How to Hire the ‘Right’ Facebook Advertising Agency
Hiring the ‘right’ Facebook Ad agency can be hard. We know this because the majority of our clients come to us after working with these complete jokers. They are agencies that either didn’t get any results or overpromised and under-delivered. Choosing the right agency that understands you and your business is important to a successful ad campaign. Let me be your ‘inside man’ and tell you what I would look for in a Facebook ad agency and a few things to avoid.
1. Do they run Facebook ads for themselves?
It’s scary how few “Facebook ad agencies” actually run their own ads. There’s a big difference between learning Facebook ads on your own dime and someone else’s. When it’s your own money you learn a helluva lot faster.
A lot of agencies say they don’t “have to” run ads to bring in new clients. This may be true, but it’s not an excuse for not running your own ads. The Facebook Ads platform is changing all the time and new features are added almost every week… So who’s account are they testing out new features and ideas, and refining their craft? Not yours I hope.
2. We’re an “all-in-one” digital marketing agency
“All-in-one” digital marketing agency often means mediocre results. There are a few reasons that you should steer clear of “all-in-one” agencies.
Did you need someone who sucks at Facebook? No… What about SEO… What About Pinterest…Need a Website?
It’s said, you can be good at a few things, but you can only be great at one thing. It’s hard enough to keep up with all the changes happening just on Facebook. How the hell do they keep up with Google PPC, SEO, Web Development and whatever else they do to pay the rent?
If you had a brain injury, you’d go to see someone who is a brain specialist, not your family doctor. Michael Jordan was the best basketball player of all-time. But do you remember when he tried to play baseball? He was fucking horrible. Morale of the story: If you want big results, go with someone who specializes in one thing: Facebook ads.
3. The “Goldilocks” Agency
When looking at Facebook Ad Agencies keep in mind how many clients they have and how big of a team they have. You don’t want to work with an agency that is too big or too small. You want one that’s just right.
‘This Agency is Just Right.’
The larger the agency, the less agile they are and the slower they move. With anything digital, you can see how this can be a disadvantage. Speed to market is crucial. Also, larger the agency the less they seem to focus on actual results and RIO and the more they focus on branding. That’s fine if you’re a multinational corporation looking to build top-of-mind awareness. For us little guys, quick ROI is still king.
On the other side, you don’t want to work with a teeny-tiny agency that doesn’t have a solid team. How many clients can small agency without a solid team juggle? Not a lot, sooner or later mistakes start to happen. Ads have spelling mistakes. Ads end up going to the wrong landing pages. This is why it’s crucial that you figure out if they have a solid team behind them.
4. Have they worked in similar markets?
Not all markets are the same. One strategy doesn’t always transfer to another market.
Find an agency that has worked in your market or a similar market. Find out if they have successful campaigns in those markets.
I can not overstate this: work with an agency that gets your market and business. After all, advertising and marketing are all about understanding what the market wants. So find someone who understands your market.
5. How do they measure results?
Last but not least, how do they measure results? If they talk about impressions, clicks and click-thru-rates run like hell.
How the hell are they measuring what success is?
If you’re reading this article right now you’re interested in conversions, opt-ins, and sales. You’re interested in generating sales not “interest” in your product or service. Don’t let some Facebook Woo-woo put a spell on you with 3 letter marketing jargon like CTR, CTM — tell them all you care about is ROI.
Ask them what kind of ROI you can expect after 1 month, 2 months and or 3 months. Ask them to share any case studies they might have from past clients.
Hiring the ‘wrong’ Facebook Ad Agency to manage your ads can cost you a lot of money and waste a ton of your time. The interwebs are full of self-appointed “Facebook Guru Wizard Ninja” shitheads. Many of these guys may have taken every Facebook course but they’ve never gotten their hands dirty running actual campaigns. Find someone who has run a fair share of campaigns and actually gotten results. Find someone who understands your business, your market, and wants to grow with your business. Do you research, ask good questions, and trust your gut.
