Companies that invest in content get more visitors as well as more leads. Prioritising content marketing leads - without a doubt - to higher ROI. In other words: content marketing works! But how should you go about choosing the right content agency for your needs? Join us and we'll guide you! Few companies have the resources to produce new, interesting and relevant content with the regularity required for marketing to make a difference. That's why many businesses turn to a content agency for help with their content marketing.
But finding the right content agency that delivers maximum value for your business can be a challenge. Here we share some good advice along the way!
What skills are needed in a content agency?
The market for agencies is large and most agencies offer a range of services - with content being one of many. Among others, you will find so-called full-service agencies offering a very wide range of services. But there are also more specialised agencies. You need to keep an open mind when looking at which agency to choose - it's not enough to look at the agencies that call themselves content agencies, you could miss out on some golden opportunities!
Think about what skills you need. Will you be producing a physical customer magazine, or perhaps digital content on blogs and social media? Film? Podcasts? Many agencies work with a combination of permanent staff and hired, freelance consultants. To make a good assessment, you need to know exactly what skills the agency can offer. And before that, you need to know what it is you're looking for.
The content agency you hire needs to know your industry and the goods or services your company produces. To make your content interesting and relevant, you need a good knowledge of your company's work and target audiences. This is particularly important if you produce complex products. Make sure the content agency has access to experts who use the right terminology and can produce content at the right level from relevant angles.
Set concrete goals together with the Content Agency!
What are your goals in hiring a content agency? Is it to increase brand awareness, better google rankings or to generate more sales? Or both? It's important to be clear about your objectives so that the agency can determine if they are able to offer what you are asking for. Ask the agency to present some reference assignments that are similar to what you want to do. This will give you a good idea of what the agency can actually deliver.
It's about creating the right conditions for the agency to deliver. If you have data or information about the target group, share it with the agency.
Also, make sure you have good metrics to follow up the results. The agency can certainly help you with this - especially if it is an agency with good strategic skills. There are a number of common metrics that are used in this context:
- Engagement (clicks, downloads, subscriptions, etc.)
- Traffic to your website (unique visitors, page views, etc.)
- Statistics on your social media (how many followers? how many likes and shares?)
- Conversions (More leads or have you actually sold more?)
- Ranking with search engines
There are plenty of metrics when it comes to content marketing. Your strategic content agency can help you develop relevant metrics for the goals you want to achieve. Make sure you evaluate, analyze, draw conclusions and adjust your measures at regular intervals to maximize results.
The metrics you choose to look at are based on the goals you set. These metrics will show you whether you are getting closer to your goal or not.
What makes a good content agency?
What is a good content agency? That may not be a general answer. It depends so much on the needs and circumstances of the client. But one thing is for sure: you need to know what you're looking for in an agency. Below we list some aspects that might be relevant to look at.
Consistent deliveries
A good content agency should be able to deliver interesting content quickly. It's about being able to produce high-quality content at a rapid pace - often for clients with varying circumstances and needs.
At the same time, deliveries must be of a really high quality - otherwise they are largely meaningless. Text, images and film need to arouse the interest of the target audience and create engagement. The best is when the content takes on a life of its own and starts to be shared and liked by those interested in the area, product or service.
A content agency with the ability to manage projects
Content creation is often time-critical. The ability to deliver on time can make the difference between achieving your goals and not. Ask the content agency to tell you about their project model - so you know your projects will be taken care of by safe hands.
Complex projects require established methods and models to make them possible to be implemented smoothly, with a successful outcome. The more people involved, the more dependencies there are and the more money is involved - the more complex a project becomes. Clarity about the different deliverables, phases and elements of the project is therefore important.
Content agency with a good reputation
A content agency that has received good reviews and can provide good references is sure to deliver. The question is, is the content agency right for your needs? Having clients recommend a content agency is a good start - but it's not enough for you to choose that particular agency.
Of course, one content agency may suit one client - but not another. In some cases, it simply comes down to something as basic as personal chemistry. That's why it's important to get to know the agency a little before you decide to hire it. It's a good idea to have one or more unbiased meetings where you can "feel" each other out and get a feel for whether or not the collaboration could work.
Content agency with a stable team
How many permanent employees does the content agency have? Will they be able to deliver as agreed? Freelancers are good and necessary in many cases, but can also introduce vulnerability and uncertainty. Freelancers are usually free to turn down assignments - sometimes at short notice.
What does the content agency network look like? Is it large and broad enough for the assignments at hand? Make sure in advance that the skills you are looking for are actually available in practice.
Content agency that understands you and your tone and style
Can the content agency write copy and create content in a tone and style that matches your company's profile? A good content agency should be responsive and listen to the client's preferences in terms of tone.
Do you have a strict and professional tone? Or is it a more light-hearted and customer-friendly language? You want to be consistent in your content to reinforce your brand and create confidence in your customers. That's where the content agency needs to be on board.
How do you create the conditions for your content agency to deliver?
The content agency needs content and substance to produce and deliver. This can include marketing materials, guides, photos, texts and other types of media. Also make sure you give feedback to your content agency on the material they produce. This is especially important at the beginning of the collaboration as there may be things that need to be adjusted for the future.
Make sure your content agency has an easy and relevant contact route into your business. At the beginning of the collaboration, content creators at the agency may need to ask a lot of questions. That's when it's important to have someone available who can provide good answers.
Tell them your expectations in advance so they know what they need to deliver to keep you happy. Is it about getting help with the practicalities? Is it mainly strategic issues you need to discuss? What specific projects are you looking at? The more specific you can be, the better the chances of a successful collaboration.
Take the plunge - hire a content agency
Producing relevant and interesting content on your own at the pace required today is almost impossible for most companies. Taking the plunge and hiring a content agency is something few regret. Especially when it shows that it pays off!
Think about your needs and scan the market. If you find an agency that seems suitable for your needs, get in touch and see if it's time to start working together. It doesn't have to be all fancy and grand - you don't have to commit to a long-term partnership.
Try a concrete project that is urgent and see how the cooperation works. If it goes well and produces results, you've probably found the right place! Then it's time to continue working together. Are things slow or shaky in some way? Try giving feedback to the agency and see if you can make progress. If there is no improvement, it might be time to look for another agency.
Hiring a content agency is a strategic decision that can elevate your business in ways you may not even anticipate!
If you would like to talk to us about content production, please feel free to schedule a meeting with us below!
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