How To Choose The Most Qualified Digital Marketing Agency

In this age of digital transformation across brands large and small, you want your business and marketing strategies to succeed. Choosing the right digital marketing agency to get you there might just be the key to that success. 

Yet when looking at signing on the dotted line with an agency, it can be difficult to see which ones are best qualified, both in terms of their certified staff as well as how they can meet your needs, from thorough digital literacy to method-specific know-how. The best agencies are those that can show their accreditations, which is the ultimate proof that their teams have knowledge and certification in a variety of marketing areas. In this article, we look at some of these digital marketing certifications, why they’re game changers for clients, and what you need to know when choosing a qualified marketing agency for your business.

What is a qualified marketing agency?

A qualified marketing agency is one that can show accreditation in different digital marketing specialties, earned by completing training given by prominent providers in the industry. These marketing certifications prove that the agency, and its people, can effectively advertise, create and manage digital strategies, and monitor campaign results. 

The most common certifications include these marketing specialities:

• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Content Marketing
• Google Analytics
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Web Design and Development
• Social Media Marketing
• Pay-per-click (PPC)
• Online Reputation Management
• Conversion Rate Optimization
• Display and Video Advertising
• Email Marketing

Why qualifications are important

In our ever-evolving industry, certified marketing professionals are more likely to be up-to-date on current trends and methods. They regularly update their knowledge, through continuous professional development (CPD) and learning, and renewed membership of accreditation bodies, like the DMI. Whether you’re hiring an agency for day-to-day operations or extensive digital marketing strategies, the best agencies provide custom services designed to aid your in-house marketing team's needs and strengthen your digital presence.

This type of service is key for brands to stay on top of the competition, but a crucial point can be the cost of hiring such an agency. The average hourly or project-based rates of an agency with certified digital marketing professionals are often higher than those of less-qualified agencies. Either way, an agency that shows accreditation in your preferred digital marketing methods will help you get the most out of your efforts and prove more profitable in the long run.

Working with qualified digital marketing agencies offers your business the opportunity to develop your brand through a wealth of niche skills, resources, and talent that align with your business goals. Just as accomplished, certified professionals choose to work as a digital marketer in an agency for many reasons: from the wide range of clients and projects to growth opportunities in their career.

How to choose a qualified digital marketing agency

It can be hard to define your exact needs when approaching an agency for the first time. For example, if you plan to focus on using SEO and PPC, then hiring a marketing agency that holds certifications in these methods would be the sure-fire way to steadily grow your business. But if your requirements are still undefined, you should look at agencies with a variety of certifications and experience across the industry.

To better understand if an agency will suit your needs, you should assess their website and other platforms to make sure their expertise covers the areas of digital marketing your brand will benefit from, now and ideally in the future. You’ll want to feel assured of their level of commitment to staying up-to-date and in-depth with their expertise, through renewal of their relevant certifications as well as engagement within the community. 

The most sought-after certifications

Although there are many online marketing courses with certifications that agencies and professionals can acquire, we’ll look below at two that are in particular demand: Google and the Digital Marketing Institute.

Google's certifications are in demand. A 2021 report from CMSWire showed that about 220 job listings per day on SimplyHired and 125 on LinkedIn Jobs included a prerequisite of Google AdWords and Analytics IQ certification. And at the Digital Marketing Institute, 62% of graduates say their DMI certification helped them get a salary increase. 

Google Digital Marketing Certifications

Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ) is Google’s own GA accreditation program. It covers core Google Analytics concepts, from planning and implementation to metrics and reporting. (Note that this program covers Universal Analytics (UA) and will end in 2023 when professionals can take other accreditations aimed at GA4).

The benefit is that certified marketers and the agency they work in can show official Google approval for their know-how of Google Marketing Platform products, specifically analytics and testing.

Agencies with Google certifications should be on your radar if you want to make the most of data-driven marketing. These agencies will help you implement Google Analytics into your business and benefit from the power of GA, especially as GA4 becomes the dominant version.

As for advertisement, Google Ads certifications are professional accreditations that Google offers industry professionals in aspects of the Google Ads platform including search, display, video, shopping, and app advertisements.

DMl Digital Marketing Certifications

The Digital Marketing Institute's certification programs offer industry-renowned training to individuals interested in all aspects of digital marketing, from e-commerce to social media marketing, from search marketing to analytics, from short courses to expert level. DMl certified marketing professionals present expertise in all prominent digital marketing methods to cater to the real needs of real-world clients. 

When considering where to start, don't be intimidated and get all the information you need from well-known industry professionals. Check out these tips on best practices for working with a digital agency to help choose the right agency for you.

Know how to pick a digital agency for your business

The secret to picking the best agency is understanding the fundamentals of digital marketing yourself. With DMI’s Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing you’ll learn the skills needed to succeed and be able to put yourself in the driving seat with up-to-date and applicable digital know-how.