There are many ways that you can engage in digital marketing services, from freelancers to full-fledged agencies. In the capable hands of a certified, true digital marketer, your business will be able to reap the benefits of the investments. However, you should also be aware of the many illegitimate practices that bring a bad name to the industry. We share with you the 7 big digital marketing agencies warning signs that you need to look out for when engaging digital marketing services.
1. Client Accounts Are Created Using Personal Accounts
Facebook Business Manager is the fundamental tool for businesses to retain ownership and control of marketing resources and permissions. Through the Business Manager, business owners are reassured that all marketing activities are traceable to each user. In this way, all marketing assets and collaterals that are created for the brand will also be retained by the business owner.
Thus, a big red flag would be if a marketer insists on using their own personal account to manage campaigns. If this happens, you will also be at risk of having a competitor or an ill-doer using your content against your company. This is because should you decide to stop engaging their services, you will no longer have assets to any marketing collateral. Be cautious of any marketer, freelancer or agency, that insists on doing things their way.
2. They Do Not Ask Questions About Your Business
Each business is unique. The problems and solutions for each business are also unique. While the concepts of digital marketing strategy may sound the same to you, the execution and limitations of each campaign are different. Thus, a big red flag is when a marketer proposes a one-size-fits-all solution to you without wanting to learn more about your business.
It is important to understand the capabilities of each client before recommending a digital marketing solution. This is because the digital marketing strategy needs to work hand in hand with your business. If you dive in with a full-fledged digital marketing plan, but you don’t have the capabilities to handle it yourself in the long run, other aspects of your business may suffer. For example, staff will be overwhelmed and your reputation may also take a hit.
3. They Do Not Care About The Sustainability Of Your Business
This point is very intricately tied to the point above. Good marketers will look into every aspect of your business. They will want to see your business achieve success in the long run. While sustainability is mainly the responsibility of the business owner, it is also important to work with agencies or freelance partners who are aligned with your goals.
While the marketers may be doing a wonderful job at bringing in new clients for you, you will need to make sure that your own staff has received the right training to follow up with the influx of customers that your business will receive.
4. They Guarantee Results
Digital marketers are not fortune-tellers. Defining goals and objectives is a good way to provide some form of benchmarking for the marketing efforts. But, no marketer can ever guarantee specific results. For example, definitive guarantees such as “We can get your business to rank number 1 in the Google search engine results page in one month” are a huge warning sign.
The reason for this is because a good marketer knows that they need to account for fluctuations and unexpected scenarios. Just look at how Covid-19 has shaken up the world. Even by pre-Covid standards, 100% guarantees are dangerous and are just one step away from disappointment.
5. They Are Not Willing To Try Out New Channels
Digital marketing is more than just simply creating campaigns and blasting them on various platforms. An effective marketer knows that it is important to try out different marketing channels. Testing out new channels is useful in determining the most relevant channels for your target audience. Thus, marketers who make bold claims about knowing all about your business and are not doing deep research in your industry will not be a good fit for you.
6. They Do Not Conduct A/B Testing
Digital marketing is both an art form and science at the same time. Testing should come second nature to a competent and reliable digital marketer. This is because our services are driven by data. Thus, any digital marketer that does not do A/B or split testing is missing out on critical insights to reach and engage with more customers.
7. They Are Not Transparent On Their Reporting System
A good digital marketer knows that data is the holy grail to a successful campaign. They would also recognize that their clients would appreciate transparency and accountability when it comes to reporting the data. This can be arranged weekly or even bi-weekly. The important thing is that you are provided frequent updates on the progress of the campaign and not just at the end after the campaign has ended.
Conclusion
Choosing a digital marketing partner can be a tricky business and the process of deciding on a good digital marketer can take some time. This is why it is important for you to do your due diligence and weed out the good ones from the bad ones.
Just remember that there are no shortcuts in business. Take note of these 7 marketing agencies warning signs and do not be seduced by quick fixes and quick wins. Digital marketing is a long-haul game and your selected marketer should be with you on the long journey.
