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Choosing the right support to boost your business is a big deal and a crucial decision to make. Marketing is one area of a business where outside assistance can come in handy. The face of marketing is constantly evolving and having some guidance can help give your company the ability to grow.

If you’re looking for the top internet marketing agency in NJ, how do you go about finding them? The answer is simple, and thankfully we wrote it all down for you!

You should be looking at the key qualities that make the outstanding internet marketing agencies stand out from the bad. We've broken it down into a few important characteristics; what they offer, their familiarity with important marketing tools, how they go about getting the job done and honest communication.

What services do they offer?

A great internet marketing agency in NJ should make it their mission to help your company grow. They want to see you, find your brand, gain brand loyalty, generate leads, increase profits and incorporate all of the other important aspects that make your marketing goals and objectives successful.

A top-notch internet marketing agency should provide most, if not all, of the following services:

• Well-versed in SEO
• Social media gurus
• Able to provide web design and development
• Will track, test and report (analytics)
• More than competent at e-mail marketing, paid search marketing and conversion rate optimization

An excellent agency will continually stay educated and up-to-date with the latest and greatest trends. They will most likely have additional services, but will always be able to start from the very core of the marketing process and build from the foundation up.

Check their familiarity with social media

Social media is becoming one of the main forms of marketing. The more it catches on, the more important it is to be outstanding at it. A quality internet marketing agency should be at the top of their game, masters of content and rulers of likes and follows.

An effective way to test their social media prowess is to find them. How does their own agency present themselves on social media? Did they exude a savvy social media presence? Was it engaging? Did it make you want to take the plunge right down their funnel?

If they pass the initial tests, they will probably work well to fulfill your social media needs. There are vast numbers of people interconnected by social media and you want a marketing agency that is able to not only identify your customers but is also able to reach them with messages that draw them in. They should utilize more than just the typical platforms so they can reach into every corner of the internet for more leads.

Look for link building quality, not quantity

An amazing agency will understand the difference between link building quality versus quantity. Just about everyone knows the story of the turtle and the hare, and the same can be said for taking the time to build quality versus amassing quantity without careful thought. I mean sure, you can have quantity (look, I have five whole pennies!), or quality (by the way, my one quarter is worth a lot more than your five pennies).

Link building can be an arduous process, especially when done right. You’ll need to research search engine result pages (SERPs), identify the sites where you want your links, make sure those sites are worthy and the reach out with requests. And you want it all done carefully and thoughtfully.

You are building your SEO foundation, something that will be essential for your ranking. In the end, it’s more likely that one of your quality links will get you the rankings you want over the fifty lesser-quality links. So don’t waste time, money or energy on a marketing agency that focuses on mass links. The focus should be on building a strong base.

You get what you pay for

There are some places in life you don’t really want to skimp. I mean you can head on over to the closest doc-in-a-box for a diagnosis, or you can make an appointment at the Mayo clinic. Sure, you may feel you don’t have the funds for the latter, but if your health suffers terribly because you started with someone who lacked the experience you needed for the right care, what’s it going to cost you in the end? Bottom line, you want to do something that will have a long-term positive effect on your health, not just a quick-fix.

The same can be said for your business’s internet marketing. Paying less for an average service may end up costing you more in the long run—including your company. Finding the funds to work with an agency that has an exceptional reputation, and is ethical, honest and communicative will more likely pay itself off quicker. Not to mention, they may be able to help you achieve the success you’re aiming for.

Beware of the 'yes' man

The ‘yes’ man is a slippery character—all promises, but no follow through. He won’t have clear answers, but he’ll try and talk enough to make you think differently. He promises he can do anything and everything... then doesn’t (because no one can), and then takes the money and runs.

Avoid these types of agencies at all costs. Here are some of the promises they’ll try to woo you with:

• We’ll do anything you want, it’s up to you. (A real agency is going to work with you, offer suggestions and keep the lines of communication open so together, based on your goals, you can come up with the best tactics and strategies.)
• Hey, sorry I couldn’t call you back, e-mail is best for me today. (Beware the person who won’t talk in person. There is a lot that can get lost in translation.)
• We guarantee it. (Even the best marketing gurus can’t guarantee a result.)

If you hear any of these things—hightail it in the opposite direction.

The best internet marketing agency in NJ willingly shares their strengths and weaknesses. They won’t know the answer to everything, but they are always ready to face the challenge of finding it. They provide proven results. And they have a passion for what they do. Find a team that is positive and creative, who find joy in their jobs. They think outside the box and they want to see you grow and grow with you.