Question 1

What is a social media marketing agency?

Accepted Answer

A social media marketing (SMM) agency is a specialized company that manages and improves brands’ presence on various social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, etc.).

These agencies strategically utilize social media channels to connect you with your target audience, increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, and ultimately boost your sales. Driven by data and creativity, they analyze your KPIs and set clear goals to run effective campaigns.

Question 2

What does a social media marketing company do?

Accepted Answer

A social media marketing company creates and implements data-driven social media strategies to enhance business growth. The agency's team, comprising strategists, writers, designers, and community managers, crafts engaging content. This has the potential to go viral and increase website traffic and organic follower count.

Some of the core strategies used by social media marketing agencies to enhance a brand's presence and engagement on social media platforms include:

Choosing the right social media platform: The best SMM agencies identify which platforms best align with your goals and intended audience and tailor content accordingly.
Maintaining consistent visual branding and voice: SMM specialists ensure your brand's visual identity and voice are the same across different channels and content types.
Posting regularly: Social media marketing companies ensure your business stays visible through regular posting.
Networking with influential brands and users: SMM agencies connect your brand with influencers in your niche to boost its growth, engagement, and follower base.
Engaging directly with users: SMM agencies respond to comments and messages, making your brand more relatable, helpful, and human.

Their main services include the following:

Competitive analysis
Social media strategy
Content creation
Social media management
Community management
Social media advertising
Influencer marketing
Analytics and reporting
Social listening
And more

Question 3

What are the different types of social media marketing agencies?

Accepted Answer

Social media marketing agencies can be categorized based on their services and platform specializations:

Consulting agencies: Advise and create strategies for effective social media account management
Campaign management agencies: Plan social media campaigns, run ads, and track success metrics
Publishing agencies: Post content on social media, ensuring optimal timing, audience targeting, and brand integration
Content creation agencies: Produce original, high-quality content
Community management agencies: Engage with potential and existing customers, addressing queries, and fostering loyalty
Full-service agencies: Comprehensive services that cover the above specialties

Additionally, social media marketing agencies can be differentiated by their platform expertise. Some provide strategies for the most popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, while others specialize in niche platforms like Medium or Twitch.

Question 4

How much do social media marketing companies charge?

Accepted Answer

Social media marketing companies charge from $15 to over $120 per hour, depending on their experience.

Here's a breakdown of average hourly rates:

Experience level	Average hourly rate	Monthly campaign budget
Less-experienced agencies	$15 to $50	Variable (starting at $400)
Medium-experience agencies	$50 to $100	Variable (up to $5,000+)
5 to 10 years of experience	$120+	Variable (up to $5,000+)

Aside from experience, SMM costs differ depending on these considerations:

Factor	Special considerations
Agency’s location	Major cities Cost of living
Services required	More services Complex services
Brand and business type	Niche businesses Specialized content
Platforms used	Content type Advertising rates
Influencer targeting	Follower count Niche

The top 50 social media marketing agencies on DesignRush charge an average of $94/hour. Roughly 14% of the social media marketing companies on the platform require a $1,000 minimum budget, while 1.6% require a $50,000+ minimum.

Other common pricing structures include:

Fixed monthly fees
Hourly fees
Per project fees

Question 5

Can social media marketing companies help with content creation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, social media marketing companies can help with content creation. Staffed with writing, graphic design, photography, and videography professionals, they produce captivating content that resonates with target audiences across various platforms.

Moreover, social media marketing companies can help you determine which type of content resonates the best with the platform’s audience. According to Buffer, here is what to post on the most popular platforms:

Facebook: Videos and curated content
Instagram: High-resolution photos, quotes, and stories
Twitter: News, blog posts, and GIFs
LinkedIn: Job listings, company news, and professional content
Pinterest: Infographics and step-by-step guides

Question 6

What makes a good social media agency?

Accepted Answer

A reputable social media agency has the expertise to produce high-performing content, the right talent to craft and enhance graphics, premium tools to schedule posts in advance, experience in running successful campaigns, and a focus on data and metrics. It should also actively utilize social media platforms to promote its own company and establish connections with clients.

