Have you thought about hiring a content agency but have no idea where to start? It can seem complicated, and there are many questions to consider. Who should you choose? What should you think about? What different types of agencies are there?
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 and foremost, you need to consider what you want the content agency to do for you. Is it to lighten your daily workload? Do you need help with specific campaigns? Or is it time to decide on your marketing strategy and you need someone who can take a holistic approach to all activities and put them into context?
We will look at each type of work and what you need to consider for each one.
Relieve the daily workload
If you need an extra hand or someone to take care of your daily work, a content agency can help. Instead of hiring your own marketing manager, you can let them take care of your regular marketing activities and gain access to an expert who can also be flexible when the workload shifts. If you don't have a full-time or even a part-time position for your marketing department, it may be better to let the content agency take care of the hours involved.
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 will only carry out the daily marketing activities.
Help with a specific campaign
If you have a specific campaign to set up, you can enlist the help of a content agency to create the various components, 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 anyone.
What you need to have in place:
Depending on the agency, they can either help you with the entire campaign strategy, and you can brainstorm both content and execution together, or they can simply produce the content based on specific instructions. Talk to them to find out 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 type of content you should create and how activities should be carried out to achieve the best possible effect.
This is ideal if you are just getting started with your marketing or if you feel that your current marketing activities are not having the desired effect.
What should you consider?
So, now you know what you want to use the content agency for. What should you consider when choosing one? In addition to always asking for references and looking at previous campaigns or strategies you have 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 broader expertise. If you only need help with social media, it may be a good idea to find an agency that deals with that particular channel, but if you need broader help across multiple channels and many different activities, it is better to find an all-round agency that can also provide a specific expert for each activity.
How senior are their staff?
When it comes to strategy work, it is particularly important to ensure that their staff are competent and that the agency does not use a generic template for all clients. They should be able to identify and understand things such as the target audience for B2B companies, how to adapt the marketing strategy to your brand, and which channels are suitable for what.
Feel free to ask to see how they work and compare a few different agencies to get an overview.
Industry experience
Whether it's strategy work or content creation, the agency needs to understand your industry. Ask to see previous work. Have they worked with clients in your industry before? Contact references or companies listed as case studies on their website. Were they satisfied with the work?
Pricing model
Some agencies offer flexible hourly packages, while others have fixed packages with specific content. Consider what suits you best. Will the work remain the same in the future, or is it likely to evolve or change over time?
Bonus Tip:
If you don't already have a marketing automation system in place, it's worth giving it some extra thought. Some agencies are resellers of a specific system, while others can 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 for your particular business.
