Digital Marketing Expertise

How much does it cost to hire an Internet Marketing Agency?

An Internet Marketing Agency (IMA) is a company or individual who specializes in promoting businesses through various forms of media. They usually provide services such as SEO, PPC management, social media advertising, etc.

All agencies have different pricing modules, and you will have to determine which is right for you. We would caution you to beware of the below:

• Pay for impressions – Some companies just promise impressions, and that’s how they will charge you. We don’t agree with this model, as impressions don’t mean results, and how do you know if the impressions are even quality?
• Lump sum – This applies to both project work and routine marketing management. Some internet marketing agencies will tell you “pay us $XX,XXX/ month and we will run a certain marketing program for you.”. The issue here is, you don’t know what % of that fee is going to marketing vs. their fees. Unfortunately a lot of companies do this to hide the ridiculously high management fees. In regards to project work, most companies require a deposit to get going. This is normal. Asking for it all up front is not.
• Minimum spend – Some agencies will try to get you to spend a minimum amount per month to work with them. I don’t like this thinking.
• Long term contracts – No one likes long term contracts, beware of locking yourself in.

How do you know if an internet marketing agency is right for you?

There are many different types of agencies out there, and each one has its own strengths and weaknesses. You should be able to find an agency that fits your needs by doing research online. Here’s what to look for:

• Reputation – The best way to judge whether an agency is reputable is by looking at their reviews from previous clients. If they have a lot of positive feedback, then they’re probably worth working with.
• Experience – Look up how long the agency has been around. Does it seem like they’ve been around forever? Or did they just start recently?
• Communication – Does the agency communicate well? Are they easy to reach via phone and email?
• Pricing – Are they upfront about pricing? Some agencies will try to hide their costs until after the job is done. Others will give you a quote before getting started.
• Flexibility – Are they willing to work within your budget and within your requirements? Do they have long term contracts? Are they willing to pivot, start, stop and try new without penalty?
• Transparency – Do they give you an honest assessment, are they helpful and knowledgeable?
• Integrity – We have seen it over and over. An agency will lock a client in, set up a program, and forget it. Autopilot is never the answer. Do they stand for proactive management and continual improvement?