Other qualities that make a good social media agency include:

Team of creatives and social media experts
Ability to adjust campaigns based on real-time data
Fluency in the latest digital tools, technologies, and trends
Track record of successful campaigns
Measurable reports
Transparent pricing
Strong online presence

Question 7

How do social media marketing companies measure the success of social media campaigns?

Accepted Answer

Social media marketing companies measure the success of social media campaigns through website visits, page views, engagement metrics (e.g., likes, shares, comments, followers), generated sales leads, conversion rates, and customer service issue resolution.

Here are some case studies that illustrate metrics in client’s projects:

Impressions: Ignite Social Media's six-month social media marketing campaign for Affordable Care Dentures & Implants garnered 43 million impressions and over 15,000 leads, whose estimated value was $3.7 million.
Engagement: Fireball Marketing's collaboration with The International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) yielded a 64.9% increase in total net audience growth, a 72.3% increase in profile engagements, and a 281.5% increase in profile impressions on multiple platforms.
Sales and conversion: Sculpt's social media marketing expertise helped Collective Data attain 8-12% lead conversion rates through online advertising and a 70% decrease in average cost-per-lead (CPL) from the previous acquisition channel.

Question 8

Why should I hire a social media marketing company?

Accepted Answer

You should hire a social media marketing company to leverage its expertise in strategy and content creation, gain access to specialized tools and analytics, and improve your brand's presence and engagement on various social media platforms.

The top reasons to hire social media marketing professionals include:

Increased brand awareness: Social media marketing agencies understand the nuances of different platforms and create content that resonates with your audience, making your brand more relatable and engaging. A tailored approach ensures that your message reaches and impacts your target audience, significantly improving your brand's visibility and recall.
Expanded reach: The number of social media users is expected to grow to 5.85 billion by 2027, according to Statista. A social media marketing agency can help your business stand out in this crowded space. It has the expertise to identify and target specific audience segments and ensure your marketing efforts reach the most relevant and responsive users.
Following the best practices: 58% of social media users prefer video over written content, according to Sprout Social. Meanwhile, 66% of consumers consider short videos the most engaging social media content. However, best practices change, and staying updated can be challenging. Social media experts monitor algorithm and trend changes and use the most effective tactics to grow your brand.
Competitive advantage: By analyzing competitors, they create strategies to give you an edge in your industry. 91% of businesses used social media services in 2019.
Access to premium tools: Effective social media strategy requires premium tools, which can be expensive. Social media firms invest in tools that help them understand the target market, implement successful campaigns, and improve ROI. A social media marketing agency can suggest the best time for posting content depending on your audience. For instance, the best times to post on Facebook are 7-9 a.m., 1-3 p.m., and 7-9 p.m.
Meaningful reports: Agencies track important metrics like share of voice, reach, engagement, influence, traffic, acquisition, and conversion. They provide analytical reports, offering insights into campaign performance and refining strategies for maximum business growth.
Increasing productivity: Assigning social media tasks to unskilled employees can reduce productivity and cause burnout. Hiring a professional agency allows your team to focus on its core responsibilities, enhancing overall productivity.
Staying up to date: Agencies monitor the latest trends and platform changes. For example, TikTok’s revenue surpassed Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat by $205 million in Q4 of 2022. This insight can make your social media marketing agency quickly change plans and react to new opportunities, positioning your brand at the top of social media trends.

Here's a case study that reinforces why you should hire a social media marketing company. Biotrail faced difficulties in establishing a social media presence. While it had initiated some branding efforts, it needed expert assistance to improve brand consistency and customer retention and engagement.

SmartSites completed a redesign of Biotrail's social media profiles, and consistent and appealing use of brand colors, fonts, and images. This made the topic of clinical trials easier to understand and interesting to the public.

The collaboration improved Biotrail’s social media performance and achieved significant results: an 874.6% increase in Facebook reach and a 309.9% increase in Facebook profile visits.

Question 9

What questions should I ask a potential social media marketing partner?

