Choosing the right online media agency is a minefield, and it’s one that most South African companies have little experience in navigating.
Yet, online media is playing an increasingly important role in marketing strategy for local companies as they expand into international markets as well as target the growing base of South African Internet users.

There are many complex factors to take into account before choosing a partner, and a poor choice could spell disaster for an important online market campaign.

Here are 10 questions that will help you to focus on the important qualities you should be seeking in an online media partner.

1. Is the company a specialist in the world of online media?
Online media is a complex and fast-moving discipline that includes a range of elements such as media planning and buying, campaign performance management and reporting. The more specialised an agency is, the better able it will be to offer world-class skills and the latest best practices in the field of online media.

2. Does the agency have experience and contacts in the international market?
The Internet is truly global. Local companies want to talk to an international audience, and they also want to reach South African users who spend a great deal of time using international portals, search engines and news sites. An agency that does not have close relationships with international publishers will not be able to help a client meet these objectives.

3.What is the company’s financial position like?
An agency that does not have sound credit rating and the ability to make international currency payments will struggle to buy prime space for its clients on international sites. Agencies that have operated in the international market will also generally have established credit records with large American and European publishers, which can streamline the media buying process.

4. What is its track record with other customers like?
This is a simple point: there is no service or product that a responsible company would buy without first establishing the supplier’s track record and looking up its customer references.

5. Does the agency have experience in your vertical market?
Strategies that work in the consumer-to-consumer world may vary from those that are successful in the business-to-business market; an online media campaign that does well for an FMCG firm might be a flop for a bank or consumer electronics retailer. Check that your potential online media partner has experience and successful case studies in your market segment.

6. Does the agency have good relationships with local and international publishers?
Serving as the bridge between client and publisher is perhaps the main reason for an online media agency’s existence. It needs to be able to offer the client the best possible deals with publishers across a broad range of vehicles and markets.

7. What technology and processes does the company have in place to manage campaigns and deliver ROI?
If you’re committing money to an online media campaign, you want to know that your agency can track the success of your campaign and optimise it on the fly to deliver the best possible ROI. The tools and best practices an agency has in place to manage and monitor campaigns are key to its ability to deliver a high ROI.

8. Does the agency have experience in the world of rich media?
Rich media is a new field to South Africa, but as broadband penetration ramps up, it will provide a way to break through the clutter and provide compelling messages to consumers. Rich media trafficking deals are quite different to conventional online media deals, so an agency that doesn’t understand rich media will struggle to deliver its true value to the client.

9. How well does the agency’s competencies map to your business objective?
Some agencies are better at lead-generation campaigns; some excel with branding programmes. There are few agencies that do both equally well, so you need to choose an agency that is best able to help you meet the goals of your proposed campaign.

10. Does the agency have a team that integrates online media disciplines into a cohesive whole?
For a campaign to be successful, people responsible for managing financing and credit with publishers, client and publisher relationship managers, and media planners and strategists all need to work closely together to ensure that a campaign is a success.

Conclusion
The traditional rules of choosing a supplier are as relevant when choosing an online media partner: looking for someone who is a match for your company culture and understands your business, is willing to commit to clearly-defined deliverables, is able to work within your budget and has delivered results for businesses similar to yours. Add that common-sense to the questions above, and you should be able to find a partner that meets your needs.