How To Choose The Right Digital Marketing Agency For You In The Middle East Four factors to look out for as your business prepare to hire a digital marketing agency in the Middle East.

If you are attempting to grow your business, it is no surprise that digital marketing can help you accomplish that. With the ever-growing popularity and access to the internet in the Middle East, your target market is likely searching for what you offer. The key is to gain exposure and present your company in a way that is authentic and provides unparalleled value to the customer.

In other words, you need a trusted digital marketing agency. In this post, I will teach you what to look for as you prepare to hire an agency in the Middle East.

1. Look at their qualifications

It is very easy to set up a website today. There are even free site builders that can appear professional to the untrained eye. It is important to check for certifications, badges, and other qualifications that they list. For example, if an SEO company website shows a Google Partner badge, you know they have passed rigorous exams and are found credible in the eyes of Google. If none are present, you may want to pass on them. If they have been featured in business magazines/sites or other trusted publications, they are probably better suited to work with you and deliver results.

Key takeaway First, look at qualifications to narrow down your search for an agency.

2. Choose someone with experience in your field

Do they provide any examples of success in your industry or a similar one? For example, if you own a local automobile repair shop, you should ask if they can send you a report or case study on results they have gotten for a different repair shop. If they have never done work for a company similar to yours, how do you know if they are worth the investment?

There are many digital marketing companies out there, but it does no good if their niche or specialty has nothing to do with your business. An agency, that focuses on e-commerce will probably not be the best fit for a local exterminator, for example.

I recently came across a guide on pest control seo from a US-based company that is extremely in-depth and industry-specific, even citing their own original research. If you owned a company in the home services industry, you could move forward with confidence, knowing that they understand your sector and are well-suited to handle all your marketing endeavors.

Key takeaway If at all possible, choose an agency that specializes in marketing for your industry.

3. What metrics do they use?

You need to have a correct understanding of how the marketing agency will communicate with you and what success metrics, KPIs (key performance indicators), and analytics they will use to justify their monthly fees. Ask for an example progress report from them and determine whether or not the performance indicators would directly apply to your business.

Let's break it down. What is the end goal for your website? Is it to gain new subscribers? More calls to a local business? More traffic to your site? By clearly defining your goals, you can better understand the type of digital marketing agency you should work with.

Another consideration is how valuable their reports are. Are they custom or are they completely automated? Here's a good rule of thumb: if they don't look like a human has ever touched them, they're probably not that helpful to your company. Sure, automated systems have their role in business, but you're not hiring robots to market for you, you're hiring people.

Key takeaway Ensure that you're familiar with the metrics they'll be using in reporting on your campaign.

4. Stick with proven methods

You would think that there would be one surefire way to accomplish search engine marketing or online advertising to gain more clients. This type of thinking is a mistake. Although there are many solid principles to which to adhere, there is no one perfect way to get results. Shady practices and high-risk strategies should be avoided at all costs. However, if a strategy doesn't build up your website and business long-term, why would you spend your hard-earned cash on it? This is why your vetting process is so important. If you choose an agency with a proven track record, they are taking part in helping to build your company into a stronger, more capable version of itself.

Key takeaway Only use a company if you're comfortable with the tactics they're using, and avoid any agencies whose methods are questionable.

Over to you now

You now know how to evaluate digital marketing agencies with four distinct things to consider. Ultimately, it's your decision, so make the best possible one by methodically comparing the value each company brings, and especially, the results that they can obtain for your business.

Do you have any other considerations to decide on a digital marketing company to work with? If so, tweet at me!

Related: Five Key Aspects SMEs Should Consider For Their Digital Strategy In The Middle East