{"id":7066,"date":"2022-11-28T11:49:22","date_gmt":"2022-11-28T11:49:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/"},"modified":"2022-11-28T11:49:22","modified_gmt":"2022-11-28T11:49:22","slug":"when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/","title":{"rendered":"When to fire your content marketing agency: 7 things to consider"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You hired your content marketing agency in good faith.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You had every hope they would soon start producing fantastic content for your brand or your clients\u2019 brands. <\/p>\n<p>That content would help build awareness around the brand, pull in more traffic, and generate more leads.<\/p>\n<p>But your hope started to fizzle as months passed with little to no changes in awareness, traffic, search engine rankings, or conversions.<\/p>\n<p>What gives? Is it time to fire your content marketing agency and move on?<\/p>\n<p>Hold up. Not so fast.<\/p>\n<p>It <strong>might<\/strong> be time to say goodbye. But you might also need to take a step back and pause before you leap. (Content does take longer to work than traditional or paid marketing methods \u2013 but it\u2019s also more sustainable.)<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s exactly what to weigh and consider.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#When_is_the_right_time_to_fire_your_content_marketing_agency\" >When is the right time to fire your content marketing agency?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#1_Youre_not_seeing_results_in_the_expected_time_frame\" >1. You\u2019re not seeing results in the expected time frame<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#2_The_agency_makes_repeated_mistakes_in_your_content\" >2. The agency makes repeated mistakes in your content<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#3_Youre_dissatisfied_with_the_content_quality_overall\" >3. You\u2019re dissatisfied with the content quality overall<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#4_The_content_marketing_agency_isnt_communicating_well\" >4. The content marketing agency isn\u2019t communicating well<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#5_The_agency_continually_misses_deadlines\" >5. The agency continually misses deadlines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#6_The_agency_isnt_treating_you_like_a_partner\" >6. The agency isn\u2019t treating you like a partner<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#7_You_suspect_theyre_using_spammy_or_misleading_techniques_to_get_quick_results\" >7. You suspect they\u2019re using spammy or misleading techniques to get quick results<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/28\/when-to-fire-your-content-marketing-agency-7-things-to-consider\/#What_to_remember_before_firing_your_content_marketing_agency\" >What to remember before firing your content marketing agency<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_is_the_right_time_to_fire_your_content_marketing_agency\"><\/span>When is the right time to fire your content marketing agency?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Youre_not_seeing_results_in_the_expected_time_frame\"><\/span>1. You\u2019re not seeing results in the expected time frame<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Content marketing does not and will not work in a week \u2013 unless you have exceptionally rare or specific circumstances. It won\u2019t work in one month or a few months, either.<\/p>\n<p>To see the full ROI from content, it will take anywhere from multiple months to a full year or more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That said, the needle should start to move before then. You should start seeing gains within a few months \u2013 incremental ones, but gains nonetheless. If you\u2019re seeing absolutely no movement of any metric and six months have gone by, you may want to start asking questions.<\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, your content marketing agency should have set accurate expectations for results from the beginning. <\/p>\n<p>You should have set goals, staked out KPIs (<a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/selecting-better-kpis-for-your-business-what-to-consider-and-how-to-bolster-your-most-important-metric-345217\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">key performance indicators<\/a>) to measure, and strategized about tracking them. They should have given you an outlook about when to expect ROI and what it will look like.<\/p>\n<p>If none of the above happened, that\u2019s a good reason in itself to question the content agency you\u2019re working with.<\/p>\n<p>Remember, marketing for the sake of marketing is silly. You can and should expect ROI from it, and your agency needs to be accountable for moving that needle.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_The_agency_makes_repeated_mistakes_in_your_content\"><\/span>2. The agency makes repeated mistakes in your content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is whether you learn not to repeat them.<\/p>\n<p>For example, say your content marketing agency creates content for your brand with a few glaring errors (like links pointing to low-authority pages or worse, competitors).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Say this happens during the first few months of your relationship. That\u2019s something that can be quickly pointed out and corrected so it never happens again.<\/p>\n<p>If your agency <strong>keeps<\/strong> making mistakes in your content, even after corrections, that\u2019s a good reason to dump them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The entire point of hiring an agency is to take content off your hands so you don\u2019t have to worry about it. It\u2019s<strong> their job<\/strong> to:<\/p>\n<p>Nail your brand voice.Link correctly in your blogs.Use correct grammar and spelling.Use keywords appropriately.And generally, produce content you can be proud of.<\/p>\n<p>If they\u2019re not paying attention to details, they may not be the right agency for you.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Youre_dissatisfied_with_the_content_quality_overall\"><\/span>3. You\u2019re dissatisfied with the content quality overall<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Content quality is an organic search ranking factor. That means you absolutely should be concerned with the quality you receive from the agency in charge of writing it.<\/p>\n<p>Bad content can have a domino effect on your brand reputation and visibility. Poor content won\u2019t rank well in searches, if at all, and thus will drive zero traffic from Google. (Click-through rates drop off a cliff beyond page two of a Google search.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>Not to mention, a visitor reading bad content is most likely to:<\/p>\n<p>Bounce.File you away in their mental \u201cdo not trust\u201d folder.<\/p>\n<p>Goodbye, ROI.<\/p>\n<p>If the content isn\u2019t cutting it, it probably has one of these things wrong with it. Bad content is:<\/p>\n<p>Poorly structured with few headings and long paragraphs.Unfocused, irrelevant, or rambling.Full of spelling and grammatical errors.Laden with factual errors and inconsistencies.Brand-centered (instead of user-centered)Ignorant of <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/a-quick-and-easy-guide-to-understanding-search-intent-for-seo-317841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search intent<\/a>.Poorly optimized with either little to no keyword placement or <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/you-need-23-keywords-in-a-blog-post-to-rank-well-not-302858\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keyword stuffing<\/a>.Not set up to direct leads to their next action (using CTAs).Missing external links to authority sites, or internal links to relevant pages on-site.