Many companies are taking on content marketing firms to outsource their content, as they simply don’t have the time or resources internally. While it might sound like an easy fix to hire any agency and outsource work, performing a rigorous decision-making process to select the right agency is crucial.
When choosing a content marketing agency, what factors should you consider? One of the first and most crucial pieces of that decision should be agency accessibility. Will you have a dedicated, knowledgeable, and collaborative point-of-contact person?
While you’re deciding if an agency is truly accessible for your needs, it’s a good idea to keep the following questions in mind.
What does accessibility entail? Accessibility is the agency’s ability to be available to clients and to fully understand and embody their needs. Beyond the surface level, it’s assuring clients that their needs are the agency’s top priority. As the client, you should feel that the agency cares about your project as much as you do — if not more!
How much time and manpower will be dedicated to you, as the client? While this might be hard to gauge at first, there are some direct questions you can ask to uncover it. You can ask which communication channel they will typically use to reach out to you with important updates and questions. You should also determine whether you will have one specific editor, project manager, or account manager dedicated to your company.
What is the agency’s content strategy process? You might be wondering what this has to do with accessibility. Understanding the agency’s process from the start will determine whether they have a set process and will also reveal how often you should expect to hear from them. Do they have weekly check-ins? Do they have a process that allows you to collaborate on content?
Do you enjoy communicating frequently with the people at that agency? Again, this is another question that might be difficult to gauge right away. However, if you think of your initial meeting with an agency as an interview, you can ask them questions about their culture, their favorite projects, and why they’re excited to work with you. These questions should give you some insight into how you’ll communicate with them and if you’ll enjoy that communication. Make sure that you won’t be bothered with overly frequent communication from this group or person.
If you’re looking for a content marketing agency that prides itself on accessibility, dedication, and ultra-organized processes, look no further than Active Blogs.
