How a Marketing Agency Can Help Your Houston Business Grow

Most Houston business owners I speak to are busy people. They're managing the day-to-day, paying employees, and answering the phone at 9pm. Marketing gets done when there's a lull, and there's always a lull: a post on Facebook, some flyers, an email that doesn't get opened. Then nothing for 3 weeks.

It's not a lack of effort problem; it's a time problem, and maybe a skills problem too, because marketing underwent a sea change in the last 5 years. What works now, won't have worked in 2018. It's here that hiring marketing firms houston business owners turn to, not because they can't learn it themselves, but because they shouldn't have to.

What an Agency Really Does

While it's nice to imagine a group of creatives sitting around sipping coffee making logos, the less glamorous reality is more keyword research, ad budgets, and pixel tracking. Lots of pixel tracking. A good team will look at your analytics before building any strategy, understanding where customers are coming from, where they're going, and what's bleeding you dry. This is the kind of team that looks past the flashiness of a social media presence to your actual conversion funnel. You can always tell within the first two calls which agencies are which.

Houston is not Austin. It is not Dallas. It sprawls out in all directions, and has a grab bag of cultures and businesses. From plumbers and restaurants in Katy, to boutique shopping in the Heights, and medical practices across the Baytown, they all compete in the same space. And a good team will understand the value of local knowledge, knowing that people in Katy search differently than people in Baytown, or that a Spanish-language campaign might see a boost in certain areas. A big box agency that hasn't driven down I-45 in July might struggle to grasp the differences between Sugar Land and Pasadena, and that's not always a bad thing.

Social Media Isn't Just Getting Pretty Pictures Out There

There's a reason some business owners get burned by hiring someone cheap to "do the socials", because six months later they've gained 40 followers and no customers. Followers are Vanity Metrics: they look nice, but don't provide any information about what's actually happening.

Social media management houston businesses can expect shouldn't just be about pretty pictures either, but strategy, planning, listening, paid promotions and, critically, reporting. Someone should be responding to comments and messages in a timely manner, both for the customer and for the business's reputation. A consistent presence is more important than a flashy one, and posting three times a week for a year will beat a burst of promotion and then months of radio silence.

SEO & Search: The Long Game

While paid advertising dominates conversations around digital marketing, SEO is the oft-ignored underbelly. When you pay for ads, you see a boost in traffic when the budget is on, and none when it's off. SEO, on the other hand, is a slow burn that sees traffic increase steadily over several months with little drops along the way. It's frustrating, but once the traffic begins to climb, the increase compounds exponentially with minimal additional investment.

Think about what someone in Houston might search for when their AC goes out in August: "AC repair near me." If you're not providing an answer to that search, someone else is, and they're picking up customers left and right. Local SEO, Google Business Profiles, and reviews all play into this, as does the structure of the website itself. Agencies tackle these problems on a daily basis, meaning they can spot issues that other business owners might not know are there, or worse, don't think are important. Slow loading sites or incorrect Google information are things that agencies see regularly, and are usually red flags during an initial consultation.

Costs & Realistic Expectations

Budgets can range from fairly small retainers of around a thousand or two to substantial six-figure figures. Any agency promising incredible results for $300 is almost certainly going to disappoint.

Additionally, timelines are important. While paid advertising can see an uptick in leads within a few weeks, content and SEO might need between 3-6 months to begin seeing results. Any agency that promises immediate results should be taken with a healthy dose of salt. Asking what you'll get for your money, who will be doing the work, and how you'll see results is a good first step, but a monthly retainer is a sign that the agency is confident in their process.

Warning Signs

Promises of number-one rankings are a sure sign of an untrustworthy agency, as are reports that offer little in the way of leads or sales, aside from vague mentions of impressions. Another red flag is an unwillingness to share who will be managing your account, or a sudden handover to a junior employee once the contract is signed.

Another warning sign is an overuse of jargon, both in conversation and in writing. Good agencies will be able to explain what they do in layman's terms without a drawn-out explanation. If they can't, it's either because they don't understand it, or they don't want you to.

Choosing the Right Agency

Most people will test the waters with a small campaign to see how it goes before investing money long-term. Getting case studies from the agency and speaking to a reference or two is a good idea, as is looking at the agency's own marketing. If their site is slow, or their social media presence anemic, it's a warning sign.

A good fit matters almost as much as skill, because you'll be spending a lot of time with them. If you want a team that understands local search, content, and ads, SEO Houston makes for a good jumping-off point while you explore your options. Speaking to more than one agency, and asking pointed questions can help narrow it down to the right fit, because at the end of the day, it's about trust.

Conclusion

Trying to grow a business in a sprawling city like Houston requires more than just guesswork and elbow grease. The right agency can free up time, provide direction, and deliver results that are easy to quantify. It might not be magic, but it gets results, and doing your due diligence can help ensure that you're putting your money where it needs to go.

FAQs

What do marketing firms houston businesses use in terms of costs?

Most small to medium-sized retainers fall anywhere between $1,500 and $5,000 a month, although larger scale initiatives will require a bigger budget.

How long will it take to see results from an agency?

Results vary depending on the type of campaign, but most paid initiatives will see an uptick in leads or sales within a few weeks, while content and SEO might take 3-6 months to begin gaining traction.

Is social media management houston companies offer worth the money?

It depends on how it's done, but most agencies that specialize in social media will provide a strategy that gets real results. If the budget allows, it's a good investment, especially if the agency can tie the spend to leads or sales.

Should I hire an agency or do the marketing in-house?

If you have the time and expertise, it can be a viable option, especially in the early stages. Once an in-house system is in place, an agency can begin to yield better results than an in-house team.

How can I tell if an agency is good?

Look for experience in your industry, realistic timelines, comprehensive reporting and, most importantly, references that you can actually contact.

Can an agency help with both SEO and paid advertising?

Most agencies that specialize in SEO will also have experience with paid media, and using the two in tandem can yield the best results.