The COVID-19 pandemic enforced changes in doing business and professionalism. Zoom became the default meeting space and webinars transformed into regular events. Nevertheless, the major visible impact was how social media turned into a go-to platform to find new job opportunities, learn, and grow brand awareness. So, it has become essential for every business to restructure its strategies.
Online channels allow businesses to connect and interact with their potential consumers. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even TikTok are popular sites with millions of followers.
According to surveys, Facebook reaches more than 59% population across the globe, while LinkedIn has more than 800 million members from 200 countries. 90% of members on Instagram follow official brand accounts and 79% of people use these platforms to look for job openings. Besides, due to pandemics, social media became crucial for marketers because they had to cut their budget. They were forced to concentrate on short-term low investments that pay.
In Singapore, 70% of natives reside on social media, so it becomes a necessity for large or small businesses to include online media in their campaigns. If you are planning to hire a social media marketing agency then it is crucial to do some groundwork. However, the professionals from Via Media agency can help you tailor a digital advertising strategy that helps to build brand awareness, generate leads, nurture leads, implement social listening, identify opportunities, and keep track of their efforts.
Tips to choose an ideal social media marketing firm
Check their social media accounts
The potential digital marketing agency must have profiles on popular accounts with a good follower base. Use an audit tool to find out if they have purchased followers, likes, and tweets because many agencies do it to attract clients. Check the creative, copywriting, and ideas posted on online channels. Check Instagram for artwork and photo quality. You get an idea of how they engage audiences.
Determine your goals
Before you request a quote from a digital marketing firm, determine your goals and needs. Do you desire to outsource the complete project to them or just the creative part like content, ad, or customer’s feedback management?
Ease of communication
How easy was it to connect with a potential firm? Did they take long before responding to your call or email? If you found it challenging to contact them then expect to have the same response level when you hire them. Communication with the professionals is essential. There are times when you may need digital marketing reports urgently to make business core decisions.
Interest
A good firm will ask about your goals right in the first meeting. Many professionals gain an insight into your business even before they meet you. If you find a lot of sales pitches while communicating then move away. Choose experts who make effort to explore your brand goal, identity, message, and personality before tailoring a digital marketing strategy. They can send you a questionnaire to fill in.
Abilities
The potential digital marketing firm must have the competence to plan a tactical direction based on your input. On approval, they will implement the strategic direction and if something does not work modify it again and again until it performs well. They ensure that their customers gain optimistic ROI.
Skills
Social media marketing is about being visual. Therefore choose a digital marketing agency with a strong creative and content portfolio as well as has a keen eye for designing. Check their portfolio to check if their style is suitable for your project.
Do they synch with your business culture & style?
Stylish brands serve a more professional customer base. The potential firm has to understand this and synch with your brand culture. Experienced digital marketing agencies will always stay updated, so they can help their customers to gain a competitive edge and succeed.
How do they measure ROI?
Ask how the potential digital marketing firm measures advertising success. They must have the ability to define KPIs and evaluate their efforts every month. Followers, likes, and engagement quantity are unimportant, it is the quality that counts.
Social media is not a sales tool but a branding tool, so to attain this goal you will need to work in sync with the agency.