Don’t believe the promises of dodgy digital agencies
‘Pay X amount and we promise you’ll rank #1 on Google’. Sound familiar? Haimat’s Ben Kassel explains why if a digital agency’s promises sound too good to be true, they almost certainly are.
In the digital age, businesses need to adapt their marketing models to, you guessed it, digital platforms.
A strong digital marketing strategy (and platform) is key to business success. It’s how your brand survives and thrives. If you need a case study, just look at last week’s closure of Cosmopolitan Australia.
It’s against this backdrop that businesses big and small are jumping on the digital marketing bandwagon. Everyone’s looking for the right digital agency. The one that will “deliver your brands success”.
How much did Haimat pay for this terrible ad?
Agree with the message
Just last night a friend of mine – business owner, not that connected to the marketing industry – said of sel-proclaimed SEO experts. “They may as well wear balaclavas when they come into my office”
Sorry, but digital strategy is a misnomer. Digital is a tactic, one way to execute your marketing. All you’ve done is highlight that you think about a very specific part of the marketing world, rather than considering the big picture.
This advice is outdated! Businesses who have had this model come and go from time to time but are mostly red out of the digital space. The danger in digital marketing is businesses who focus theirs resources on signing up less tech-literate businesses at scale and then spend most of the time creating loop holes and keeping customers ‘on-the-line’ instead of delivering actual sound digital marketing strategies. How to spot them?
1. Ask how many clients your account manager manages in writing. If it’s more than 30, get out!
2. Avoid or re-negotiate contracts with lengthy notice periods. These agencies use these to squeeze more out of you.
3. Always make sure you have access to any advertising campaigns (Facebook, AdWords, etc.) These are property of he business they are running for and not ‘IP’ of the agency. No transparency means no trust!
4. If it comes down to it, these agencies are terrified of negative publicity, especially at scale and especially in the search results. You have the right to leave negative feedback and often mentioning you’ll resort to this will loosen their resolve in holding you to a contract!
Do your due-diligence and stay safe!