There is such a wide variety of marketing agencies out there, all with different messages and expertise; it can be difficult to choose between them at first glance. Most will have some kind of focus; from design, to build, SEO and PPC. Recently, we have started to see a divide in agencies either being obsessed with data and numbers, or just how something looks.

The difficulty with that is that marketing should be a balance of the two. Without getting into the old ‘form versus function’ debate, longer term value comes from patient brand building, a coherent, flexible, data driven strategy, great design, great build and a splash of that good creative juice that expert agencies have in abundance.

48% of people said that the design of a company’s website was their number one factor in determining the credibility of that business [Source: Tyton Media], so why throw money away running a paid search campaign only to point it to a site that hasn’t been designed well, showcasing a brand that doesn’t quite match the message? Equally, though, it is such a waste to have a beautiful website that no one can find!

So, when looking to work on your next project:

• Look past the initial facts, figures and colourful images to find out what an agency really stands for and what they can do for you.
• Choose an agency who believes form and function are equal and the same.
• Ensure all elements of your marketing work together to gain the most value