5 Questions to Ask Your Next Social Media Agency


social media agencyWelcome to 5Qs, a series highlighting the must-ask questions for a successful agency search. Let’s find your next great social media agency together.

Oh social media, how you’ve changed the marketing landscape in the last ten years. It’s nearly impossible to exist without Facebook fans or Pinterest boards. Where do you find an awesome social media agency that can get your brand into the upper echelons of the ever-changing world of social media? Agency Spotter is the best place to start. Search social media agencies, then compare portfolios and get to a shortlist. Next, zero-in on one perfect agency by asking these questions:

1. How will your social media plan help achieve my business goals?

Check-in and make sure everyone is on the same page regarding business goals. Tweeting and #hashtagging without a purpose does your brand no good. Ideally each shortlisted agency will bring a different perspective on how to leverage the plethora of social media channels out there. Which agency presents the most creative ideas that are true to your brand?

2. How will you differentiate my social media presence from that of my competitors?

Everyone and their mother has a social media account. Your brand needs a personality that rises above the fray to reach and engage your target audience. That personality is influenced by content, as well as the content platforms. It’s vital that the agency you select has assessed your competitors’ social media presence before they start working on yours.

3. How will you integrate paid, owned and earned media into my brand’s social strategy?

Here begins a more detailed discussion about the breadth and width of the agency’s proposed strategy. Do they advise using paid promotion platforms on Facebook or Twitter? Or are there better ways of utilizing your budget to reach and convert your target audience? Don’t stand for fluffy answers to this question; push for concrete details.

4. What kind of analytics can you give me? Will they be real-time?

As marketers, we love numbers. Know what analytics you want and how often. The ability to act on real-time results can help minimize ineffective campaigns while increasing your reach.

5. What’s your approach to measuring ROI on social media?

Got a handle on the math behind social media ROI? Great! Even though 93% of marketers planned to increase or maintain their social media spend in 2014, your boss still wants to see that money contribute to the bottom line. Be explicit with your ROI expectations and realize that great results take hard work.

Extra Tip: Hiring an agency without any social media presence may not be a good idea.

#FindYourSocialMediaAgency with Agency Spotter

Like composing the perfect tweet, finding the right social media agency can be surprisingly tricky. That’s why Agency Spotter came to be. Take a spin around our site, sign-up and search social media agencies.

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Claire Wallace