HOW TO START DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY

How to start digital marketing agency? All entrepreneurial stories teach us that, to start a business, there are many factors to keep in mind. Starting an adventure on the web is a long journey, which requires propensity for the subject we are dealing with and profound knowledge of all the technical aspects that revolve around the web.

Opening a Web Agency is a very ambitious goal, but to start your adventure in the world of internet- related business, ideas and the desire to get involved will not be enough if you have not first created the technical prerequisites to face both the continuous changes in the market, than a competition that, for obvious reasons, can come from any part of the planet.

A Web Agency can be the goal of an existing company that wants to approach this world to complete its services, or the choice of a single person who wants to create a company specialized in providing web services. In both cases, the goal is the same but the way to get there is very different, this could therefore give rise to different business situations.

What is a Web Agency

The first thing to do is understand what a Web Agency is and what it does. It is a company made up of web professionals who, through precise and in-depth specializations, study its potential customers to propose tailor-made solutions to increase online performance.

Specifically, it deals with:

• Create websites
• Email Marketing
• Web design
• Creation of e-commerce sites
• SEO services for indexing web pages
• Inbound marketing and lead generation
• AdWords campaigns, LinkedIn ADS, Facebook Advertising
• Management of social profiles
• Internet marketing and much more.

 

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Companies that approach this world

This important step requires a precise analysis of both the strengths and weaknesses, understanding the objective to be achieved and the type of service to be provided. In recent years, the Web has attracted the attention of both those who already gravitated around this world, and those who held jobs that had nothing to do with the network.

Let’s see some examples:

• Graphic studios that, in a period of market downturn, are looking for a different way to monetize by expanding their offer.
• Companies that have carried out information services that bring their service from paper to the web.
• Companies that decide to support their business with new services to offer to their customers.

Where to start?

After a precise analysis of the market situation, in which the company starting this path must understand the needs of potential customers, it is important to set the goal to be achieved and set up a commercial line. This will serve to give a precise shape to the corporate image.

The next step is to identify the specialists who will be part of the staff that will make up the team. Those who turn to a company that operates on the web expect a 360° service and rightly expect to be followed with precision and professionalism in every aspect.

Types of Web Agency

Consider that the types of Web Agency can be summarized as follows:

• Performance Agency: they are remunerated once the goal has been achieved.
• Media Agency: they specialize in using all online advertising platforms found on Google or social media (SEM and PPC).
• Social Media Agency: these companies are specialized in the management of social profiles, based on the type of customer.
• SEO Agency: they are agencies that develop indexing and positioning on the search engine.
• Digital PR Agency: to give greater visibility to the brand, they monitor the brand’s reputation, involve influencers and web experts to increase its visibility.

Therefore it is essential to offer a series of services that cover all the aspects that can favor the success of each single order acquired. The list of specializations mentioned above can be a start, but it will have to be shaped according to the direction you want to take.

Types of services

• All in one: they are complete packages, used to create the corporate image on the Web and give it visibility.
• Website creation and management
• Internet marketing services

The Specialists

There are many figures to consider. Here are some:

• Digital Project Manager
• SEO specialist
• Social Media Specialist
• Web Master or WordPress Specialist
• Developer or programmer
• Web Designers

Single people approaching this world

Opening a Web Agency can also be the goal of a single person who decides to create a company that operates in the world of the Web. In this case, the road is more complicated as there are many steps and the effort is concentrated on the work of a single person.

The first steps

If you don’t know where to start, a good thing to do is definitely to start outlining and planning things to do.

Set your goals

The first step must necessarily be to set your goals. Immediately set the path that will lead you to start your business on the Web, because it will be essential not to create confusion in the eyes of your customers. You will have to give a strong and well-prepared image of yourself for the service you are going to offer. This thing is also necessary to avoid unnecessary waste of time.

Don’t focus on things that won’t be part of your offer, focus on your qualities and turn them into the proposal, remember: undoubtedly the best thing is to specialize in something specific rather than doing everything and perhaps badly or superficially.

Work on yourself

An advice could be (as underlined in the previous paragraph) to follow a training course linked to your personal know-how. The online marketing course could be perfect for the ones that are looking for a complete guide on all the subjects of the topic.?This can serve as an accelerator in training and to move with agility in a world that you know even outside the network. Identify a high-level partner, such as a Digital Coach to whom you can entrust your professional growth, define with him the starting and intermediate points to grow your cultural background over time.

