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m o1 c.0 y. 1c d2n a9I e , R2. Ay e8e Cd v n8,a i0Ae o g -ghR n3t e E The 57-Point Checklist to Hiring the Right Search Agency i6 8e . 2n D1 i wg 1 8n w1 8n aE 1 S 8 w Are you in pursuit of the right agency that will catapult your online marketing return on investment? If you do a search in Google for "search marketing agencies" you'll get 4,640,000 listings. Assuming you had the time to research all 4+ million, how can you best determine which agency will deliver on their promises? Finding the right agency for your search marketing needs can be as daunting as searching for that perfect mate on the Internet - you're looking for a rewarding long term relationship, but there are too many possibilities to evaluate, you know you need to be wary of what you read, and the risks of making a poor decision are high.
To help you avoid becoming attached to the wrong agency, we've compiled a list of 57 questions that will help you get beyond the marketing fluff and identify an agency's real y
core competencies. These questions are divided into 3 categories: c
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P 1 m o1 c.0 y. 1c d2n a9 I e , 1. What are the goals of my paid search marketing R2. Ay e8e Cd v n8,a i initiatives? 0Ae o g -ghR n3t e Ei6 8e . While most advertisers are looking to directly acquire 2n D1 i wg 1 8n w new leads or sales, there are also important branding 1 8n aE 1 S 8 w aspects inherent in search marketing. Also, be sure to understand the primary action you want your visitor to take upon reaching your site. Do you want them to request a quote, download a white paper, call you, or order a specific product? For goal setting, remember the acronym SMART - your goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. 2. How much money can I devote to my search engine fees plus the agency's management fee? If you're currently advertising in the search engines, you'll probably already have a y
pretty good idea of your ideal monthly spend. If you're new to paid search, not c
knowing your expected return on this type of advertising will make it difficult arriving n
at a monthly budget value. If your budget is too thin, you could be sacrificing good e
ad positioning or 24/7 visibility and potentially be leaving profitable business on the g
table. A
3. How will I evaluate the success of the agency's efforts? t
Campaign success needs to be tied to quantifiable metrics. For most lead generation h
companies, cost per lead will generally be the key metric. Cost per lead is calculated g
i as advertising cost divided by number of leads generated. eCommerce companies R
sometimes also use CPA, however a more accurate measure may be return on ad spend (ROAS), which is defined as sales generated divided by cost of advertising. e
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4. Are there any specific qualities or characteristics I'd like to see in an agency? T
Agencies, like people tend to have different personalities and ways they work with f clients. Try to identify your comfort level in areas such as formality, methods of o
communication, and frequency of communication. ti 5. If currently managing paid search in-house, why am I looking to outsource? If I'm u
currently with an agency, what are the reasons I'm looking to change? s
By documenting a list of reasons you're seeking a new agency, you'll be better r
prepared to identify the best fit. Those reasons usually are related to time-savings, u
better reporting, and better results. P 2 m o1 c.0 y. 1c d2 n a9I e , R2. Ay e8e Cd 1. Does the agency have a list of referral clients for v n8,a i0Ae o g -ghR you to contact? n3t e Ei6 8e . 2n D1 i w Always ask for a list of referrals with contact g 1 8n w1 8n aE 1 S 8 w information and if possible, request a company that is similar in business model to yours, i.e., lead generation vs. eCommerce; B2B versus B2C. 2. How long has the agency been in the business of managing paid search campaigns? Over the last 3 years, as the popularity of paid search dramatically increased, there's been a sizable increase in "new-comer" agencies. A good general rule of thumb is that... [download for more]
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