Facing challenges like low conversion rates, low web traffic, low ROI on digital marketing, and high marketing costs? A digital marketing agency for startups and SMEs can turn these obstacles into opportunities.

In this post, I’ll explore how a marketing agency works, its services, costs, and whether it’s worth it for your SMB. Let’s get right into it!

What Is a Digital Marketing Agency?

A digital marketing agency is a team of experts or an outsourced company that enables businesses to achieve their marketing goals through online strategies. Whether you’re running an SME or managing a large corporation, you can partner with marketing agencies to build your brand and expand your growth faster.

They offer services like:

• Content Marketing and Creation

• Social Media Marketing

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

• Email Marketing

• Pay-per-click (PPC) or Google Ads

• Website Development

• Video Marketing

• Creatives

• Digital PR

Types of Digital Marketing Agencies and Their Services

Marketing companies aren’t the same. Some zero in on one area, while others offer a full suite of digital marketing services. Let me breakdown the main types of agencies and explain how they can help your small business.

1. Content Marketing Agency

Also known as an inbound marketing agency, these agencies focus on creating and distributing content to boost brand awareness, generate leads, and drive traffic. They help with:

• Blogs

• Articles

• Case studies

• Press releases

• Copywriting

You can collaborate with a content marketing agency to develop audience-centric content strategies. This can let you crush your business goals.

Example: Embarque.io

Digital Marketing Service List: Content strategy, content creation (blogs, articles, case studies), content distribution, and SEO copywriting

Proprietary Tool: None

2. Social Media Marketing Agency

Want to keep your brand visible across popular platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn? A social media marketing agency allows you to do just that. 

It creates engaging posts and videos to captivate your audience and manages your accounts and ads to maximize each channel’s strengths to double conversions.

Example: LYFE Marketing

Digital Marketing Service List: Social media strategy, paid social ads, and Facebook and Instagram account management

Proprietary Tool: The agency doesn’t have a specific tool. However, it offers in-depth social media reporting and analytics customized for SMBs and startups.

3. SEO Agency

Even if you have great content, if your website isn’t optimized for search engines, you’ll struggle to get organic traffic. SEO agencies audit your site for issues like poor metadata, broken links, and technical glitches that hurt user experience.

And Google cares about user experience; it says: “User experience (UX) design is more than visual design—it’s about making products and marketing materials accessible, and aims to offer an enjoyable, seamless experience. The ease of a digital journey can create a positive customer experience and can have a big impact on marketing and a company’s bottom line.”

So SEO agencies offer services such as:

• Website audits

• Keyword research

• Link building

• Backlink analysis

• Competitor analysis

SEO agencies also handle Search Engine Marketing (SEM), driving traffic through paid advertising by targeting relevant keywords. 

Also, SEO marketing agencies perform Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to ensure your website and other platforms are well optimized for AI-powered search engines. These include Google’s AI Overviews, Bing’s Copilot, ChatGPT’s SearchGPT, and more.

Example: Moz

Digital Marketing Service List: SEO audits, keyword research, and on-page and off-page optimization.

Proprietary Tool: Moz’s SEO Toolkit includes tools like Moz Pro for keyword research, rank tracking, competitor analysis, and backlink analysis.

4. Email Marketing Agency

Email marketing is still one of the most effective channels for nurturing leads and retaining customers. According to the latest data, 81% of companies still use email marketing as one of their digital marketing strategies.

An email marketing agency lets you:

• Build email lists

• Run targeted campaigns

• Personalize content for different segments

• Track and optimize performance

You can inform, engage, and nurture your audience with email marketing to turn leads into loyal customers.

Example: Campaign Monitor

Digital Marketing Service List: Creating and managing email marketing campaigns, focusing on personalization, segmentation, and performance tracking

Proprietary Tool: Campaign Monitor offers an email marketing platform to empower your SME to create responsive email templates and track engagement.

5. PPC and Ads Agency

If you want to generate fast results in web traffic or increase revenue, PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns are your best bet. A PPC or Google Ads agency creates and manages ad campaigns to target specific audiences based on their interests, location, and demographics.

