When you’re in the market for a digital marketing agency, it can be tough to know where to begin. With so many agencies out there, not all of them are reputable or trustworthy and they may not have your best interests at heart. When you’re evaluating agencies to potentially hire, here are some important things to look out for.

Do your research

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by search results, so you need to do your research before settling on an agency. Just search for Digital Marketing agencies near me on Google and use reviews as a gauge of an agency’s quality. Remember: there are no such things as shortcuts in business; choose carefully! After all, trust is something that takes time to build—but can be lost very quickly. Think long-term when it comes to marketing partners!

Find out if the agency hires full-time employees, freelancers, or both

When you’re looking for digital marketing services, you want someone who understands what they’re doing and has knowledge of your industry. Don’t be afraid to ask whether employees or freelancers will be working on your account—and what their experience is. Depending on your business type, some jobs are better suited for in-house work while others require experienced professionals outside of an agency. It’s always important to know exactly how much experience each digital marketing employee at any given company has. You can get even more specific by asking about specific tools (such as InDesign) or techniques (such as HTML5) used during particular kinds of projects

Is the agency willing to provide references?

A digital marketing agency should be able to provide references from companies that they’ve worked with in the past. This gives you an idea of how they work with others and if they have been able to help similar companies. If a digital marketing agency is unwilling or unable to provide references, then you may want to reconsider working with them. One way around this is to only hire digital marketing agencies who list their previous clients on their websites. That way, there’s no need for references!

Ask what they will do for you that you can’t do yourself

If you have time, talent, and money (and you probably don’t), then building your marketing plan from scratch might make sense. But if you’re like most startups—time-strapped and cash-strapped—you’ll be far better off looking for a digital marketing agency that offers proven expertise at scale. Of course, finding a reputable digital marketing agency is easier said than done: how do you know whether an agency is truly qualified? Here are some key questions to ask when assessing agencies: What makes them so awesome? Why should I trust them with my business? How much experience do they have? How can I work directly with them or will their work happen behind the scenes? What kind of results can they help me achieve in six months or a year? Can they guarantee those results?

Know when they will begin work and how they charge their fees

Before you begin working with any digital marketing agency, you must have clarity around how they will charge and what they will do. For example, most agencies bill by time and not by deliverables. The more specialized an agency is in terms of which channels or products they support, usually, the higher their hourly rates tend to be.

Are they transparent?

If you are seeking a digital marketing agency, they must be transparent about what services they can provide and how much each service will cost. Even if an agency is expensive, you want them to be honest and open about their pricing. If they can’t be clear about that, it’s unlikely they will offer much transparency in other areas of your relationship. Are They Google Partners?: While becoming a Google Partner doesn’t necessarily mean that an agency has all of their bases covered (experience and competence should matter just as much), it is one way to ensure they aren’t going out on a limb by making claims they can’t back up.

Do they have solid client testimonials?

All great marketing firms have client testimonials. These should be easily found on their site and/or via Google. Client testimonials are an excellent way for prospects to see what other people are saying about them. This can give you some peace of mind and help build trust that these guys know what they’re doing. Do they specialize in your industry?: Not all digital marketing companies focus on one specific niche or industry. Some general agencies will try to cater to many different verticals, while others stick with a few but cater to each market very well. Just like any service provider, it’s usually better to go with someone familiar with your niche because they can offer up solutions that address your exact problems more efficiently than those who don’t specialize in your area of business.

Are they interested in building a long-term relationship with you?

Even if you’re planning on working with an agency for just one or two projects, it’s essential that they’re interested in building a long-term relationship with you. If they aren’t willing to put in the effort now, they probably won’t be later, either. Showing commitment early on is crucial. Do they research your industry? Are they genuinely passionate about what you do?: Don’t work with an agency that doesn’t share your passion. They need to understand what makes your business tick and what can be done to improve things. It helps if they have experience in your industry as well – it shows their knowledge and interest are genuine, not just written on their website so potential clients like yourself will book them.