If you run a business or lead a company in New Jersey—or if you’re thinking about launching an enterprise in the Garden State—you may be seeking outside help with digital marketing. And, if you’re like most people, you probably started your path on Google by searching with the term “digital marketing near me”. But what is the best way to finally decide on the right digital marketing agency for your brand?

Before selecting a marketing provider, it’s essential to understand what metrics to look out for to inform your choice. 

New Jersey and Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is a powerful tool for generating traffic and visibility for your brand. Digital marketing can include everything from inbound content marketing to running pay-per-click (PPC) ads. NJ is not only the #1 state for software and web developer employment, it’s also #1 for broadband internet access. And with NJ in the top five most innovative states in the U.S., digital marketing remains a growing and robust industry in the mid-Atlantic state.

How to Select the Right New Jersey Digital Marketing Services for Your Brand

1. Think about your brand type

The best place to begin when deciding what type of digital marketing services your brand needs is to think carefully about your brand. What is your target audience? Do you sell your products or services to businesses, or directly to consumers? If you sell to businesses, investing in a digital marketing plan that relies heavily on Facebook may not be the way to go. Instead, you may require a social media management scope that prioritizes LinkedIn engagement.

2. Schedule a free consultation first

NJ digital marketing agencies often offer free consultations. Take advantage of them! You have absolutely nothing to lose by scheduling a free meeting. Use this call to understand the digital marketing agency’s background, expertise, past works and services.

>>>Need digital marketing services in New Jersey? Schedule a free consultation!

3. Compare price and quality

After understanding more about your New Jersey digital marketing agency options, now comes the time to compare price and quality. Request proposals from each agency to understand what they cover with their project scopes and how much each project costs. Also, ask for case studies or client examples to better understand the quality of their work.

4. Gauge customer service

No matter what firm you choose to hire for your digital marketing needs, you’ll probably be working with them pretty closely. That’s why it’s crucial to get a good feel for the general personality of their team and whether or not their customer service lives up to your standards. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a digital marketing provider that doesn’t communicate well or leaves you disappointed.

What to Consider When Choosing a NJ Digital Marketing Agency

Now that you know how to choose the right services for your brand, you’ll need to do a little homework on the different digital marketing agencies you have to choose from. Here are a few ways to get a good idea of which firm to choose when searching in NJ.

1. Double-check listings

If a digital marketing agency has been operating for at least a year in NJ, chances are it will be listed on several pages across the web. Check the Chamber of Congress, Yelp and whether or not the firm has a Google Business page. Specifically, check to make sure all of the information listed on these pages is updated and consistent. If not, that agency may not be keeping up very well with their own listings. 

2. Read reviews

Although not always the most important metric for a digital marketing agency, online reviews can act as a window to view what your experience might be like if you hire a certain firm. When reading web ratings, don’t only look at the positive reviews. Check the poor ratings, as well, to understand what mistakes that agency has made in the past.

3. Ask for testimonials

Let’s say the agency you’re considering hiring only has a couple reviews. Ask for testimonials from their clients! If an agency has worked for a few companies, they should have gathered at least a couple of testimonials they can show you. And, if they don’t, that may be a red flag to consider taking your business elsewhere.

4. Read some of the agency’s content

If you get your hands on a past project completed by an agency, make sure to carefully read the content provided. Check for spelling or grammar errors and any inconsistencies. Remember, you’re hiring a digital marketing agency to make your life easier. If you need to go back and edit work delivered from a firm, you might as well do it yourself.

5. Make sure they walk the walk

Any agency worth your time will use digital marketing techniques too. So, make sure to check if the agency has a blog page, a regular social media cadence and some third-party articles referencing the organization. If not, they may be newer to digital marketing and lack the expertise of a more seasoned company.

Find the Right NJ Digital Marketing Agency

Regardless of the digital marketing services you seek, there are plenty of NJ firms that can fulfill your needs. Follow the above steps to ensure you choose the right agency for your brand.