host of additional perks such as:
- Expertise: Agencies boast a treasure trove of knowledge and experience, ensuring your marketing endeavors stay in sync with the latest trends and best practices.
- Tailor-made Solutions: A devoted team of pros will craft and implement a comprehensive strategy tailored specifically to your business's unique needs.
- Time-saving: By outsourcing marketing efforts, you can focus on other vital aspects of your business, like product innovation and top-notch customer service.
What to Expect When Working with an Agency
By working with a digital advertising agency, you'll gain access to a team of experts capable of crafting a cohesive digital strategy, producing engaging content, and reaching your target audience through the most effective channels. This partnership offers several additional benefits, as listed below:
Data-Driven Decision Making
Digital advertising agencies have access to sophisticated tools and platforms that can analyze large volumes of data, allowing them to identify patterns and trends. With this information, they can develop and refine marketing campaigns based on real-time insights. For example, at Shoelace we benchmark various advertising KPI’s against industry standards using a platform partner called Varos, so we know how well our targeted ads are performing compared to others in the same industry and make decisions based on the information we find.
Brand Consistency
Consistency is essential for building brand recognition and trust among consumers. A digital advertising agency can help maintain brand consistency across all your marketing channels, from ads across different social media platforms to email campaigns and search ads. They can develop a unified brand message and visual identity, ensuring that every touchpoint reflects your business's core values and mission.
Multichannel Marketing
Digital advertising agencies are well-versed in navigating the complexities of multichannel marketing. They can develop strategies that integrate various platforms, such as search engines like Google and Microsoft Ads, social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok advertising, as well as email marketing, to create a seamless customer journey. For example, an agency can devise a retargeting campaign that delivers customized ads to users who’ve visited your website but did not make a purchase, encouraging them to reconsider your products or services.
There are many various online marketing channels you can use to grow your business, you can read more about different strategies in another article we wrote here.
Adaptability and Innovation
The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, with new technologies and trends emerging regularly. By working with a digital advertising agency, you can stay ahead of the curve and adapt to these changes more effectively. Agencies are often early adopters of new marketing technologies and techniques, enabling them to implement innovative strategies that keep your business at the forefront of your industry. For example, here at Shoelace, we use a creative analytics platform called Motion to help make informed decisions about creative strategy to design ad creatives that we know will convert your audience into purchasers.
Cost-Effectiveness
Partnering with a digital advertising agency can prove to be more cost-effective than building an in-house team. With an agency, you gain access to a full suite of marketing services without the overhead costs associated with hiring, training, and retaining full-time employees, essentially saving you money.
Finding the Ideal Digital Advertising Agency
To find the right digital advertising agency for your ecommerce business, you’ll need to do some homework and ask focused questions. This approach will guide you towards a well-suited partner that can help your business thrive.
Here are some steps to guide you:
Step 1: Determine Your Goals and KPIs
Before you can find your ideal agency, you need to know what you want to achieve. Are you looking to boost website traffic, increase sales, or lower your cost per acquisition? Whatever your goals, be as specific as possible and define your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This will help both you and your potential agency understand what success looks like.
Step 2: Do Your Research
Once your goals are set, it's time to do some research. Start by asking for recommendations from colleagues, friends, or fellow business owners. Look online for reviews, case studies, and keep an eye out for any red flags that suggest an agency might not be the best fit for your brand. For example, if an agency offers unrealistic guarantees like instant results or exceptional growth without a solid plan or supporting evidence, it's best to continue your search.
Step 3: Make a Shortlist
After you've done your due diligence, narrow down your options to a few agencies that seem like the best fit for your business. Remember, it's about finding a partner that shares your values and can help you reach your goals, so choose wisely (hint: it’s probably Shoelace).
Step 4: Interview Your Prospective Partners
It's time to chat with your potential agencies. Schedule calls or meetings to discuss your goals, budget, and expectations. Don't forget to request to see examples and case studies of their previous work, allowing you to gauge how they've propelled businesses like yours to success. And, of course, be sure to have a conversation with us at Shoelace to discover how we can help!
Step 5: Make an Informed Decision and Foster Collaboration
After interviewing your shortlisted agencies, trust your instincts and select the one that best aligns with your business goals, values, and vision. Remember, you will be working closely with this agency to transform your goals into reality. Once you've made your decision, focus on building a strong working relationship with your chosen partner, fostering collaboration and open communication to ensure a successful and productive partnership.
Maximizing the Benefits of Your Agency Partnership
Ok, so you’ve found your perfect partner, (it’s probably us) congrats! After working with hundreds of clients, we have a few recommendations on how to get the most out of your agency partnership.
Open lines of communication, clear expectations, and shared long-term goals are key. By keeping your agency informed and aligned with your vision, they can develop strategies that drive your business forward.
Tip 1: Emphasize Clear and Frequent Communication
Maintaining open and transparent communication is crucial for a successful agency partnership. Ensure that communication channels are always accessible and don't hesitate to ask questions, provide feedback, or voice concerns. Enhanced communication allows your agency to gain a deeper understanding of your business and deliver superior results.
At Shoelace, we set each of our clients up with a dedicated Slack channel with their Growth Partner, making it easy to connect with us and keep each other informed about progress and updates.
Tip 2: Establish Realistic Expectations
Recognize that marketing campaigns require time to yield results, and patience is essential. Set achievable expectations for your agency and allow them the necessary time to execute their strategies effectively. Remember that a successful marketing campaign is more similar to a marathon rather than a sprint.
Tip 3: Trust in the Expertise
You hired an agency for their expertise, so let them do what they do best and grant them the autonomy to exercise their skills. Have confidence in their knowledge and experience, and don’t micro-manage. Your agency wants you to succeed, trust them to have your best interests at heart!
Tip 4: Cultivate a Collaborative Atmosphere
Consider your agency an extension of your team and nurture a cooperative environment. Exchange ideas, brainstorm collectively, and capitalize on each other's strengths. Working together closely will make your marketing efforts stronger in the end.
Tip 5: Assess, Analyze, and Adapt
Remember that marketing is a continuous process. Regularly evaluate your campaign results, scrutinize the data, and make modifications as required. Your agency will support you in making data-driven decisions, allowing your business to evolve and flourish continually. At Shoelace we provide our clients with regular reports that keep you up-to-date on the performance of your campaigns and the progress being made toward your goals.
The Final Word
By following these tips and strategies, you’ll be well-equipped to find your perfect partner and have a successful relationship with a digital advertising agency. By working together and leveraging the expertise of an agency, you can create a powerful digital presence that sets you apart from the competition and takes your ecommerce business to new heights.