Seven Tips On How To Select A Top Search-Marketing Agency

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Search-marketing is a valuable acquisition strategy that most small-business owners have recognised, but few know how to successfully implement. Businesses that haven’t yet caught on, should consider that half of the top 10 websites in Australia are search engines such as Google or closely related sites*.

But you don’t need data to demonstrate this: like many people, it’s likely you’re already using a search engine like Google to find your next holiday destination, car, job or dentist and so on.

That said, if search-marketing is an area of your business you should start – or develop even further – how do you start?

There are two ways to go about it:

1. Receive specialised training in how to implement and manage a search marketing strategy, or
2. Engage a specialist search agency to do it for you.

Either way, it’s important to understand that search-marketing is a highly specialised, niche area. Only a few agencies specialise in this core area and truly keep abreast of the trends and developments happening in the search space.

Here is an easy-to-follow 7-point guide in how to select a top search-marketing agency.

1. Specialisation: Check if the agency is a specialist search-marketing group, or if it offers search marketing as ‘something additional’ to the core business. Unless the agency has virtually endless resources, only the specialists can keep up with the latest strategies, trends, tools and products to get you ahead of your competition in the online space.
2. Resources: How many resources does the agency have? How much time and how many staff will be dedicated to your search campaign? Consider that you could be paying for one fraction of an expert, or all the work could be carried out by a junior campaign manager in training. You should check whether you will receive account-management services, whether the service includes dedicated staff who can respond to queries from external sources about your search campaign, and whether the staff are available to make quick changes to your campaign.
3. Strategy: Does the search agency use a specific strategy or certain technologies? Specialised search agencies often have a unique point of difference, such as using automated tools to manage bids or the copy appearing in your search advertisements. Keep in mind that a specific approach is useful, but search marketing is not a one-size-fits-all exercise. Ask your agency to explain the specific challenges for your campaign, the exact tactics they will use to get your campaign humming and why that approach is the most appropriate. You might think carefully about engaging an agency that uses a similar fixed approach with every client.
4. Fees: Different agencies offer specific pricing models that are based on variables such as the percentage of media spend, hourly rates, packages according to the number of keywords used and perhaps even performance criteria. Each approach has pros and cons. If an agency charges a percentage of your media spend, be aware it is rewarded when you spend more. If it charges by the hour, you will want to know how it is spending its time and why. A performance model is often seductive, but you need to be sure that the performance goals align with your business objectives and not the agency’s ideals. Package deals can be cheaper than most of these options, but they need to be flexible enough not to compromise the success of your business by limiting the keywords you use for example.
5. Management: Will the agency allow you to access your search account? Many agencies prefer that you don’t; you should be aware that this limits your access to running your own reports, building an understanding of the strategy and the potential to run the campaign in-house in the future. It’s natural that over time and as your business grows, you will want to change your approach. To this end building flexibility and an open culture into your relationship with your search agency will put you in a good position to do it yourself down the line.
6. Products: Which search-engine products does the agency recommend? Almost all agencies will use Google AdWords but you should be aware that it’s entirely possible your business may find Yahoo more profitable for you. Other products offered by Google and Yahoo should also be considered – Google placement targeting and Yahoo Gateway are just two examples. In addition, it’s valuable for the agency to distinguish between methodologies like search traffic, search-partner traffic and contextual searches to support your business objectives.
7. Transparency: Clear, accountable reporting on the progress of your search campaign is an essential part of a well-run campaign. All good agencies will track the lead generation, sales, click-throughs and top-performing advertisements. Performance insights and visibility into the success and progress of your campaign are essential ingredients for a well-managed search-marketing strategy.

Australia is seeing the launch of an increasing number of search-marketing agencies. On one hand, this is good news, as it provides choice and encourages healthy competition. But on the flipside, it can make the selection of the right search agency more time consuming and confusing. Follow these simple steps to screening your search-marketing agencies and you will be in a strong position to make an educated and confident choice. Now, back to the job of searching for your next holiday destination.

* Sources: Hitwise ‘Australia Data Center’, May 2008. Top 10 list – Google.com.au, mail.live.com, ninemsn.com.au, myspace, ebay.com.au, Facebook, Google, YouTube, au.yahoo.com, Wikipedia.