Starting a digital agency is a tough task, even if you have all the experience in the world. A crowded marketplace means you need the right advice to avoid the pitfalls and traps of other fresh agencies. If you’re planning to start your own digital agency from scratch, here are the top 7 tips for success.
1. Get the search right
In a crowded marketplace, one of the most important tips to successfully starting your own digital agency from scratch is to get your search optimisation right from the start. The best approach for anyone entering the market is to speak with an expert in white-label SEO in Melbourne. Experts in SEO can help ensure your agency is set up for search and that more traffic and potential leads are landing on your desk. Search is critical to help users find you faster and help your agency seem more reputable despite only just starting out.
2. Use social media
Social media platforms are great for amplifying a message and placing yourself in a particular light. LinkedIn is a great platform to begin using more intently when starting your own digital agency. Ask for referrals from the people you’ve worked with to build a reputation. Look at who your potential customers and clients are linked to, have recommended and get a better understanding of the capability you may need. This kind of evidence is perfect for identifying clients and introducing yourself to the market.
3. Get the website right
When you visit the website of a digital agency, you can’t help but be hypercritical and have high expectations; after all, it’s what they do. As a new digital agency, don’t skimp on your website. This is the first impression for so many people in the industry and sends an important message. Demonstrate your capability, thinking and personality on your website so that people in the industry know what you can deliver. A critical tip to never miss is to make sure your website is optimised for different solutions such as mobile. Experience is key to showing users what you can do.
4. Find experts
Hiring individuals for your agency won’t be easy, and it won’t be cheap. One tip is to take your time on finding the right resources rather than getting the people who start soonest. Finding the right minds to bring into your agency is critical to its early success. In a competitive industry, you need to be able to deliver something new to your clients. Bring in the experts who have taken the time to upskill themselves, are experts in niche areas and identify the talent that aligns with your vision. The right people bring the right clients, and together they deliver the best results.
5. Be prepared to hear no
Starting any business in any industry can be a daunting prospect; in a competitive industry like digital, it’s likely you’ll hear no a lot more than you hear yes. Build resilience in your new agency by being prepared. Take the time to develop prospect lists, identify opportunities to tender for work and be prepared to call in some favours. When you’re prepared like this as a new agency, then hearing no or no thank you won’t take the wind out of your sails. No is a very valuable word in any business; for a new digital agency that’s unprepared, it can be catastrophic to morale and motivation. Be prepared so that no is not a scary word at all; you simply move on to the next opportunity.
6. Be nimble
There will be certain aspects of your agency where you’ll need to be quite rigid, but a top tip is to build agility where you can. Look for shared office space to avoid paying hefty lease fees, identify opportunities to collaborate on projects to build a reputation and consider outsourcing where you can to lower the pressure. Having a built-in culture of agility means your new digital agency can roll with the punches and make smarter business decisions.
7. Showcase your work
Any good digital agency is only as good as its portfolio of work. If you’ve been involved in key projects or deliverables in the past, don’t shy away from them; showcase them. Put all work on display so that clients and individuals in the industry have the chance to see what you can do. Create opportunities to share work on social media, at conferences, on your website or anywhere you can think to get eyes on your work. The more visible your work is, the more feedback you’ll receive, which hopefully leads to new clients or, at the very least, constructive points to work on.
Starting a digital agency involves a lot of work, time and passion. Getting it right isn’t always a case of following a recipe. There are some common tips you can follow to help set yourself up with the best possible chance at success. If you’re starting a digital agency from scratch, then try using these 7 tips for success.
