7 Proven Marketing Tips for Growing Your New Digital Agency 

So, you’ve decided to become self-employed, a company director or freelance in the marketing world, and now you’re interested in how to grow your digital agency. You might come from a marketing background, working for someone else and saw an opportunity to do it better, or maybe this is completely new to you. Whichever it is, the journey has only just begun. 

  

I’ve been running marketing companies for over 20 years. Firstly, a video company while also working for television production companies, and then when I left the TV industry, this became a full-time role as a digital marketing agency. Over the years, I’ve learned that to thrive in this competitive industry, you need to continuously grow and improve your agency. That’s why in this blog, we’ll be sharing with you 7 tried and tested tips for growing your digital agency. 

  

I’ve succeeded, failed, failed some more and succeeded again, all because I didn’t really know what to do. I started when YouTube was still in its infancy, when Facebook was still a university social media channel for rating girls, and we all used Yahoo. I know that by following these tips, you’ll be able to expand your customer base, improve your reputation, and take your agency to new heights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been running your agency for a while, there’s something in this blog for everyone looking to grow their digital agency. 

 

Overview 

In this blog, we’ll cover the following 9 tips:  

1. Building a stunning website 
2. Offering a valuable resource 
3. Utilising social media 
4. Networking 
5. Staying on top of industry trends 
6. Having a clear brand identity 
7. Measuring and analysing data 

 

Each of these tips has been carefully selected to help you grow your digital agency. They’re all things I wish I knew at the start. Whether you’re looking to boost your online presence, expand your network, or improve your customer satisfaction, this blog will have you covered. So, buckle up and let’s dive into the world of digital agency growth! 

 

1. Build a Stunning Website  

 

This part may sound so obvious that you’re probably beginning to think you’re not going to learn anything new. But I’ve added it in because although marketing agencies think they have this covered, they really don’t. Most use the excuse that they’re too busy to worry about their own website, or customers buy based on reputation or networking, so their website isn’t important. But if you can’t get your own basics right, why would anyone buy from you? For every website, social media campaign, brand package or video sold, you could be missing out on 10 more. And the typical 5-page brochure website won’t be enough. It needs to be innovative. 

A professional and visually appealing website can help you establish credibility, differentiate yourself from your competitors, and attract more customers. A website that is well-designed and easy to navigate can improve user experience and make it easier for people to find the information they need. This, in turn, can help increase your conversions and generate more leads for your business. So, think about when someone is on your website, how can they find the information quickly, how can they get in contact, and does it look brilliant across desktop, tablet and mobile. 

If you’re using Wix or Squarespace, it’s time to start thinking long-term and getting serious. Consider moving over to WordPress and start taking advantage of the SEO opportunities it offers. 

 

Best practices for creating a website that stands out and leaves a lasting impression, you need to:  

• Make it visually appealing: Use high-quality images, a clean and modern design, and an eye-catching colour scheme to make your website stand out. 

• Keep it simple: A cluttered website can be overwhelming and confusing to visitors. Keep your design simple and easy to navigate. 

• Make it user-friendly: Ensure that your website is easy to use and navigate. Make sure it’s optimised for mobile devices and loads quickly. When buying hosting, look for dedicated local servers, as some shared servers can be extremely slow and Google takes this into consideration in their SERP. Don’t cheap out. You should be spending £5+ per month. Also, don’t forget your SSL. 

• Highlight your services and offerings: Make sure your website clearly showcases what you do, what you offer, and why people should choose your agency over others. Remember that your website needs to explain what people can get from your services. No one cares about your degrees, personal experience or 20 years as a project manager for a large London firm. They want to know how it will improve their life. 

By following these best practices, you’ll be able to create a website that not only looks good, but also effectively represents your digital agency and helps you grow your business. 

 

2. Offer a Valuable Resource  

For me, there’s nothing better than giving away valuable resources to those who land on my social media or website. It may sound quite defeatist, giving everything I know away for free, but the truth is that no one ever links up all my material to understand everything they need to know or do it themselves to the level they need to do it. 

Offering valuable resources to your target audience attracts new customers and retains existing ones by showing them that you’re the person they should be speaking to. It demonstrates your expertise and establishes you as a thought leader in your industry. You also become authoritative and trusted. You demonstrate E-A-T, the algorithm Google uses to promote you in SERP.   

Giving away valuable resources builds credibility with your target audience, making them more likely to choose your digital agency over others. On a subtle note, it also helps increase brand awareness and creates opportunities for upsells and cross-sells. It’s always a win-win. 

