Search for the best marketing agencies in Chicago and you will find lists: top 10s, top 25s, directories with stars. They can be a starting point, but they cannot tell you which agency is best for your business, because that depends on your trade, your part of the city, your budget and what you need most. This article explains how to judge any agency yourself.
This site does not rank or rate agencies. The FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule bars a business from misrepresenting that a website it controls provides independent reviews or opinions about a category of businesses, and Marketing Company Chicago is an independent referral service, not a marketing agency.
Start with what you need, not with the list
Before you look at any agency, write down three things: what you want more of (calls, form requests, bookings, visits), which parts of Chicago or the suburbs you serve, and what you have today (a site, a Google profile, ad accounts, social pages). An agency that is excellent at national brand campaigns may be the wrong fit for a business that needs calls from three community areas. One that runs Chicago PPC management well may have little to offer on branding.
Questions every agency should answer
Google publishes questions to ask before hiring an SEO, and they work for any marketing agency.
- Can you show me examples of your previous work?
- Do you follow the Google Search Essentials?
- What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe? How do you measure your success?
- What’s your experience in my industry?
- What’s your experience in my city?
- Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site?
Add your own: Who will do the work day to day? Will the domain, site, Google profile and ad accounts be in my name? How does the agreement end, and what do I take with me?
Red flags
- A promised position on Google. Google says no one can promise a top ranking, and that it does not accept payment to rank a site higher.
- A special relationship with Google. Google tells owners to beware of SEOs who claim one or advertise a “priority submit”.
- Bought links. Google’s spam policies name buying links for ranking as link spam.
- Copy-paste city pages. Many near-identical pages for areas that funnel to one page is what Google calls doorway abuse.
- Fake or gated reviews. Google bans paid reviews and asking only happy customers; the FTC bans fake reviews and incentives tied to a positive review.
- Accounts in the agency’s name. Leaving should never mean starting from zero.
Reading a proposal
Compare proposals on the work, not just the fee. A strong one names the searches, the pages, the areas and the first months of work; a weak one could have been sent to anyone. Check that ad spend is kept separate from the management fee, that reporting is described, and that ownership is clear. If a proposal touches reviews, influencers or email, it should say how it stays within the FTC’s rules and CAN-SPAM.
Meet the people who will do the work
The person who sells the work is not always the person who does it. Before you sign, ask to meet whoever will run your account day to day, and ask how many other accounts they look after. A short conversation with that person often tells you more than the pitch.
Use the lists carefully
Ranked lists and directories can show you which agencies exist. Before relying on one, look for how it was put together: whether placements are paid, whether the order comes from reviews, and whether the method is explained at all. Treat them as a list of names to interview, not as a verdict. The interview is where you find out which agency fits.
Would you rather start with one written proposal? Tell us what you need and an independent marketing agency can contact you.
For the services themselves, read the guides to Chicago web design, an SEO company Chicago owners can trust, choosing an advertising agency Chicago businesses can rely on, a digital marketing agency Chicago for several channels, and social media marketing Chicago.
Questions people ask
What is the best marketing agency in Chicago?
There is no single answer. The right agency for a restaurant in West Town may be the wrong one for a law firm in the Loop. Judge each on the questions above.
Should I trust ranked agency lists?
Use them as a list of names to interview, and check whether the list explains how it ranks and whether placements are paid.
How many agencies should I talk to?
Enough to compare proposals on the work. Comparing more than one written proposal shows the differences clearly.