50% of businesses find themselves spending more than half of their marketing budgets launching ads on various social media platforms. Rightfully so, the use of social media is a crucial factor in increasing leads and improving your sales conversion rates.
But, what do you do when you have no idea about the ins and outs of marketing on Instagram? It’s time to call on the expertise of an Instagram marketing company.
When it comes to Instagram marketing, there are some things you need to look for before hiring an Instagram marketing firm. Here are considerations you need to note before moving forward with the company of your choice.
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Table of Contents
First Things First
Before you look into Instagram marketing services, there are some things you need to do first. It’s essential to clearly understand what you wish to accomplish through Instagram marketing. As well as the outcome you’re looking for.
By understanding these two things, you can seek out a company with expertise in accomplishing these goals. The goals you create will define the strategy you use moving forward with your Instagram marketing endeavors.
If you’ve not thought of what your goals are, here are some ideas. The first reason to seek Instagram marketing help is to improve your brand’s awareness.
When you increase your online awareness, it gives you the ability to reach more people than you already have. The better your online presence, the more people will be able to identify your brand and refer it to other people.
If this is the goal, your strategy will focus on increasing your content share count and following. If the campaign aims to generate more leads, your Instagram will be the planter of seeds.
What we mean by this is you’ll use your Instagram to pique the interest of potential customers and get them to visit your site.
Other Potential Goals…
While we’re still on the idea of goals, have you thought about simply increasing your follower engagement? Fifty percent of consumers state once they see an advertisement for a brand promoting their products and services, it increases their interest.
So, even if your only goal is to increase follower engagement, this can be achieved when you select the right Instagram marketing company to work with. When you think about it, all these goals work together to improve the chances of success for your business.
When you increase engagement and improve your online presence, you essentially create a community of people that want to use your products. Having a solid community of people that enjoy using your products is a form of advertising and marketing in itself.
To keep them, a continuous goal of your company should be to provide quality customer service. Customers may not remember every interaction with your brand, but they will remember the one instance where you rubbed them the wrong way.
If there is an instance where you have a terrible encounter with a consumer, ensure you take the proper steps to remedy the situation. This shows them you care about them and will do what it takes to right your wrong.
Now that you’ve got an idea of what you need to do before hiring a company, it’s time to think about what to look for in a marketing agency.
Personalized Service Offerings
Before you move forward with hiring a company, you first need to consider the services they offer. The reason for this is that your company needs will change as you continue to grow; therefore, you’ll need an agency that can provide the services you need at each growth stage.
Essentially, the company should be able to take the packages they have and personalize them to meet each client’s needs. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all for Instagram marketing, meaning you need something that is made for you.
For the agency to understand what you need, you’ll have to clearly define goals before meeting with them; otherwise, deciding what services you need can become challenging as you move forward with your working relationship.
It would also mean you waste vital time figuring out your goals instead of working on your Instagram marketing campaign.
Proven Track Record
Does the company have a positive client history? Have they worked with businesses in your niche and been able to create successful results?
Were people that worked with the company in the past satisfied with the services they received? It’s essential to have the answers to these questions because the last thing you want to do is work with a company that has a long line of disgruntled clients behind them.
If the agency doesn’t have a proven history of getting results for their clients, it could cost you time and resources to move forward with working with them. Another reason to look into the firm’s history is that it’s the best representation of its work.
Think of the agency’s record as their portfolio; you’ll understand what they do well and other areas that need some work. The better their client and project history, the more credible the agency appears to those looking to hire them.
If possible, you could ask the agency for references if they don’t have a client testimonial area located on their site. Before you contact their references, ensure you have a list of questions to ask because, after all, it’s your companies name on the line if you hire them and they don’t do what you’ve paid them to do.
Another thing you can do is ask other business owners you know about the marketing company they used for their business Instagram account. This will give you a chance to see the work that you need in real life.
You can also have an in-depth discussion with the person you’re speaking with about what they felt working with the marketing company and whether it would be a good move for your business needs.
