What to Look for When Hiring an Internet Marketing Consultant

The marketing industry has certainly shifted in the last twenty years at a greater rate of change than at any time in history. Do you remember back when renting a Yellow pages ad was a must for business marketing? However, today everything has shifted to online marketing. The Internet of things is the new and improved version of the yellow pages and is not going anywhere soon.

On 6 August 1991, just over twenty-one years ago, the World Wide Web became publicly available. There was little fanfare from the global press corps. Most people worldwide didn't even know what the Internet was or what it was designed to do. And those who understood the technology couldn't envision its impact on the business community and the world.

Even as Al Gore proclaimed credit for his new invention, most of America had no idea what a www meant. Likewise, few marketing agencies understood the revolutionary impact it would have on our lives. Today the web is as common as the radio was in its heyday. With the advent of the Internet, the way we buy, sell, communicate and learn has changed forever. Is your business marketing reflecting this change? Partnering with the right internet marketing consultant can mean the difference between success and failure for your brand and future growth.

Most business owners understand that remaining competitive in their industries means dominating the market online. However, although the knowledge of the Internet might be accessible, few business owners understand how to take advantage of this new media. And find themselves at the mercy of an internet marketing consultant for support. Today the online advertising industry is flooded with marketers, all promising to connect your product or service to the 4.57 billion people online.

Rember the typical business owner who hasn't the time or the skillset to manage their online, they now have the daunting task of selecting the right internet marketing consultant to help them.

So how do you select the best internet marketing consultant to design and manage your website, online marketing, and grow your brand? It's not easy. Do your homework. All marketing agencies are not the same. No different than your industry, you have those who are good, those who are less-than, and you have the best. Here are six helpful questions that will help with successfully selecting an online marketing consultant:

• Take a look at their website and ask if it connects with you? If you were looking for their specific product, would you be moved to buy from them? Is it easy to navigate? Can you go back and forth without being kicked to the home page? Is the content easy to understand, do they explain their proposition clearly, and is there a call to action (CTA) on all the pages? Does it load fast? Google says that a website must fully load in under two seconds, or it will lose 80% of its potential clients and won't return. Speed matters! And this is just the start.
• Are they active on Social Media? Are they posting regularly on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok? It's a good gauge of the service you will receive if you select them, so make sure they're often posting and that the posts are relevant to their consumers. Today's consumers start with a Google search and then your website. Hopefully, they're impressed. If so, they next look at your social media platforms, and here is where you can build additional trust. Being consistent on social media tells them that you pay attention to even the tiny details. And for an internet marketing consultant, this is a must.
• Do they have and maintain a company blog? This is important because blogging on your website increases your organic search SEO. Organic search ranking is critical to building your brand. Statistics tell us that 70-80% of people online avoid paid ads and go directly to the organic section. Each time a blog is written and uploaded to your website, it creates a new URL, and increasing the URL is a unique opportunity to grow your ranking. Blogging also allows you to educate your market and develop a connection of expertise and value.
• Are there current testimonials available? Nothing screams that we don't value our customers as much as not publishing client testimonials. After all, the customer took the time to write out a testimonial. At the least, you should display it on your website. Also, it builds confidence when they see recent testimonials providing social proof of your services. It's a lot of little things that differentiate the best from the good. And when it comes to managing your brand online, you want the best!
• Do they use video and other multimedia content to market? Video is king! It's a fact that video content outperforms static postings by a considerable number of engagements. For example, a recent Motley Fool article found that Facebook videos receive more than 135% more organic engagements, and the viewer stays connected much longer. TiKToK and Instagram are dominated by business owners' and Influencers' videos and it doesn't look like it's changing anytime soon.
• Are they going to be fun to work with if hired? Wow, is this one overlooked way too often. I want my Banker to be ridged and stuffy, maybe even a little risk-averse, but not my marketing company. How were you greeted when you initially spoke with someone from the company? Did you enjoy the experience? How did they make you feel when you asked for information? Did they say absolutely, or glad you asked, or something that made you feel welcomed and not like a bother to them. How quickly did someone get back to you? These are an indicator of how your future interactions will play out. Trust your intuition, and you won't go wrong. Life is too short to accept anything less.

I hope this has been helpful, and if we can be of any service to you in the future, don't hesitate to contact our office or visit us online at bluedressinc.com.

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To Your Best Online!

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Ingrid Maddox, Internet Marketing & Strategy Consultant. bluedress INTERNET MARKETING®, an Internet Marketing Company headquartered in Knoxville, TN. Internet Marketing Developed, Implemented, and Managed to Full Circle! Organic Internet Search Engine Guru. Turn-Key Internet Optimization Programs Placing You Everywhere and Anywhere You Need to Be Online.

ingrid@bluedressinc.com

865-378-7712