Accepted Answer

The key questions you should ask a potential social media marketing partner include questions about its background, services and processes, and the project itself.

Its Relevant Background

These questions help you understand whether they have the experience, skills, team, style, track record, and results to meet your specific requirements.

How long have you provided social media marketing services? Which social media tactics do you have experience in (e.g., strategy, daily management, community management, dedicated campaigns, cross-platform campaigns, influencer marketing, etc.)?
What social media platforms do you specialize in? How do you stay up-to-date with the latest social media features, algorithms, and trends on each?
What clients have you worked with in the past? Can you provide references from past clients, particularly those in a similar industry or with similar goals?
What were some of your most successful projects?
What projects have you worked on that didn’t produce the results you desired? What did you learn from those campaigns and initiatives?

Company Services and Processes

These questions give insight into the agency’s approach and ability to think strategically and creatively.

How do you identify the goals, demographics, and strategies for each social platform and campaign?
How do you determine the right channels, trends, and influencers for our brand?
What tools do you use for daily social media and community management?
What programs do you use to track analytics? Will we have access to those tools as well?

The Project

These questions clarify expectations for the project regarding timelines, deliverables, communication, results, pricing, and the like, reducing miscommunication and delays down the line.

How will you determine timelines and deliverables for our project?
Which aspects of social media management are handled in-house? What, if any, are outsourced? Do you have a team of designers or videographers on hand to create images, graphics, and social videos?
Which team members will be dedicated to our account or project? What are their areas of expertise?
Will our social media strategy be fully customized to our brand, or do you use templated approaches?
How many drafts will you provide for each project?
How much involvement is required from our team? What kind of collaboration do you expect?
How do you prefer to communicate? How many meetings will we have each week/month?
How often will you report to us on campaign success? What metrics will be included in each report?
What tangible results can we expect from our collaboration regarding engagement, reach, leads, etc.? What is considered a strong performance on the major platforms?
What is your pay structure like? Are there any additional fees we should be aware of?

Question 10

How do I choose the best social media marketing company?

Accepted Answer

To choose the best social media marketing company, follow these steps:

Define your social media marketing scope, requirements, goals, and timeline. This includes whether you need full social media management or services that just fill the gaps in your team’s capabilities.
Determine your budget by checking industry rates or asking colleagues/fellow entrepreneurs how much they spent on similar services.
Research and shortlist potential social media marketing agencies based on their portfolios, case studies, client reviews, and industry recognition. These tell you more about their experience, areas of expertise, and success rate.
Submit a social media marketing request for proposal (RFP) to the shortlisted agencies.
Contact up to five potential agencies and schedule meetings to discuss their approach and your needs.
Evaluate proposals from these agencies, paying special attention to their fit with your requirements and company culture.
Schedule follow-up meetings to discuss each proposal in greater detail and clarify any doubts.
Ask for an audit or trial to check the agency's approach to your brand.
Choose the agency that aligns best with your requirements.

If you are having trouble finding the right social media marketing agency for your brand, reach out to us. We will help you find the right provider for your business needs — completely free. Visit our Marketplace for more information.

Question 11

What are the top social media marketing agencies in the U.S.?

Accepted Answer

Agency	DesignRush rating	Google rating	Top clients
SmartSites	5.0 (52 reviews)	4.9 (435 reviews)	Audi New Rochelle Gaia Coffee Roasters HUND Denmark The Newton Group
Evestar	4.9 (20 reviews)	5.0 (11 reviews)	Steve Madden Noli Yoga Masqd HairMax
Joseph Studios	4.9 (20 reviews)	4.8 (6 reviews)	Rolex Delta Airlines Babel Snapt
Intero Digital	4.9 (25 reviews)	4.8 (239 reviews)	Jaguar Ace Hardware University of Colorado Land Rover
HigherVisibility	4.9 (19 reviews)	4.4 (131 reviews)	eBay Warner Bros Ziebart Orangetheory Fitness

Scroll up to explore these agencies in detail and browse the rest of the directory for more top social media agencies. Use the filters to narrow your search by location, rates, reviews, team size, and other parameters.

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