How to Choose the Best Content Marketing Agency

When it comes to promoting your business, content is king. But with so many content marketing agencies out there, how do you choose the right one for your company? In this post we will discuss some key factors to consider when choosing a content marketing agency, including questions to ask, what to look for, and how to decide on the best fit for your needs.

Why Work With an Agency?

There are a few reasons you might want to consider working with an agency as opposed to going the in-house route or hiring contract freelancers.

First, content marketing agencies have the manpower and resources to really scale up your content operation. They can help you develop and execute a content strategy that will reach more people and have a bigger impact than you could likely achieve on your own.

Second, agencies have a team of experts in various aspects of content marketing, from copywriting, to SEO, to design. This means that you can tap into their knowledge and experience to create high-quality content that will help you reach your goals.

Finally, working with an agency can save you time and hassle. Instead of having to manage multiple freelancers or content creators, you can outsource the entire operation to an agency and let them take care of the details for you.

Qualities Found in a Top Content Marketing Agency

Now that we’ve discussed some of the reasons you might want to consider working with an agency, let’s take a look at some of the qualities you should look for before hiring a content marketing agency to support you.

1. Reputation & Expertise

First and foremost, you want to make sure that the agency you’re considering has a good reputation and is made up of content marketing experts.

Be sure to check out their website and blog to get a feel for their style and approach, as well as if they are producing high-quality, original content that is engaging and informative. You want to make sure that it feels like an aligned fit with your values, mission, and brand before moving forward.

Don’t forget to also look for online reviews and testimonials from past clients to get a sense of whether or not they were happy with the work the agency did for them to help you determine if they’re a reputable agency to work with.

2. A Solid Body of Work / Portfolio / Examples

When you’re looking at a content marketing agency’s website, be sure to check out their portfolio or examples of their work. This will give you a good sense of the quality of their work and whether or not they are a good fit for your company. When exploring an agencies portfolio, consider the following:

• Do they have experience in your industry or with companies like yours?
• Does their content marketing style align with yours?
• Do their goals, values, and mission align with those of your company?
• Do they have a track record of producing quality content that gets results?

By asking for examples of past work this can help you to determine if they are the right fit for you and whether or not the work they produce is aligned with your brand.

3. Adequate Resources to Meet Your Needs

It’s important to make sure that the agency you’re considering has enough resources to meet your needs. This includes things like a large team of content creators, access to a network of freelancers, and the ability to scale up quickly if needed. You’ll also want to make sure that they have the right mix of skills and expertise on their team, including copywriters, designers, SEO specialists, and social media experts to be sure they can handle the scope of work required for your business.

4. Customer Service & Clear Communication

When you’re working with an agency you’ll be relying on them for customer service, meaning clear and concise communication is key. It’s very important to make sure that they are responsive and easy to work with. Be sure to ask about their communication style and how they handle customer service. Including whether or not they will have a dedicated account manager or point of contact that you can reach out to with questions or concerns.

5. Adaptability & Flexibility

Things change quickly in the world of content marketing, and you need an agency that is adaptable and flexible, one that can pivot and change with the times as necessary. Make sure when you’re considering an agency that they are open to trying new things and willing to experiment with different content formats, strategies, and tactics to produce the best results for your company.

6. Organic, Original, High-Quality Content

You want to make sure that the agency you’re considering produces high-quality, original content. This means content that is well-written, engaging, and informative. It should also be optimized for search engines and social media. Content is not one size fits all, and should be tailored to not only the business but the platform it is being distributed on.

7. An Understanding of Your Business

The best content marketing agencies have a deep understanding of your industry and your target audience. This allows them to create content that is relevant, engaging, and informative. When you’re considering a content marketing agency, be sure to ask about their understanding of your business. What kind of research do they do? How do they stay up-to-date on industry trends?

8. Focused on Your Goals

It’s important to make sure that the agency you decide to work with is focused on helping you reach your specific goals. Be sure to discuss your goals with the agency beforehand and ask about the strategies they would use to help you achieve them. What kind of content would they create? How would they promote it? What kind of results can you expect?

By taking the time to find an agency that understands and is focused on your goals, you can be sure that you’ll get the best possible results.

9. A Strategic and Creative Approach

When hiring a content marketing agency, you want to find one that takes a strategic and creative approach to content creation. This means they should be able to come up with new and innovative ideas that will capture your audience’s attention, while also being strategic and having a solid understanding of how to use SEO to create content that is informative and keyword-rich.

10. Results and ROI Focused

The best agencies are results-focused, meaning they are constantly looking for ways to improve your ROI. They understand that content marketing is an investment, and they work to ensure that your content marketing efforts are generating a positive return on investment. Be sure to ask about the metrics they use to measure success and how they report on results. In addition, you’ll want to find an agency that is adaptable and willing to make changes to their approach if they aren’t seeing the results you want.

11. A Comprehensive Strategy

You want to find a content marketing agency that takes a comprehensive approach to marketing. This means they should be able to help you with every aspect of your marketing strategy, from coming up with ideas and creating content, to promoting it and measuring results. Be sure to ask about the different services they offer and how they would work with you to create a comprehensive content marketing strategy for your business to ensure all aspects are taken care of.

12. Proven Track Record

Ultimately, you want to make sure that the agency you’re considering has a track record of producing results. Look for an agency that has experience working with companies in your industry and has a history of producing high-quality content that gets results.

Be sure to ask for case studies or examples of projects they have worked on in the past. What kind of results did their clients see? You should also ask about their process and how they measure success. This will give you a good sense of whether or not they are the right fit for your company.