Plan your entire journey, but keep in mind that the world of the Web is constantly evolving, so you will have to continually identify new paths to follow, new topics to update yourself with, confront yourself with other realities.

Define your strengths and transform them into your commercial offer

Online or offline, the situation does not change. You have to create a business line and follow it right away. As with training, it will be important to take advantage of your personal characteristics also for the part linked to your offer. This will certainly make the message you convey to potential customers more authoritative, but above all it will serve as an additional tool for outlining the training path you will have to follow at the beginning and during your adventure.

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Costs and bureaucracy

From a bureaucratic point of view, even to start a Web Agency you need:

• Open a VAT number
• Register with the chamber of commerce
• Send the certified report of start of activity (Scia)
• Create the Inps social security position and the Inail position to report the opening of a business.

Speaking of costs, we must bear in mind that an online activity can be carried out both in person and remotely, therefore without being physically present.

This implies two types of cost.

1. Physically working with clients

• A physical office (You will therefore have costs such as paying the mortgage or a rent as well as bills, maintenance…)
• Equipment to carry out all activities (Hardware)
• specific software
• Advertising investments
• Training
• Specialized collaborators

2. Working remotely:

• Availability or rental of a room that has the purpose of a meeting room only if you need to receive a client
• Hardware
• Software
• Targeted investments for this type of management (obviously the customer should not feel uncomfortable about this remote situation)
• Training
• External collaborators prepared and willing to have the relationship with the customer on your behalf

Obviously they are two different ways of doing the same thing. Each has its strengths and weaknesses which must be considered when drafting the advertising strategy. In fact, not everyone perceives remote work as normal, at the same time many see in a strange way a Web operator who only works in direct contact with the customer. You will have to take this into account and create the right advertising message.

From Freelancer to Web Agency

If your path has led you to open a Web Agency after a period as a freelancer, consider that the type of service is different. As a freelancer you can also offer many services, but it’s only you. A company that offers services for the web has a team of people and collaborators who can offer all these services, but with specialized and dedicated operators who follow the customer step by step.

The advantage lies in the fact that you no longer have to take care of everything, but concentrate on managing the client and the team, setting up everyone’s work, as well as relying on extensive skills in every field.

Obviously it is a complete service that perhaps goes less deep when we talk about collaboration with the customer. As a freelancer, the relationship may be more intimate with your clients, but less complete as regards the offer, because it is difficult to be a specialist in every field. The Web creates new job profiles all the time and it’s impossible for just one person to cover them all.

Franchise web agency

There is also a solution such as the Web Agency franchise for those who want to approach this world, but without starting from scratch. Some communication agencies provide tools and training for those who want to start a career as a web professional. However, it is not advisable to rely on those who do not provide training and a team of specialists.

Where to look for customers

To be credible in the world of the web it is important to take care of every detail of your site. It seems trivial, but those who turn to a Web Agency, in most cases, have no technical background and will rely on what you show them. Your professional achievements, collaborations, your past jobs will be your calling card. A company blog where you can provide advice on various topics while keeping the focus on what characterizes you.

Try to arouse the interest of your potential customers, stimulate their curiosity, show them the results they can obtain by exploiting the potential of the web and all the business possibilities that can be created with a tailor-made project.

There are many channels:

• Word of mouth – it’s a simple yet powerful tool, it provides your client with the security he needs, thanks to those who recommend you for your results.
• SEO – always rank high in the Google SERP for the right keywords. This is certainly a strong accelerator in the decisions of those looking for you online.
• The other web agencies – collaborate with other agencies and offer your services.

 

Choose your collaborators carefully

A team made up of competent people who interact by crossing everyone’s work will be essential.

What you’re going to do is an activity that rewards teamwork, not individual results. For this reason, you will have to choose reliable collaborators, who are constantly growing from the point of view of training.

As already mentioned, those looking for a solution on the Web often don’t know exactly what they will encounter, the image of a competent and united company will certainly be an essential starting point.

 

The importance of brand reputation

Always keep in mind that experience is judged by customers. Both in the case of a company starting this path, and in the case of a single person, the internet has created a system whereby every possible customer can sculpt opinions that concern us in stone. You absolutely must not take this for granted because people will judge you based on your successes. Always keep in mind that your internet reputation will be the main tool on which to base your strategy.

In short, opening a Web Agency is certainly an excellent idea, but like all excellent ideas it must be cultivated with the utmost commitment. Don’t trust anyone who tries to pass off the web as an easy business opportunity, because the competition is very high and above all it is constantly evolving, therefore, as in any field, the best ideas will always win.

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