In your industry, you are the expert. You have spent years honing your craft and building your expertise, and you are now at the top of your game. But there are certain aspects that you might know little to nothing about, and this includes digital marketing.
One important decision is to consider what type of agency you need to accurately represent your brand to your audience. Now, you probably think that all of these can be found under one roof but this is not the case. Each of these agencies has a different structure, method, and set of goals that makes them right for a certain aspect of your business at a certain time.
You might have binge-watched shows like the ever-popular Mad Men and now think you have a good idea about what an advertising agency is, but your ideas might not be as clear as you think.
An advertising agency will create and develop advertising campaigns across a broad spectrum of media, including print, outdoor signage, television, and radio. Some of these agencies also use advertising space in print or online publications.
The advertising agency structure is different from a marketing agency, in that they focus more on strategy and advertising than creative deliverables. The approach is to focus on grabbing the attention of the customer and encouraging them to take immediate action.
While this is positive, it might not be ideal for your long-term goals in terms of nurturing customer relationships.
You might have heard the old adage that, “All PR is good PR”, but in actual fact, this could not be further from the truth. If you still believe in this statement, then a PR agency is the right choice for you.
A PR agency deals directly with the media and often creates content such as press releases and editorials for their clients. They work hard to understand a brand in order to align this content correctly.
If you have had a crisis in your company, or if you have released a product during a difficult time for a country or demographic, then you will need the services of a PR agency. Liaising with the media about press releases and performing damage control should always be performed by those who understand the intricacies of this industry.
The approach aims to maintain the messaging of your brand, which is ideal for those times when you might have problems, but it may not allow for much room for growth through engagement. |
While it is true that digital agencies do offer social media services, there are agencies that offer only these services. They are a relatively new niche in the marketing sphere, brought about by the surge in popularity of social media for businesses.
Social media agencies use platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even LinkedIn to communicate with consumers and to create brand awareness for their clients. These platforms allow them to track their campaigns and gather important data about the audience.
Having a social media presence is important to any business, but it does need to be done strategically. These agencies can help with this and can show consumers that you are in touch with the digital world.
If you feel that social media alone is not enough to grow your business, it is better to look to a full-service digital agency for help.
The true meaning of a digital agency is often lost in translation in today’s world, but essentially it focuses on online or digital marketing. The services often include improving lead generation, maximising the number of website visits for clients, and engaging these customers when they land on the site.
You should look out for a creative digital agency to meet all of your needs. A creative digital agency offers a full-service solution, including creating websites, creating social media pages to improve brand awareness, creating and managing blogs, as well as using search engine optimisation (SEO) for all of their efforts.
Today’s world is fast becoming more and more digital, and these agencies are now the “go-to” for many businesses. Digital agencies define the value within an organisation, identify users who are interested in this value and then work towards communicating the benefit to the users through the ideal channel.
As an added benefit, a digital agency may look at optimising the pain points in the organisation to deliver the brand promise.
The approach is often a more holistic and rounded one, which is ideal for established businesses that are wanting to grow. |
Choosing the right type of agency for your needs is important in helping you attain the goals you have in mind. By choosing the right agency at the right time in your business journey, you will be able to achieve optimal results.
To recap, an advertising agency is ideal for encouraging customers to take immediate action, whereas a PR agency can help with maintaining your brand’s image. Social media agencies can help to catapult you into the 21st Century.
If you want to effectively grow your business then you need the holistic approach of a full-service digital agency like Shapeshift.
