FAQ

Question 1

What type of companies do you serve, and in what industries or markets?

Accepted Answer

If the agency specialises in B2B and you’re a water slide park, it’s most likely not going to be a good fit. Many agencies try to be all things to all clients and never turn away business. But experienced agencies are very clear at what they’re good at and what they’re not. For example, at SOMS Digital we are well-rounded in different types of markets, but have most of our experience in the accommodation, e-commerce and lifestyle sectors.

Question 2

What services do you specialise in? Is there anything you don’t offer?

Accepted Answer

Is the agency a Jack of all trades, or a one-trick pony? While every agency is better at some things than others, you do need your marketing efforts to be well-rounded, and for this, your agency should be fairly versatile in its capabilities. For example, what good is your flashy new website, if the content is riddled with grammar and spelling errors? You need your digital agency to ensure all your website, content and marketing efforts fit together seamlessly, and all be on par with the level of proficiency.

Question 3

How do you measure success and ROI?

Accepted Answer

A good, experienced agency will be more than happy to show you how they measure, optimise and track everything they work on. You could even ask for an example or demo of the metrics and tools they use so you can get a better idea of how they measure results.

Question 4

Is any of the work outsourced?

Accepted Answer

Are any of the services outsourced, or is there a dedicated in-house team? While it’s perfectly fine and normal for agencies to outsource a couple of things, you will have much more comfort knowing if there is a dedicated team for the core digital services. For example, if there is a crisis on your website, an in-house team can put the flames out immediately, whereas outsourced services will take longer. An in-house team will also be more familiar with your brand, compared to outsourced individuals who might be working on your brand for the first time, and may not understand your CI as confidently.

Question 5

How available will I need to be?

Accepted Answer

While it would be great if you could sit back and let the agency handle everything from start to finish, realistically hiring an agency requires some account management on your part as well to approve designs, content, collaborate on projects and provide feedback.

Question 6

When can I expect to see results?

Accepted Answer

This is a good question to ask, to ensure you and the agency are on the same page with expectations. Sometimes, a client might be expecting their Google Ads campaign to start bringing in leads from the second day, not knowing that Google first goes through a computer learning phase for 2 weeks. Having an open conversation upfront about results will help ensure expectations are made clear from the very beginning.

Question 7

What is included each month with my contract?

Accepted Answer

Contracts will vary from agency to agency, so it’s important to be aware of what deliverables are expected and when to expect them. For example, you’ve paid for an agency to manage your social media, but does this include creating and posting content to your platforms only, or does it include community management as well? Knowing what to expect can help keep your budget and projects in scope with no hidden surprises down the road.

Question 8

What is your employee’s retention rate?

Accepted Answer

It’s important for your agency to become intimately involved with your brand and its products and services. While one or two staff members leaving is normal, agencies with a high staff turnaround are a red flag in that their staff members are being spread too thin. This creates inefficiencies in the relationships, and the team is not able to give your account the time and care it deserves, as they are simply churning out sausages in the sausage factory.

Question 9

Can you get me on page one of Google by next week?

Accepted Answer

If the answer is yes, you’re probably talking to the wrong agency. No one can guarantee anything when it comes to Google, and SEO is a gradual and consistent long-term strategy that takes consistency, nurturing and constant fine-tuning. Anyone who promises that you will go from zero to hero overnight is most likely trying to take advantage of you, and will look for short-term SEO games rather than build an authentic content strategy that yields better quality leads and better long-term results.

Question 10

Will you work with my competitor?

Accepted Answer

This is a tricky area that different agencies have different views on, so it’s worth asking about this, especially if you are set on having your chosen agency work not do any work on your competitors. At SOMS Digital, you can rest assured that once you sign with us, we will not work on any of your direct competitors.

23 Feb 10 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Digital Agency

1. What type of companies do you serve, and in what industries or markets?

2. What services do you specialise in? Is there anything you don’t offer?

3. How do you measure success and ROI?

4. Is any of the work outsourced?

5. How available will I need to be?

6. When can I expect to see results?

7. What is included each month with my contract?

8. What is your employee’s retention rate?

9. Can you get me on page one of Google by next week?

10. Will you work with my competitor?

Finding the right fit

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