So by now you know why using inbound marketing is important. The question is how do you get started?  You may need to hire a Online Marketing Agency to help.

This is very interesting. An Online Marketing Agency with a specialty is deemed as more important now than it was 3 – 4 years ago for over 50% of marketers surveyed.

If you’re looking for an online marketing agency, a specialty is great there is no doubt about it. But there are four core elements you need to make sure the agency is across before you engage them.

CORE ELEMENT ONE: Traffic Generation

Generating traffic to a website using SEO, blogging and social media sharing

CORE ELEMENT TWO: Premium Content

Developing the premium content needed to attract site visitors’ interest, converting them into customers using landing pages and managing online lead generation efforts.

CORE ELEMENT THREE: Lead Generation

Constructing targeted lead-nurturing campaigns aimed at converting leads into customers.

CORE ELEMENT FOUR: Continuous Improvement

Measuring and constructing analyses at every step in the process for the continuous improvement of results.

Ensuring that the Online Marketing Agency you choose can provide all of these core elements points to the critical success factor. Reporting and analysis must be embedded in the agency’s DNA. By knowing what doesn’t work and what does provides you with better ROI.

So they have these four core elements. You’re feeling more comfortable about engaging the agency. What questions should you ask them? Try these.

1. Do you offer traffic generation, lead generation, leads-to-customers and analytically focused service packages?
2. What tactics does your firm use to deliver each of these service packages?
3. What past or current client example(s) can you show me that best illustrate a success in each of your service offerings?

And while they’re answering those questions, look out for these characteristics…..

• Make sure they are comfortable discussing metrics, sharing their analytical thinking and the results they’ve achieved for clients
• Ask them to share examples of eBooks, emails, and other content they’ve created for clients
• Can they share and discuss analyses of work and the results they’ve achieved for other clients (with confidential information masked)
• Are they asking insightful questions to help you clarify your specific needs?

Hmmmmm…….if they’re saying the right things and showing you evidence of successful campaigns and strategies used in the past you might be on to a winner. If they are ticking the boxes, grab them and create a winning partnership.

If you want to dig a little deeper into other key questions, characteristics and signals to look out for, download our free eBook How to Hire an Agency here.