We all know that any successful business needs to consider digital marketing actions for future growth. Maybe you have been doing it yourself but find it time consuming, or your company has grown and you have decided to invest more in your marketing efforts, whatever the reason, many business are now looking to outsource their digital marketing needs to a company or person in South Africa.
Hiring or outsourcing professional services such as digital marketing can allow you to work on the things you are good at. Digital marketing agencies have experience, knowledge and the skills to take your business marketing to the next level.
Digital marketing is one of the preferred professional services that you can outsource at an affordable cost similar to outsourcing your legal requirements, accounting, website development, IT support, and logistics.
Agencies focused on digital marketing can help your business market itself better through various online activities, like search, social media, brand development and paid advertising.
When should you consider outsourcing your digital marketing to a company or person:
- You are not gathering sales leads nor selling products via your marketing channels.
- One of your goals is to increase brand awareness and you feel that what you are currently doing is outdated.
- You have an online audience (kind of) but you don’t have insight into their behaviour nor do you understand how to convey the message that you want to solve their problems.
- You are struggling to manage the business and the marketing by yourself
- You would rather spend your valuable time on the income generating aspects of your business, like taking sales calls, performing your specialised duties as a service professional.
How do you find a digital marketing company?
First up you need to determine your actual needs. Do you want a complete digital marketing campaign or would you rather start just with social media marketing? The easiest is to just Google digital marketing or social media agencies in your area.
There are many companies that offer social media or digital marketing services, but there is a difference between those who offer it as a service and those who specialise in it. The latter will be able to provide you with the best possible long-term results.
The best way to find out which agency is the best for you is to research them. Don’t just select a social media marketing agency based just on their pricing or plans. Also consider how much they charge for different types of services and if they understand the overall lead generation system in your business or are they just focused on posting pretty pictures.
Unfortunately, your search may take some time, as although many agencies list the whole range of digital marketing services like SEO, Google Ads, copywriting, social media, brand development. You will also quickly realise that many specialise in one area and may want to push that specific service more than another digital solution.
At the end of the day, you need to feel comfortable with your selection, and trust that your digital expert knows what’s good for your business and for your long term results.
Which company is best for digital marketing?
Determining which company is best, will really depend on your requirements:
- Do you need a full-service agency or someone experienced in one field?
- What is your budget?
- Does the agency cater for small businesses or large corporations?
- How hands on or off would you like to be?
- What are your specific needs, and do the agencies understand your business needs?
Some of the key functions that a digital marketing agency can perform are:
- Website development
Web development involves the building and maintenance of websites. Some of the core services this includes are domain and hosting registration, website maintenance, plugin development, website design, CMS solutions, custom coding, and the setting up of e-commerce websites.
- Creative Services
Services include copywriting services, content development, SEO content development, video and photography, animation and motion graphics, and brand development services.
- Graphic Design
This deals with the creation of visual content to convey a message. Services offered under the Graphic Design umbrella include company logos, corporate identity, brochures, email signatures, logo design, letterheads, promotional material, website design, landing and page design.
- Marketing Management
Marketing involves the creation of content and experiences to attract and entice customers. There are two types of marketing: inbound marketing and outbound marketing.
Inbound marketing makes use of SEO social media, blogging, viral marketing, influencer marketing, content marketing, paid search marketing;, opt-in email marketing, and webinars.
Outbound marketing makes use of PPC ads, TV/ Radio ads, display ads, trade shows, print ads, cold calling, and media buys.
As part of marketing management you also have the following functions: marketing strategy, marketing plan, campaign concept, marketing promotions, project management, advertising and public relations.
- Digital Marketing
Professional services offered by digital marketing service providers include social media management, email marketing, e-commerce setup, lead generation, Google Ads, and SEO services.
Choosing the right service provider can be tricky if you don’t know what you are letting yourself in for.
Consider the following:
- Marketing goals and anticipated outcomes
Consider why you are looking for help and make a list of your goals and what you would like to achieve. Do your research or speak to a professional, even if it means getting advice from a consultant it may be worth getting all the information you need. Next decide which goals are the most important, this will help especially if you have a set budget for marketing and are not able to commit to pay for all the services that are offered to you.
- Marketing budget
Ask yourself the following questions:
How much are you willing to spend on a marketing agency?
What services do you need (that aligns with your immediate goals)?
What marketing channels do you already use?
Eliminate companies that offer services that cost much more than what you budgeted for.
- Expertise
It’s important to consider what services each agency specialises in and whether they align with the services you are seeking. Look for social proof such as reviews and testimonials and previous work done. Many companies now also offer a free consultation that can help determine if they are the right fit.
- Customer service
It’s important to consider whether you will enjoy working with an agency. Keep an eye out for their level of professionalism, timeliness and how they respond to feedback.
Professional services benefits:
- Access to experts and specialists – get expert guidance to make the right marketing decisions for your business.
- Generate leads and boost sales – increase sales by attracting customer attention online and get strategies for increasing conversions.
- Get insights – get insight into customer data and online behaviour to help improve your sales and marketing strategies.
- Improved customer service – use social listening tools and engage with your customers online through social media management.
- Convenience – allows you to focus on running your business and frees up time to work on more important aspects of your company.
How much does it cost to hire a digital marketer or company?
Costs are usually based on the scope of work per project for services or your business needs. The pricing structure could be either a Once-off campaign versus monthly retainer – Service fees can either be paid once-off for a specific project or campaign or on an ongoing basis, usually recurring monthly or quarterly, also known as a retainer.
Do you need one agency to handle your SEO, website, social media and Google Ads? Then you are looking at anything from R20 000 per month and above
Do you just need the agency to handle your social media accounts? Social media management can range from R1500 for your less experienced social media managers up to R30 000 per month for bigger agencies and everything in between.
Make sure that the digital marketing person or company has the skills and knowledge and have been in the industry for a number of years. We see so many small businesses getting burned with people that market themselves as digital experts but who have no knowledge and experience. Unfortunately just because the person knows how to create a Canva design and post it on Facebook, doesn’t make them an expert.
Social media has become a vital part of the marketing mix for many businesses. It is a powerful tool that can be used to build brand awareness, generate leads and even boost sales. There are many social media marketing companies out there who offer services to help businesses leverage this powerful tool.
The key to success in the social media space is having a strategic plan and understanding what your business goals are. It’s important to find a social media marketing agency that understands your needs and will help you achieve those goals.
You may have to meet with the short list of social media companies to get a real feel from each and then make the most informed decision.
At the end of the day, you need to feel comfortable with your selected agency, and if need be consider changing if you think your needs are not met.
Chilli Media, is a niche digital marketing company helping small South African businesses with all their digital needs.
Find out more about our
- Social Media Services here
- Website Development here
- Search Engine Optimisation here
- Or visit our main page here
For more information, email us at info@chillimedia.co.za
