In the following post Women in Ecommerce™ discusses the questions to ask before hiring a search marketing company. You can read this article or click on the Audio Link below and listen while you are doing other things:

Questions to ask a Search Marketing Firm

Want to drive more traffic to your website?  Perhaps you’re thinking of hiring a search marketing firm.  The average person does not know what a search marketing firm can do for their company. They just heard that hiring one can help them increase visitors to their site and as a result of driving more traffic, turn prospects into paying customers.

Before you hire a search marketing firm, you need to know what they can do for you.  Here are 20 questions to ask before spending a dime with any company (according to DoubleClick Performics Inc.):

1. Is your paid search solution full-service? If yes, describe what you consider full-service.

2. What technology supports your full-service solution? How often is the technology updated?

3. Does your technology have direct API integration with the top engines?

4. Do you use API data or referral data for reporting purposes?

5. Is the technical support team separate from my account team? Do you have 24/7 support?

 6. Who will manage my account on a daily basis?

 7. Is the account manager responsible for bid, keyword, copy and landing page management or do separate teams manage these efforts?

8. What is your methodology for search campaigns including bid management strategy?

9. What resources does my account manager have?

10. Do the account managers have vertical expertise? Which verticals?

11. What is the typical launch timeline?

12. How do you optimize my campaign once it is launched?

13. Which metrics do you use to define success?

14. What is the typical account manager’s background?

15. Is your search team certified by the engines?

16. What is your relationship with the top search engines?

17. How has your company shown leadership in the search marketing space?

18. Will I have opportunities to network with other clients?

19. How will you align my search campaigns with other online marketing efforts?

20. What other digital marketing solutions do you offer?

Once you are satisfied with the answers and that the search marketing firm you are considering can meet your needs, then you can hire them.

This is just one of several audio programs Women in Ecommerce™ offers women. When you JOIN you get access to several of our “packaged” summit programs as well as our latest interviews with experts in topics of interest to women entrepreneurs, webpreneurs, online retailers and more.