Have you thought about setting up a content agency but have no idea where to start? It can seem complicated and the questions are many. Who do you choose? What should you consider? What are the different types of agencies?
In this post, we will go through some tips to consider when choosing a content agency as a small business.
What do you want to use them for?
First of all, you need to think about what you want the content agency for. Is it for relief in the daily work? Do you need help with specific campaigns? Or is it time to determine your marketing strategy and you would need someone who can take a holistic approach to all activities and put them in context?
We will look at each type of work and what you should consider for them.
Relieve the burden of daily work
If you need an extra hand or someone to handle the day-to-day work, a content agency can help. Instead of hiring an in-house marketing manager, you can let them take care of your regular marketing activities and you get access to an expert who can also be flexible when the workload changes. Therefore, if you don't have a full-time or even a half-time position for the marketing department, it may be better to let the content agency take care of the hours that matter.
What you need to have in place:
A strategy or activities that you can delegate. In this case, the content agency will not help you set up the strategy but only carry out the daily marketing activities.
Help with a specific campaign
If you have a specific campaign to set up, you can use a content agency to create the different parts, such as landing pages, lead magnets, email loops or social media posts.
This is not an ongoing service but a limited project and the advantage is that you get access to expert help without having to hire someone.
What you need to have in place:
Depending on the agency, they can either help you with the entire strategy of the campaign and you can brainstorm both content and execution together, or they can simply produce the content based on specific specifications. Talk to them to know what both you and they need to get the job done.
Strategy:
If you don't have a marketing strategy in place, a content agency can help you with that. This includes everything from deciding on channels, to what kind of content to create and how to execute the activities for the best possible impact.
This is perfect if you are just starting out with your marketing or if you don't feel you are getting any impact from your current marketing activities.
What should you consider?
So, now you know what you want to use your content agency for. What should you consider when choosing one? Besides always asking for references and seeing previous campaigns or strategies you've set up, there are a few questions you can ask yourself.
What is their area of expertise?
Some agencies specialize in a specific channel or area while others have a broader skill set. If you only need help with social media, it may be good to find an agency that deals with just that channel, but if you need broader help across multiple channels and many different activities, it's better to find an all-round agency that may also be able to provide a specific expert for each activity.
How senior are their staff?
Especially when it comes to strategy work, it's important to make sure their staff is competent and that the agency doesn't use a generic template for all clients. They should be able to develop and understand things like the target audience for B2B companies, how to adapt the marketing strategy based on your brand and which channels are suitable for what.
Ask to see their approach and compare a few different agencies to get an overview.
Professional experience
Whether it's strategy work or content creation, the agency needs to understand your industry. Ask to look at previous work, have they worked with clients in your industry before? Get in touch with references or companies that are listed as case studies on their website. Were they satisfied with the work?
Price model
Some agencies have flexible hourly packages while others have fixed packages with specific content. Think about what works best for you. Will the work remain the same in the future, or might it evolve or change over time?
Bonus Tips:
If you don't already have a marketing automation system in place, it's worth thinking twice about it. Some agencies are resellers of a specific system while others may recommend a system based on your needs. It's always best to choose a system that suits you, both in terms of price and features, rather than adapting to what the agency uses. Their choice is not always the best one for your business.