 

So what are some ideas for valuable resources to offer  

There are many valuable resources you can offer to your target audience such as:  

• Ebooks: Create an ebook on a relevant topic in your industry. Offer it for free in exchange for a potential customer’s email address, which goes straight into your CRM system and sends out a series of emails. We like to use Go HighLevel, which, as a digital agency, can white label and resell. 

• Blogs: Write regular blog posts on relevant topics in your industry, like the one you’re reading. Share your knowledge and expertise to establish yourself as a thought leader. The great thing about blogs is that they can be optimised, giving you greater potential to be found on Google and Bing. 

• Webinars: Host webinars on relevant topics in your industry. Offer attendees the chance to ask questions and interact with you and other industry experts. This one is a little bit of a hidden gem that your competitors won’t be doing. Consider upselling at the end of the webinar. You can either schedule live webinars or give access to pre-recorded material. 

• Speaking gigs: Offer in-person speaking gigs or virtual workshops at networking events or exhibitions on relevant topics in your industry. This can be a great opportunity to provide hands-on training and connect with your audience. If you’re going to do this, we advise offering a download afterwards on the topic you just talked about so you can collect the email addresses of those who attended. 

 

3. Utilise Social Media

Social media plays a crucial role in modern marketing. It allows you to reach a large and diverse audience, engage with your target market, and build brand awareness. Whether you’re a small or large digital agency, social media is an essential tool for growing your business. Back when I first started, it was all about Twitter, which wasn’t as successful as I wanted to believe it was at the time. Now, we have a vast array of platforms to choose from; it’s just a matter of picking the one that has your target audience on it.   

As a digital marketing agency, you may either be for social media, trying to sell it to your customers, or dead against it. You probably believe that it’s not worth it, it’s just time for one comment and a couple of likes per post. But social media is brilliant for allowing you to share the valuable resources you’ve created, post updates on your latest projects, build relationships and drive traffic to your website. It takes hard work to make social media work, but when you figure out a killer strategy, you can roll it out to your clients. 

 

But onto the tips for creating an effective social media strategy  

• efine your target audience: Know who you’re trying to reach and what platforms they’re using. Look at social media analytics to figure out each of the social media platforms’ userbase and study that platform to see how and how people engage. 

• Create a content calendar: Plan out your content in advance to ensure you’re posting regularly and on a consistent basis. This is always the toughest challenge for every business, let alone digital marketing agencies. Most skip planning and scheduling content, thinking that they can do it on the fly with personal, impromptu posts that help capture the moment. But although you’ll start with good intentions, it quickly stops and soon you’re posting once every two weeks. Remember, 20+ years of experience, trust me, I’ve seen it over and over again. 

• Share valuable content: Share content that is relevant and valuable to your target audience. Don’t just repost blogs or push out the occasional sales message, “We’re a digital marketing agency, use us for your marketing needs” type post never sells to anyone. Get creative. 

• Engage with your audience: Respond to comments, messages, and mentions. Engage with your audience to build relationships and create a sense of community. Every comment is worth responding to. I’ve gained sales from the most random of comments. 

• Measure your results: Use analytics tools to track your progress and measure the success of your social media strategy. Use the information to tweak your social media strategy and reach a large audience. 

 

4. Networking 

Networking is a crucial aspect of growing your digital agency and my favourite part of being a business owner. It allows you to build relationships with potential clients and partners, expand your network, and meet new people all the time. I remember my very first networking event. I was terrified. I had no idea what to expect. I went in with my £10, few business cards that I printed and cut out myself, and my very cheap suit. But I walked out of there with my first video. At the time, I charged £175 for what I would now charge £3000, but I was buzzing. 

 

So, with over 15 years of networking experience let me break down some top tips.  

• Be yourself: Be authentic and let your personality shine through. Don’t try to play to the crowd thinking you need to stand out. Being an idiot won’t help. But by showing a level of authenticity, trustworthiness and being approachable will make people want to talk to you. 

• Listen more than you talk: Most people in the room will know exactly how to act in a networking room; they won’t be driving the hard sale, so don’t do the same. Each networking group is different, so listen to those in the room and take the time to learn how it all works. 

• Follow up: After you’ve met someone, make sure to follow up with an email or a LinkedIn message. Keep the conversation going. You wouldn’t believe how often this doesn’t happen and how many opportunities get missed. I didn’t do this for many years, and it’s worrying to think how much money I’ve missed earning over that time. 

• Offer value: Look for ways you can help others. Whether it’s offering advice, making an introduction, or sharing resources, you’ll be remembered for your generosity. In BNI, they have a phrase, “Givers Gain,” and it’s true. The more you give, the more you’ll get back. You don’t have to buy from them, but consider the things above. 

