TL;DR
Yes — most digital marketing agencies do create content, though the type and quality can vary depending on the agency and your contract.
Different Agencies and Options
Not all marketing agencies are created equal. Your budget and long term goals for your company should dictate your digital marketing strategy, and therefore, what type of marketing you use, and from whom.
Marketing Strategists outline how best to promote your products and services and how to help you reach your business goals (whether that’s lead generation, attracting new customers, increasing sales, building brand awareness, etc.)
Full-service agencies offer strategy as well as content creation. They customize and carry out your marketing strategy from start to finish.
Niche marketing agencies specialize in just one or two areas (e.g., paid ads or SEO) and may outsource or simply not take on any content creation outside their specific domain.
Some agencies offer à la carte services, letting you choose what content you want them to create and allowing you to take a more hands-on approach to your own marketing. You would then either create the content yourself or find other contractors to make up your own team. Every situation is unique but many would not recommend this approach, as more people and moving parts to coordinate means the ball is more likely to get dropped somewhere.
What Kind of Content Do Digital Marketers Create?
Depending on your audience and industry, your content strategy may include:
Social Media Posts- Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Captions, graphics, video clips, and hashtags. It’s surprisingly hard to stay on top of trends and come up with fresh ways to say why you’re still the best choice for your potential customers. Hiring a professional for your social media’s content creation (even if it looks easy and informal) takes the burden off of you and frees you up to take care of what you do best.
Blog Articles- Keyword research will help you figure out which topics will end up resonating with the target audience. Your marketer can write articles that will simultaneously inform/educate your readers while boosting your SEO.
Ad Creative- Facebook/Google ad images, headlines, copy, and videos. If you’re going to pay to boost your visibility, you should put your best foot forward. There’s no advantage to spending money on a bad ad.
Email Marketing Content- Promotional or nurture emails, newsletters, drip campaigns- The goal is to stay in contact with your audience without being viewed as spam or having them (even subconsciously) tune you out.
Website Copy- Literally everything written on your website (home page, about you, call to action, products and services, contact information, etc.). This is where you show potential customers your value and start conversations with them. It also affects SEO. The readability of your website copy and user experience while navigating your site dramatically impact how search engines rank you.
Infographics- These can be used for lead generation or to explain complex information in a simple, eye-catching manner. It’s not just about graphic design though. Infographics should be readable. An experienced marketer should also be able to somewhat predict where the audience will look for (and actually absorb) key information and deliver content that is both appealing and effective.
Video Content- Short-form social media videos, product promos, explainers, and long form informational videos can all be utilized across marketing channels to reach different segments of your audience and to round out your marketing strategy. A marketer who is proficient in video creation will have the software, skills, and experience to crank out video content.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
You’ll want to get to know a marketing firm before signing. That includes making sure they can provide the services you need and that they’ll be easy for you to work with. Here are some questions you can ask to check for compatibility.
Do you include content creation in your packages? If your budget is tight or if you already have experience with content creation, you may not need to outsource content production. If you do need your marketer to produce content, you need to know how much content your budget can afford. Either way, you should know exactly what you’re paying for from the start.
Who creates the content (in-house, freelancers, AI)? Part of what you’re looking for here is whether your marketer will be honest and upfront. AI can be used to increase efficiency- buying you more content and better results in less time and for less money. But don’t get scammed by someone who will copy and paste bad AI-generated content and claim it as their own original work. An honest marketer will be able tell you if and how they use AI, who their employees are, and what those employees do. You can read more about AI and marketing here.
Can I approve content before it’s published? You should be able to trust that a professional knows their field. But at the end of the day, you’re paying for them to represent you. If you get too much pushback on final say so, that’s a major red flag. You don’t want to fight with a tortured artist for their vision; you want someone who understands your brand and knows how to carry your message forward.
How often do you deliver new content? Timing when content is posted and shared really does affect who and how many people see it. Sporadic, random, posting signals to your followers and the algorithm that you’re unreliable. You’re also looking for clear cut expectations as to what you can expect for your investment. You need to be able to hold your marketing team accountable to agreed-upon timelines, so establish those upfront.
Is the content optimized for SEO or platform algorithms? Everything about your online presence impacts your SEO. Tiny considerations in every piece of content can add up to way better results in the long run. It’s not just about having the right key words on your home page; it’s a whole strategy.
Now What?
If you’re not sure what kind of marketing agency you need, or whether you need one at all, this article might help you sort things out. Feel free to contact us if you have questions about your unique position. We’re here to help.