They ensure your ad spend is optimized for the best return (ROAS), using tactics like:

• Keyword bidding

• A/B testing

• Audience targeting

PPC ads can appear on social media, SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), and partner websites.

Example: WordStream

Digital Marketing Service List: PPC campaign management, Google Ads optimization, and social media advertising

Proprietary Tool: WordStream’s Free Keyword Research Tool and PPC Advisor allow your startup to optimize its paid ad campaigns for better results.

6. Website Design Agency

While AI Overviews have impacted web traffic, you still need a website to showcase your products or services, generate leads, and triple conversions. Website design agencies ensure your site is user-friendly, visually appealing, and optimized for mobile and desktop users.

They may use templates or create custom designs while keeping your website well optimized for SEO and GEO.

Example: Orbit Media Studios

Digital Marketing Service List: Website development, website design, and website optimization

Proprietary Tool: None

7. Full-Service Digital Marketing Agency

As the name suggests, full-service agencies handle everything—content, SEO, SEM, PPC, social media, email, and web design. If you don’t have an in-house marketing team or want to streamline your efforts, a full-service agency can take the reins.

Example: YAMU Media

Digital Marketing Service List: SEO, PPC, Web design and development, content marketing, social media, and email campaigns

Proprietary Tool: None

8. Single-channel Marketing Agency

Your small business may want to work with a marketing agency that specializes in one area, such as SEO or content creation. If that’s the case, a single-channel digital marketing agency is ideal.

It’s a perfect partnership if you already have a marketing team but need extra help in a specific area.

Example: Ahrefs

Digital Marketing Service List: SEO and content marketing, offering tools for backlink analysis, competitor analysis, and keyword tracking

Proprietary Tool: Ahrefs’ SEO toolset includes diverse features for link building and keyword research.

9. Is It Worth It To Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?

You betcha! Here’s why:

• Cost-Effective: Hiring an agency is usually more affordable than building an in-house team, which involves salaries, benefits, and other overhead costs. For example, a PPC specialist’s average annual salary is $62,210, or $21,91 per hour, according to Talent.com.

• Expertise: Agencies bring industry insights and specialized knowledge, allowing you to tap into expert strategies.

• Faster Growth: With experts handling your marketing, you can scale your business much faster than trying to manage it all internally.

• Time Savings: Free up time to focus on other aspects of your business while the agency handles your marketing.

How Agencies Boost ROI

Agencies can help you reap a positive return on your digital marketing investment. Here’s why.

• Marketers believe that content marketing and SEO deliver the best ROI — Databox.com.

• Businesses claim that organic search has the best marketing ROI at 49% of companies — Localiq.com.

• According to small business owners, email marketing offers the best return on investment of all marketing channels—HubSpot.

• Google AdWords and Facebook Ads offer the highest return on investment—HubSpot.

• Using email marketing yields a $36 return on investment—ConstantContact.com.

• Over 20% of businesses base their marketing success on the number of leads they generate — Localiq.com.

• PPC has a 200% ROI rate because it generates $2 for every $1 spent — Smallbizgenius.net.

The Importance of ROI in Digital Marketing

Understanding the ROI of your digital marketing allows you to measure your campaign success and effectiveness. By analyzing the return on investment for various marketing channels, you can optimize your strategies and allocate resources more efficiently.

Marketing agencies have the expertise and resources to track your ROI.

The Role of Data Analytics in Digital Marketing

Digital marketing agencies use various KPIs to keep tabs on your marketing efforts, show progress, and refine strategies. Here are some examples: 

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So, What’s Next?

When choosing a digital marketing agency, think about your needs. If you’re looking for full-scale marketing support, a full-service agency is ideal. If you need help in a specific area, like content or PPC, a single-channel agency may be a better fit.

For example, my services involve creating high-quality, customer-focused content that converts. I help define your goals, craft a content strategy, and produce engaging content across platforms, ensuring your message resonates with your target audience.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a digital marketing agency is a smart move for any start-up or SMB looking to grow. Whether you need help with SEO, social media, or content creation, outsourcing your marketing can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration while helping you scale up faster.

Ready to take your marketing to the next level? Connect with me on LinkedIn and watch your business thrive!