Were you aware that 83% of consumers state they haven’t had a positive experience with social media marketing? In fact, they have reported having bad experiences with this form of marketing. While the reasons for this will vary, there are a few that may be obvious ones:

Boring or ineffective display ads

No designated social media team

No budget allocated

No clear plan or strategy

A recent survey showed that 50% of companies that utilized digital marketing lacked a coherent strategy or plan. In the same way that other marketing platforms need to be strategized, so, too, does social media.

In 2012, for example, 67% of the companies polled indicated that they had a dedicated social media team to handle this facet of their business. In 2015, however, 78% of the companies polled had a designated team in place. This appears to demonstrate that social media, when effectively utilized, can be an essential marketing tool.

When consumers have a positive experience with social media marketing campaigns, what do you think they are encountering?

Recent studies show that 80% of consumers engage in a considerable amount of Internet research prior to making a major purchase. Furthermore, 46% claim that they actually rely on their social media sources in order to make decisions on what to purchase and when.

In addition to relying on social media sources to assist with the decision-making process, consumers also consult product and service reviews. It’s been found that the proverbial average buyer will consult 11 of these consumer reviews prior to making a purchase.

What strategies are you using to drive traffic to your online or brick-and-mortar business? Are you utilizing the services of an advertising agency? There are obvious benefits of hiring an advertising agency, and one of these is that they specialize in providing creative services.

In addition to taking the lead on creating social media marketing campaigns, advertising agencies can also assist you with other promotional strategies. These might include content provision and management, web site design, and branding or rebranding your business.

Were you aware that many companies designate the second largest portion of their digital marketing budgets to content provision and management? Advertising agencies will tell you that having fresh content on a weekly basis can bring prospective customers to your cyber doors.

Furthermore, a creative marketing agency can assist you with developing effective display ads and copy that reflects your business’ unique products and services. When a potential customer visits your site, you want them to know exactly what you offer and who you are as a company and a brand.

If you’re looking for tips for hiring an advertising agency, it’s important to remember that advertising agencies will have tips for you to increase your presence and brand recognition.