Whether your company already works with a third-party marketing agency or consultant or you are considering signing up with one, there are a number of things you should know. No matter how candid your consultant appears to be, he or she may still be keeping secrets. Here are four more things to consider when choosing or working with a digital marketing agency in St. Louis:
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Social Media is Not a Sure Thing
Having an online presence is essential for small businesses to be seen, and social media platforms are a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to promote your brand. You can also invest in Facebook ads to improve the way you reach your target audience. However, simply having social media accounts or sending out several tweets a day will not improve your search engine rankings, as confirmed by Google.
Still, social media does indirectly impact rankings. For example, you can dramatically increase website traffic by sharing high-quality content that links back to your website. Sharing strong content will improve click-through rates, and may result in more publically shared links. It is worth noting that both Google and Bing track all publically shared links on Facebook and Twitter, which may affect your page rankings.
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Data Analysis is Essential for Improvement
If your consultant does not offer straightforward data analysis on a consistent basis, it is time to look elsewhere. Some companies are not as familiar with this activity as they should be but still pretend to be experts. Your marketing team should be gathering information, performing data analytics, and providing specific feedback and suggestions for improvement. Otherwise, you could be stuck with an email campaign or newsletter format that regularly misses the mark.
Although data analysis is essential, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Be aware that some companies may inflate the cost of this service, since so many entrepreneurs and small business owners are unaware of the readily available technologies. Tracking metrics does not require an expensive dashboard, and can even be performed using free analytics platforms such as Google Analytics. Some information and additional data interpretation may be worth the added cost, but only if you trust your consultant and are seeing reliable results and improvements.
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Local Search May be the Best Online Marketing Priority
If you own a small business such as a healthcare practice, your target audience consists of local customers. Unfortunately, many traditional search engine optimization strategies concentrate on national or global rankings. Or, perhaps your consultant has implemented a bit of SEO but is more interested in a flashy website redesign or other grand schemes. Either way, you should know that, for small businesses, local search should be the priority.
Ranking a local business can be complicated, so make sure your consultant has experience in this area. Start by building your company’s citation, which may include the name, address, phone number, and web address. This information should be included in places such as articles, press releases, and local business directories. Next, build high-quality links that include both great content and good SEO. Google will reward both efforts, making it easier for potential clients to see your page when asking a question or searching for a string of keywords.
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More Pages Do Not Equal Higher Rankings
Did your current digital marketing agency promise to increase the number of indexed web pages as a selling point? Sales pitches are designed to tell you what you want to do, but building more pages is not always better. Rather than focusing on the number of pages your website has, Google’s algorithms care about search engine optimization, quality content, and relevance. Instead of adding to the number of indexed pages, focus on improving click-through rates, lowering bounce rates, and increasing the amount of time a web visitor spends on a page.
Choosing a Digital Marketing Agency in St. Louis
Before choosing a consultant, you must know what your business needs. For example, which of the following things do you need help with?
- Building or redesigning a website
- Identifying your target audience
- Accessing data analytics and reaching your target market
- Improving local search results
- Employing stronger SEO tactics
- Managing multiple social media accounts
- Improving email campaign click-through rates
Whatever goals you have identified, ask your agency how they will help you reach them. For customized online marketing assistance including web design, SEO, and project management, contact Changescape Web today. We will collaborate with you to find the best solutions for your business. For more information or a free initial consultation, complete this Marketing Services Inquiry form for a prompt reply.