 

5. Stay on Top of Industry Trends 

 

Staying on top of industry trends is essential for the growth of your digital agency. By keeping up with the latest developments and technologies, you’ll be able to stay ahead of the curve and provide cutting-edge solutions to your clients. Look, some of it is guesswork, like with the new AIs, will Bing be competitive with Google? Will podcasts become a bigger thing? Or should we be investing more time in voice? Don’t hold back on researching and testing things out because it’s better to try different avenues and get a few things wrong than playing catch-up to your competition. 

For us, knowing what’s happening in this industry allows us to identify new opportunities and stay ahead of our competitors. It also helps us stay relevant and ensures that our offerings are current and in demand. Recently, we invested a lot of time in Clubhouse, which saw its hype crumble down quicker than Blockbuster’s share price. 

 

To stay ahead 

• Read trade publications and websites such as this site: Subscribe so you get notifications as soon as a new article is written. If it’s not what you want to read, you can choose not to, which is better than missing out. 

• Attend conferences and events: Attend industry conferences and events to stay up-to-date with the latest developments. You’ll also have the opportunity to network with others in your field. 

• Join online communities: Join online communities and forums where people in your industry share information and ideas. Personally, I still love Facebook groups, but I’m a little old school. 

• Follow thought leaders on social media: Follow thought leaders and influencers on social media to stay informed about their latest insights and opinions. LinkedIn is the best platform for this. 

 

Personally, one of the current trends that I see emerging is the use of CRM systems. More of your competitors will begin to offer CRM systems to their customers, and for us, there’s a massive opportunity for you. We recommend Go Highlevel. For £297 or £497 for SaaS, you can roll it out to as many customers as you have for no extra cost.

 

6. Having a clear brand identity

 

Brand identity is crucial for any business, especially for a digital agency. A strong brand can help you stand out from the competition, establish trust with clients and customers, and make a lasting impression in their minds. If you’re just starting out, creating a strong brand identity can seem overwhelming, but it’s well worth the effort. 

Admittedly, I’m not an expert on branding; it’s one marketing area that I’ve always struggled with. However, based on my 20+ years of experience, here are some tips to help you get started: 

• Start by defining your brand values, mission, and unique selling proposition (USP). What makes your agency different from others in your market? What do you stand for, and what are your goals? Having clear answers to these questions will help guide your branding efforts. 

• Choose a visual style that reflects your brand values and sets you apart from the competition. Consider everything from your logo, typography, and colour palette to your website design and social media presence. Make sure your visual style is consistent across all touchpoints. 

• Develop a clear brand voice and tone. What do you want your agency to sound like? Is your voice professional and formal, or casual and approachable? Make sure your brand voice is consistent across all communications, including social media, email, and website content. Supporting another Yorkshire-based agency, their welcoming message was always “Ayup,” which went a long way in targeting their local audience. 

 

Remember, your brand identity is not set in stone. As your agency grows and evolves, you may need to make changes to keep up with the times. But these tips should help you get started with a strong, recognisable brand that will help you grow your digital agency. 

 

 7. Measure and Analyse Data 

 

This may sound obvious, but I bet you haven’t considered some of the aspects I’m about to cover. You see, measuring and analyzing data can help you identify what’s working and what’s not, so that you can make informed decisions about how to grow your business. However, whenever I mention this, people are quick to assume that I only mean social media or Google Analytics. Digital agencies tend to focus only on the marketing statistics in front of them, but where they go wrong (and where bigger agencies succeed) is in analyzing the full customer journey from website visit to purchase. To do this effectively, you need a powerful CRM, such as Go Highlevel. 

Consider key metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction. Build a pipeline to track how many people are downloading certain lead magnets, who is engaging with you on Facebook, and which channel has the best conversion rate. It’s amazing what you’ll discover. You might think that networking group A is better than group B, but the data may suggest otherwise. Perhaps Facebook has brought in £10,000 and feels like the best channel because you’re always on it, but the data shows that Google has brought in £20,000 for less effort. 

When it comes to data, think big. 

 

Final thoughts. 

Starting a digital agency is no easy feat, but with the right strategy and approach, it can be a rewarding and lucrative endeavour. In this blog, we’ve covered seven tips for growing your digital agency, from building a stunning website to networking. While there are many more things you need to consider and do, these tips will help take your agency to the next level. 

  

It’s important to remember that success doesn’t happen overnight, but with hard work and determination, you can reach your goals. Don’t be afraid to try new things, measure and analyze your progress, and make adjustments along the way. Your digital agency is a reflection of your passion and expertise, so put in the effort to make it the best it can be. 

  

For us, the most recent success has been thanks to the Go High Level CRM. We use it for landing pages, email workflows, messaging, and analytics. It has changed the way we do business for the better. If you want to try it out, grab a free trial.