13. Reliable and Transparent Pricing

When considering a content marketing agency, it’s important to make sure that their content marketing pricing is transparent and that you understand what you’re paying for. You don’t want to be surprised by hidden fees or unexpected costs down the road. The agency should be upfront about their pricing and what is included in their services. Be sure to ask about any discounts or promotions that they may be running. You should also ask about their payment terms and whether or not they require a contract. By taking the time to understand the pricing, you can be sure that you’re getting the best value for your money.

How to Measure the Effectiveness of Agencies

There are a variety of ways to measure the effectiveness of content marketing agencies. Here are some metrics you can use:

1. Traffic

One of the most important things to look at when measuring the effectiveness of a content marketing agency is the amount of traffic they are able to generate. You want to make sure that the agency is creating content that is resonating with your audience and that people are actually clicking through to your website.

There are a number of ways to measure traffic, including unique visitors, pageviews, and time on site. You can also track how many people are subscribing to your newsletter or following you on social media.

2. Engagement

In addition to traffic, you also want to measure engagement. This includes things like comments, shares, and likes. You want to make sure that people are not only reading your content but that they are also interacting with it.

Engagement is a good indicator of whether or not your audience is finding your content relevant and interesting. It’s also a good way to measure the quality of the content that the agency is creating.

3. Leads

The number of leads generated is another metric to monitor when determining the effectiveness of a content marketing agency. You want to make sure that your content is helping you attract new customers and that it is causing people to take action.

There are a number of ways to measure leads, including newsletter signups, contact form submissions, and lead magnet downloads, for example. You can also track how many people are calling, emailing, or reaching out to you on social media after reading your content.

4. Sales

Ultimately, you want to make sure that your content marketing efforts are resulting in sales. This is the best way to measure the return on investment of your content marketing strategy. You can also track how many people are using coupons or promo codes that you’ve shared in your content.

5. Return on Investment (ROI)

Lastly, in addition to sales, you also want to measure the return on investment of your content marketing strategy. There are a number of ways to measure ROI, including cost per lead, cost per acquisition, and lifetime value. You can also track how much revenue your content is generating.

By tracking these metrics you can get a good sense of how effective the strategy and content of your agency is. Additionally, you can also use this information to determine where improvements can be made.

Key questions to ask when interviewing agencies

When you’re looking for a content marketing agency, there are a few key questions you should ask during the interview process. This will help you narrow down your choices and find the best fit for your company.

1. What is your content marketing strategy?

You want to make sure that the agency has a solid understanding of content marketing and that they have a customized strategy for how they will approach your project.

2. Who will be working on my account?

You want to make sure that you’re comfortable with the team that will be working on your account. Ask about their experience, what kind of work they’ve done in the past, and how they plan to approach your project. You also want to know who will be heading up your account so that you know who to reach out to if you have any questions.

3. How do you measure success?

You want to make sure that the agency has a clear understanding of your goals and a clear plan for how they will measure success to keep the project on track. Ask about the metrics they use and how they determine whether or not their efforts are working.

4. What is your experience with my industry?

You want to make sure that the agency has experience creating content for your industry. Ask about their understanding of your target market and what kind of content they’ve created in the past.

5. Can you provide examples of your work?

Ask to see examples of the agency’s work before you make a decision. This will give you a good sense of their style and whether or not they are a good fit for your company.

Choosing the best content marketing agency for your company is an important decision. Make sure to ask the right questions and look at the metrics that matter when making your choice.

How to Decide Which Agency is best for you?

There are a few key factors you should keep in mind when deciding which content marketing agency is best for your company.

1. Determine your company’s needs and goals

Before you start looking for an agency, you need to have a clear understanding of your company’s needs and goals. What are you hoping to achieve with content marketing? What kind of results are you looking for?

2. Make sure their work examples match your style

Once you have a good idea of what you’re looking for, take a look at the agencies’ work examples. Do their styles match your company’s? Do they seem to understand your target market?

3. Make sure their resources, talent, and expertise can meet your requirements

It’s important to make sure that the agency you choose has the resources, talent, and expertise to meet your company’s needs. Ask about their team, their experience, and their process.

4. Go by value not price

When you’re looking at content marketing agencies, it’s important to go by value not price. Look at the quality of their work and their ability to meet your needs. Don’t just choose the cheapest option.

5. Check reviews, testimonials, or ask previous clients

Finally, before you make your decision, check out the agency’s reviews or testimonials. You can also ask their previous clients about their experience.

Choosing the best content marketing agency for your company is an important decision. Make sure to keep these factors in mind when making your choice.

How does AOU Creative do things differently?

AOU Creative is a content marketing agency that does things differently. We focus on quality over quantity and we make sure that our clients are 100% satisfied with the work we provide.

Some of the ways we stand out from other content marketing agencies include:

• We have a team of experienced professionals who are experts in their field, from copywriting to SEO, so you can trust that every aspect of your content marketing strategy is taken care of
• We have an emphasis on quality over quantity to ensure we are producing the best quality content that provides real results
• We marry creativity and innovation with strategy and SEO for sustainable, repeatable results so that your content works for you
• We create custom strategies and content that are tailored to our clients’ needs
• We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee

If you’re a mission-driven, woman-owned business looking for a content marketing agency that will provide you with high-quality, custom content, then AOU Creative is the right choice for you. 

Closing Thoughts

In summary, content marketing is a vital part of any marketing strategy. It allows you to connect with your audience and build relationships with potential customers and retain current customers.

When choosing a content marketing agency, it’s important to keep your company’s needs and goals in mind. And choose an agency that matches your company’s work style, is results focused, and has experience in your industry.

When you’re ready to take your content marketing to the next level, we are here to help. We specialize in creating high-quality, original content that is both creative and strategic to support you in reaching your goals. Book your free content audit today and let us show you how we can help make your content work for you.