Online Marketing is a vast arena with a plethora of Online Marketing Solutions providers and big promises. Being in the field of web design and online marketing, we’ve come across so many (friends and peers) who’ve asked us how they can see through the hyperbole and clearly identify a good online marketing company.

Successful online marketing is a complex discipline that involves embracing consistent change, related to new trends appearing almost on a daily basis, especially in the field of search marketing. A lot of companies claim to "specialise" in online marketing, but sadly very few of them are equipped to back those promises. Becoming complacent when no one’s watching and lacking all-round expertise are common diseases that possess this industry.

A good online marketing agency is one that specialises in your respective industry, possesses expertise in all aspects of marketing and performs with competence when no one’s (clients) watching. Here are 7 effective tips that you can follow when selecting an online marketing company to bump up your bottom-line!

1. Pick a company that has a proven track record in marketing companies that are similar to yours. Also keep in mind that it’s a common occurrence for online marketing companies to lose focus and compromise on quality when they grow in size. When you make your pick, make sure they are large enough to take care of all your needs, but not too large that you become a simple statistic or "one of many" clients.

2. See if the shortlisted company will do a free analysis of your current website. Are they willing to travel to your office and explain to you, in detail, how they can help you. An online marketing company that’s willing to commit time and other resources towards enlightening you before you even having signed up with them, will be more passionate about getting you the best possible results.

3. Avoid web designers and general marketing companies as they do not possess the required skill set that’s needed to give you that upper hand in online marketing or search engine optimisation.

4. If the promise of great results seems too good to be true, it probably is! Avoid companies that are very pushy and boastful. They are usually bad news. Also if a company promises overnight number 1 rankings on Google, they are lying. Only Google can make that promise.

5. Speak to the account manager of the company and have an in-depth interview with him/her on the competencies of the team. Some companies will "wow" you with one expert, and you’ll be shocked to find out that the rest of the team cannot deliver on his/her promises! Also find out how accessible the company’s management is, in the event of any trouble.

6. Do not overlook references. Find out what companies your online marketing company has worked with and what solutions they’ve provided (i.e. online marketing, search engine optimisation, pay per click marketing, link building etc.). Then contact them and find out how their overall experience was and whether they got the results that they expected.

7. Ensure that the company you select has a solid contact point with whom you can stay in touch constantly to see how the work is progressing. A good online marketing company will take pleasure in ensuring that you are continuously educated on the work they are doing for you. In short, they will not keep you in the dark! Also, it doesn’t hurt to ask them how they are different from other similar service providers.

These tips will help you a great deal when it comes to making that difficult decision on which online marketing company to go with. Let us know how it works out as we’d love to hear from you!