Getting the most out of your digital marketing service provider

What is a digital marketing service provider?

A digital marketing service provider (provider) can help with your online presence, support your business growth, and increase profits by reaching new customers. Providers may offer services such as developing a digital marketing strategy, optimising your search engine, improving your social and digital media engagement and reach, updating your website, or helping you establish a digital marketplace.

Did you know?

It is important to understand that even though providers can help grow your business, small businesses often have issues with the services delivered by their provider.

Almost three quarters don’t stay with the same provider for more than a year.
Half say their providers push for expensive services they don’t need.
One third need help to resolve disputes with their providers*.

Five tips for working with a digital marketing service provider

Get the right services at the right price

Before talking to a provider, identify the support you need and what you want them to do. This will help you decide if their services meet your needs, how much their services cost, when you need to pay them and for how long.

Choose your provider wisely

Ask for work examples and contact details of current and former clients. This will help you decide if the providers experience and recommendations suit your business needs, if expectations have been met and how they interact with their clients.

Have open communication

Good communication and frequent meetings with your provider can help manage issues and create opportunities. This is important to get the services and results you need.

Many providers have service standards, so you know what to expect, including guaranteed response times. If a provider isn’t open and honest about expectations, results, and costs at the start, they are unlikely to improve over time.

Careful consideration of your contract

Make sure you have a contract to meet your business’ needs with your provider.

Check and ask that the following are included:

a clear statement of what you will receive and when (including the timing for social media boosts where relevant)
any important statements previously made to you by the provider (don’t expect anything that is not included)
all costs, payment timings and overall contract costs
regular and detailed reporting of results
simple and clear exit processes, including early termination and any penalties
clear steps for dispute resolution that includes mediation
a clear statement on termination, that provides for:
- any needed training
- handover of assets, access, permissions, passwords, and systems
- return of all social media channels and advertising accounts.