Advice for Finding the Best Social Media Marketing Agency

Sep 15, 2023
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If you’re considering hiring a social media specialist or full-service agency to manage your marketing efforts, you’ve come to the right place. We’re prepared to share some insider tips for choosing the best agency for your business and budget. Let’s jump right in.

What Does a Social Media Marketing Agency Do?

A social media agency needs to understand much more than just social media. They need to have a solid grasp on digital marketing, SEO, creating content, strategy, analytics, and more.A full-service agency should get to know your organization. They’ll want to see what you’ve done in the past and plan to do in the future. Be prepared to share your goals and current strategies, along with any reports you have on past results.An agency will help you set fresh, attainable goals for social media. They will also help you select the right key performance indicators (KPIs) to help you move your business forward.In a nutshell, a social media marketing (SMM) agency will help your business:

  • Create quality and engaging content for different social media channels
  • Develop an effective strategy for helping you reach your goals
  • Manage day-to-day social media activity, like posting, engagement, and customer service
  • Take care of regular analytics and reporting, including presenting custom reports to your team

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What Services Does a Social Media Company Offer?

A stellar social media marketing agency should offer most (if not all) of the following services.

1. Social Media Strategy

Strategy is the foundation for every social media post and campaign. To get noticed and gain traction on social media, you need to present content and context to the right audience. An agency should never lead without purpose and direction.

Source: Sprout Social

Some common strategies include:

  • Competitor research
  • Customer journey mapping
  • Market assessments
  • Analytics
  • Content planning
  • Engagement tactics
  • Influencer marketing
  • PR and media relations
  • Integrating technology (like APIs)

2. Social Media Management

A social media manager must keep on top of trends, develop effective strategies, engage with your audience, and measure results. But that’s only the beginning. They’ll also be in charge of running campaigns, from production to ongoing management.They must be well versed in various social media channels, understanding demographics and posting methods. And did we mention that their customer service, research, and technical skills must be on point? In other words, they have their hands full. Fortunately, agencies are well equipped to handle all these tasks for you and then some.

3. Original Content Creation

The best SMM agencies can create original content for their clients. To communicate effectively with your online audience, you need to share the right content at the right time with the right people. To do so, you must combine content, data, and direction.Content creation services from top-notch firms may include:

  • Videography
  • Graphic design
  • Podcasting
  • Blogging
  • Creative writing
  • Photography

Social media is the perfect place to share your unique stories and shine. The quality of your content and the methods you use to share it could make or break your success.

4. Research and Reporting

Without doing initial research, you won’t know where you stand or how your competitors are performing. Ongoing research is also essential. An agency should continuously research your competitive landscape and seek out new creative ideas.Reporting is also vital. By using advanced reporting and social listening tools, an agency can track your efforts and measure your success. They should track specific campaigns, user engagement, and trending topics. Social media is constantly evolving, which means your strategy should, too.

5. Paid Social Media

In addition to posting organically on social media channels, you have the option of paying for advertising. Paid social media can help you amplify your message and reach a larger audience. Agencies should offer both paid and organic options. Many businesses find the most success by combining these strategies.Look for experts who understand the ins and outs of setting up ads, running campaigns, and monitoring ad performance on the channels you use. If you don’t, you could spend a lot of money for little return on your investment.Here are some common ad types to consider running:

  • Facebook (and Facebook Messenger) Ads
  • Google Ads
  • LinkedIn Ads
  • Instagram Ads
  • YouTube Ads
  • Snapchat Ads
  • TikTok Ads

6. Consulting or Training

Are you hoping to learn how to run social media like a pro in-house? Some agencies are willing to train teams to manage their own social media. Look for an agency that offers training, education, or consulting services. They can teach your team how to create content, engage your audience, manage your time, monitor network activity, and analyze results.

How Do I Know If I Need to Hire an SMM Agency?

If you agree with one or more of these statements, it may be time to hire an agency to assist with or take over your social media marketing.

  • I’m having a hard time growing my audience.
  • I need help setting goals and developing strategies to reach them.
  • I have a budget set aside for social media.
  • I can’t tell if my efforts are working.
  • I don’t have the time or resources to spend on social media right now.
  • I can’t seem to increase engagement no matter what I try.
  • I’m not making sales or getting the ROI I’m looking for.

What Should I Look for in a Social Media Marketing Agency?

Look for an agency that specializes in your industry or has worked with similar businesses in the past. If they understand your niche, they’ll be better equipped to reach your audience with pertinent content.Also make sure the agency has excellent communication skills, keeps you in the loop, and is proactive. If you have to chase down your contact every week, you could end up wasting a lot of time.Before hiring a team, make sure you ask for case studies and testimonials to get real-life perspectives on their work quality and success rates. An agency should prove to you before your partnership begins that they can get you substantial, lasting results.

How Much Does It Cost to Work with a Social Media Firm?

Pricing can vary, of course, depending on where you live, what you need, and the quality you’re looking for. As with any type of marketing, you typically get what you pay for.As a rule of thumb, businesses generally allocate around 11% of their gross revenue to marketing (Deloitte CMO Survey). Looking at social media specifically, companies spend an average of $6,000 to $10,000 per month. Deloitte suggests allocating about 13% of your total marketing budget to social media.

How to Find the Best Social Media Organization

To find the best social media agency for your business, you should:

Consider Several Different Companies

Compare their portfolio, experience, and service offerings. Which one has the best track record? Which one works in your industry or, at the very least, understands your business and goals? Who do you believe has your best interests in mind and can get you where you want to be?

Make Sure You Can Afford Them

Pricing can vary greatly, as can the services a firm offers its clients. Some agencies may specialize in a specific service, like paid media. Others may work primarily with a niche industry, like home services.

Look For an Organization with Values that Align with Yours

If you value transparency, make sure the agency is willing to send you regular updates. If you want to be bold and take risks, find an outgoing, creative agency that prioritizes innovation. Also take note of how an agency communicates with your team. Your expectations should also align for the partnership to be successful long term.

Ready to Partner with a Full-Service Social Media Marketing Agency?

If you’re ready to hand over social media to a highly skilled, kind, and bold team of marketers, Kubbco would love to talk with you. We offer a full suite of social media services, including management, strategy, content creation, and paid media.We love taking on complex problems and producing quality solutions that get noticed. Having trouble standing out? No problem. Want to crush the competition in a cutthroat market? We love a good challenge. Our specialists are ready to strategize, run killer campaigns, and share amazing content with your audience.Let’s talk!

Chris Kubbernus
CEO

As CEO of Kubbco, Chris leads the company's vision and uses his 20 years of advertising experience to drive results for our clients.

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