Full-service digital marketing agencies: what, why & how?
The rise of the digital marketing agency
In today’s hi-tech world, the best way to reach potential customers is to get their attention
online. Whether they’re using a laptop at work, a tablet at home, or a phone on the move,
they are nearly always connected.
But while internet-based marketing offers endless possibilities, it can be complex and
confusing, too. There are many different platforms to advertise on, technologies to master,
and skills to learn. For busy entrepreneurs, it may be too much to deal with.
That’s where digital marketing agencies come in. They exist to help businesses turn the
online opportunity into cash in the bank, managing digital marketing activities such as:
- Search engine optimization (SEO) – Check out 10 crucial steps for improving SEO
- Pay-per-click (PPC) ads management
- Email marketing
- Social media promotion
- Influencer marketing
You have the option to hire an agency to deal with any one of the above individually. But more and more growing businesses are opting for a different approach. They’ve found that working with a full-service digital marketing agency is the best way to scale their business fast.
What is a full-service digital marketing agency?
A full-service digital marketing agency is a consultancy that integrates multiple forms of digital marketing under one roof. Instead of hiring multiple agencies to handle all their marketing needs, client businesses enjoy all the benefits of one-stop shopping.
In the early days of the commercial internet, most marketing agencies were specialists in nature. They were often bootstrapped by small teams with only skills in one area, such as search engine optimization.
But as online business matured, the agency world began to consolidate. For a search engine optimization agency, acquiring a pay-per-click advertising outfit made perfect sense. The new, larger agency could offer complete search marketing solutions, covering both organic and paid search campaigns.
This process of consolidation continued as new forms of online marketing emerged. Digital marketing agencies added teams with skills in social media promotion, influencer marketing, and more.
As a result, there are now many full-service digital marketing agencies offering an extensive range of services. Some are boutique agencies servicing a modest number of clients, while others are substantial international operations.
Why choose a full-service digital marketing agency?
There’s an old saying that if the only tool you have is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail. To some extent, this kind of thinking can be a problem with specialist agencies.
An SEO-only agency is sure to recommend search marketing as the solution to your marketing problems, whereas an ad agency will push you down the paid ad route. While both options are viable, they may not be optimal for your situation.
Full-service agencies, on the other hand, can offer an unbiased approach. Because they don’t have a dog in the race, Their recommendations will be based entirely on what’s best for you as a client.
Better still, full-service agencies can combine various strategies to create an integrated campaign. That might include:
- Generating leads with content marketing
- Retargeting website visitors with ads
- Following up with email & SMS
- Scoring and qualifying leads
- Turning leads into appointments
Working with a full-service agency means you get a single bill for all your marketing requirements. Your account manager takes care of managing multidisciplinary campaigns while you focus on your core business.
How to select a full-service agency
When you work with the right full-service agency, the benefits are clear. But selecting the perfect marketing partner is not so easy.
Many consultancies offer full service, despite not having all the skills needed in-house. They may partner with other agencies that have complementary skills, with a view to building complete solutions.
There’s nothing wrong with that in principle, but you need to know who will execute your campaigns. The quality of the work will depend on the skills and experience of the various partners. When choosing an agency, you must ensure that high-quality work will be done in every aspect of the campaign.
Here are a few factors to consider when selecting the best digital marketing agency. Look for a team that offers:
- Many years of experience in conducting digital marketing campaigns
- Skills and expertise in all the marketing tactics important to you
- A proven track record of delivering results
- Regular reporting and communication
- A fee structure that makes sense for your business
A better way to find the perfect partner
There’s no doubt that full-service agencies offer valuable services that could transform your business. But as we’ve just seen, selecting the right partner is not easy. It takes hard work and an investment of time and effort.
Fortunately, though, there is a shortcut.
As a professional marketing broker, I make it my business to evaluate full-service digital marketing firms and cherrypick the top contenders. I can match you with an agency that has all the skills you need—and a proven ability to do the job done right.
If you’re ready to level up your marketing, just get in touch to find out more. I’ll be happy to talk you through your options with no obligation.
As many of my happy clients have already discovered, it’s the easy way to find the professional marketing talent you need.
Learn about the best marketing agencies we find.
I vet hundreds of agencies and share which ones are unique and do things well. Plus valuable marketing information. Don’t miss out.
Take your business to the next level
With a full-service agency on board, you’ll have a powerhouse team ready to scale your business to undreamed heights. With a whole world of prospects at your fingertips, there’s no limit to how far you can go.
Digital marketing has already created countless millionaires, plus quite a few billionaires. Now it’s your turn to step up and take advantage of the fantastic opportunities.