After all, word of mouth accounts for 20-50% of people’s decisions.
Get to Know Their Clients
If you’re going to be working with an outside company to achieve Instagram success for your business, you must work with someone personable. We don’t mean they want to come to your home for dinner after work, but they should take time to get to know you as their client.
If the company doesn’t take a chance to get to know you and what your company is about, how will they ensure the Instagram marketing strategy they implement will work? The answer is they won’t, and the chances that they’ll do something that goes against your company’s values and mission statements are high.
If the company sits down and does more than collect a check from you, they set themselves apart from other agencies that don’t take a chance to nurture their client relationships. Getting to know each other ensures the relationship is strong.
Do They Monitor Results?
One of the fantastic things about using social media platforms such as Instagram is to actively monitor the analytics. This is to improve future marketing campaigns you launch.
When searching for the right company, you need to ask them about their tactics to measure results.
Depending on the goals you’ve set, the KPIs that are being measured will differ drastically. For example, some of the metrics you’ll want to keep track of include:
- Follower engagement
- Reach of your marketing campaigns
- Organic website traffic
To ensure you maintain a competitive edge over your competitors, you’ve got to measure these metrics and use the data wisely. But, the whole point of hiring a marketing company is to have someone that can review these analytics for you and make changes as needed.
While we’re on the topic of measuring data analytics, it’s essential to know what Instagram marketing tools the company uses. There are some specific 2021 Instagram marketing tools that will help the company collect data on each of these metrics.
If the firm isn’t using the right tools, how can you trust them to provide you with accurate reports of how your Instagram ads are performing? The tools being used change frequently.
Therefore, the company you hire should be on top of these things and use the tools that work and align with your company’s needs.
Communication Matters
Communication is essential no matter who you’re speaking with. Especially when it has to do with marketing that can influence the way people perceive your brand. When looking for a marketing company, it’s essential to ask how they communicate with their clients.
If you’ve got changes that need to be made or want to pivot and direct your marketing efforts towards a new goal, how does the company want you to communicate this with them? In business, a trend is in one day, and everyone has forgotten about it the next second.
Because of this, the company you work for should be able to communicate with you quickly no matter what. While you’ll want them to respond quickly, it’s essential to inquire about when you should expect replies from them.
If you send an email during regular business hours, should you expect an answer within twenty-four hours or more? If you call and leave a voicemail, when will they call you back?
If you outline communication, in the beginning, it can be influential in helping you avoid unforeseen issues. Communication is another aspect detailed in client testimonials.
It’s something you’ll want to pay attention to.
If several former clients complain about how the firm communicates, save yourself a headache. It’s best to continue searching for the right company to work with.
Can They Work With Your Budget
Earlier, we mentioned working with a company that provides personalized packages for clients. This is when that comes into play.
If an agency can customize the package and services you purchase, you can tailor it to fit within your company marketing budget.
Before you hire a company, be upfront about what you’re willing to spend when working with them. This will ensure you don’t fall in love with the work of a specific company only to realize you can’t afford to work with them.
One of the most significant issues for companies is money. The last thing you want to do is overspend in one area, leaving yourself without the proper budget to cover other company necessities. Most companies you consider working with won’t publish their pricing on the website.
Instead, they want to schedule an appointment to meet with you in person or a phone call to discuss their services with you. While this is usually to upsell you on something, it’s also a strong chance for you to discuss your budget.
If they can work with your budget, that’s great because they’ll get to the point of the things that will or won’t work for your business. It will also help you make your goals even clearer to ensure the package you purchase will be put to good use.
Choosing the Right Instagram Marketing Company: Sharing More Than a Post
When it comes to choosing the right Instagram marketing company to work with, there are several things to consider. First, we recommend you think about the reasons you need marketing help.
From there, you can find a company that will focus on building positive relationships with its clients. And pride themselves on communicating well no matter what.
Before you move forward with selecting the right company to work with, we recommend you check out some of the other posts we’ve created.
You’re not going to want to miss out on the other content we have to offer!