<\/p>\n<p>If you see any of the above <a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/evaluate-content-quality-the-easy-way\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">markers<\/a> consistently, it\u2019s time to fire your content marketing agency. They should know better and do better.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_The_content_marketing_agency_isnt_communicating_well\"><\/span>4. The content marketing agency isn\u2019t communicating well<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019ll never get good results with a content marketing agency that doesn\u2019t communicate well.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Good communication on their end will help you clarify and pinpoint your goals, set your expectations, understand various stages and processes, get answers to questions as they pop up, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Without solid communication:<\/p>\n<p>You may be left feeling unsure about where you\u2019re headed with content. You might be unclear on what\u2019s happening and when. You might feel alone, when in fact you should feel like part of a team.<\/p>\n<p>Some red flags to look out for regarding communication include:<\/p>\n<p>Getting no response to emails or messages, or waiting days to receive a response.Asking questions but getting unsatisfactory answers, or no answers at all.Not knowing when you\u2019ll connect with the agency next to go over your strategy, progress, or results.A lack of transparency on their part, which leads to confusion on yours.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_The_agency_continually_misses_deadlines\"><\/span>5. The agency continually misses deadlines<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Meeting deadlines isn\u2019t just a matter of adhering to a content schedule or publishing content on time.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, those things are important factors in consistent content, which is important to the overarching success of a <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/content-marketing-strategy-small-businesses-tips-385170\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">content strategy<\/a>, but let\u2019s not forget another aspect:<\/p>\n<p>Meeting deadlines is also about showing respect and responsibility. If you and your agency specify deadlines in advance (such as when and how often content will go out on your blog), keeping those deadlines also shows:<\/p>\n<p>The agency respects your time.\u00a0They respect your brand.They respect the strategy and are following through with it.They put care and thought into your content all the way down to publication.<\/p>\n<p>Continually missing deadlines and offering excuses is therefore a good reason to part ways with an agency.<\/p>\n<p>That leads us to our next point.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_The_agency_isnt_treating_you_like_a_partner\"><\/span>6. The agency isn\u2019t treating you like a partner<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To see the best ROI, you need to work well with your content agency. Your individual gears should turn in sync, otherwise, the whole operation will jam and stall.<\/p>\n<p>Part of that is good communication, but another part is acting like collaborators and partners in every stage of the game.<\/p>\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n<p>Does the agency you work with treat your concerns seriously?\u00a0Do they listen well?\u00a0Do they keep you in the loop every step of the way?<\/p>\n<p>This doesn\u2019t mean they allow you to run the show, by the way. They\u2019re the content experts, not you. That said, your content marketing agency should still keep you involved in the process and decision-making, and help you understand the strategy and its moving parts.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re accountable to you, just like you\u2019re accountable to them. Mutual trust is important. If you\u2019re not feeling the teamwork, you might want to reconsider the working relationship.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_You_suspect_theyre_using_spammy_or_misleading_techniques_to_get_quick_results\"><\/span>7. You suspect they\u2019re using spammy or misleading techniques to get quick results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Usually, the only way to get uber-fast results with content is to cheat.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Even today, spammy tactics are surprisingly common in content marketing. However, using them is a giant trap. You may see swift gains in rankings or traffic, but these are unstable gains. <\/p>\n<p>They will disappear just as quickly because Google is incredibly finely-tuned and can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search\/howsearchworks\/how-search-works\/detecting-spam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">detect most types of spam<\/a> through their automated systems as well as through manual action.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>That may result in a <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-penalties-manual-actions-notifications-guide-388509\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">penalty<\/a> for your site \u2013 which could range from a ranking demotion to being completely removed from Google search.<\/p>\n<p>If you suspect your content marketing agency may be using spammy techniques to quickly rank your site in search, they\u2019re playing with fire. It may work for a short time, but will inevitably result in death for your site\u2019s visibility.<\/p>\n<p>If they\u2019re playing with fire, dump them and find an ethical content agency that will build up your site rankings for longevity and sustainability.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_remember_before_firing_your_content_marketing_agency\"><\/span>What to remember <em>before<\/em> firing your content marketing agency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A content marketing agency\u2019s job is to handle your content marketing so you don\u2019t have to. They\u2019ll manage everything from planning to creation to distribution.<\/p>\n<p>If you hired an agency, you most likely don\u2019t have the time or expertise to handle it yourself. At the same time, you expect smart strategy and results from whoever you hired.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s totally warranted \u2013 but don\u2019t make the mistake of giving up too early.<\/p>\n<p>Content marketing is a long-term game. It isn\u2019t about quick wins, but rather slow and steady gains that build over time.<\/p>\n<p>It can be frustrating in the beginning, but consistency will pay off dividends in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If your agency is working diligently on your content marketing, publishing regularly, communicating well, analyzing metrics, treating you like a partner, nailing content quality, hitting deadlines, and keeping you in the loop \u2013 just hang tight.<\/p>\n<p>Those results you long for <strong>will<\/strong> be coming around the bend.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/fire-content-marketing-agency-389406\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">When to fire your content marketing agency: 7 things to consider<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Search Engine Land<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You hired your content marketing agency in good faith.\u00a0 You had every hope they would soon start producing fantastic content for your brand or your clients\u2019 brands. That content would help build awareness around the brand, pull in more traffic, and generate more leads. But your hope started to fizzle as months passed with little to no changes in awareness, traffic, search engine rankings, or conversions. What gives? Is it time to fire your content marketing agency and move on? Hold up. Not so fast. It [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7066\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}