Checklist for Evaluating a B2B SaaS Content Agency for your Company

It is always difficult to pick the best content marketing agency especially if its B2B SaaS content marketing or a B2B Tech content marketing agency. Ideally, you want to find an agency that understands the tech and SaaS space. (Read our Blog on 6 Easy B2B Content Marketing Tactics You Need to Keep in Mind) Additionally, you’d build a strong partnership, grow together as a team, and produce your finest work. No matter how many awards the agency has garnered, it won’t work if you and the firm are not on the same page. How can you then find the ideal agency?

Fortunately, we can assist you. We have devised a checklist with important parameters that you can use to find the right content agency for your brand.

Look for versatility

Even if the agency has the skillset to create B2B Tech and SaaS content, there are few things in content marketing that are less appealing than doing the same thing forever. In order to advance your brand, experimentation is essential. Find a content marketing agency that is eager to explore new territories by delivering different content form factors. Even if they have a specialty like technology or SaaS, they should always be pushing their own boundaries and improving on them.

How can you check this?

1. Ask them to share their work especially a content that is written in an innovative way. This way, you can learn about their capabilities and request similar work from them. (Read our blog on 5 Best Content Marketing Strategies to Adopt for Your SaaS Company)
2. Check their portfolio to evaluate content that stands out. Ask them to share the tangible results they delivered to the client. Work together with them to see if the same result can be achieved for your brand as well. 

The process

The process is the start, and it is also the end. The process determines a lot of things. The right B2B Tech and SaaS content agency will always let you know about the people involved in your project on a daily basis. They will have a proper channel wherein timely feedback can be discussed and deadlines met.

But, how can you check the process at the start?

1. Before onboarding a B2B Tech and SaaS content agency, look at the time they take to respond to your emails. Also, check how soon they get back with some of the queries that you need answers to. It is important to set realistic deadlines that are mutually agreed upon. But, also make sure to ask them about their process when it comes to immediate deliveries.
2. It is important to set realistic deadlines that are mutually agreed upon. But also make sure to ask them about their process when it comes to immediate deliveries.

These answers will give you a realistic understanding of the process followed by the content marketing agency. Then, based on your requirements, you can always choose the right one that best suits your needs.

Expertise that is demonstrable

The ideal content marketing agency is eager to learn more but also comfortable and confident in sharing what it already knows. It’s an indication of maturity and wisdom. Check to see if they contribute regularly to any blogs or other online publications.

Check for these parameters

1. Review the content they have produced for their clients. Check to see if the information is well-researched and conveys the desired outcome.
2. You can also look to see if they write thought leadership content pieces. You’ll be able to see from this that the content marketing agency understands the B2B Tech marketing space and has delivered tangible results for them.

Generating reports for the results

Reporting on performance is essential. Make sure to find out how often and how the content marketing agency usually tracks progress and sends reports to clients. In order to provide you with additional context for how it’s all displayed, ask them to share some reports with you.

Things to check

1. They might already have standard operating procedures they use for their clients. Ask them if those can be customized according to your needs.
2. A good B2B Tech and SaaS content marketing agency will provide a baseline report for you as part of the onboarding procedure. This will allow you to track the progress from the start of the association.

Partnerships that last long

The backbone of every good business is a good partnership. Certain interactions will undoubtedly experience problems. But it’s a warning sign if most or all of the agency’s clients don’t seem to stick around. Avoid associating with a content marketing agency you already know will let you down.

Some things you should look out for

1. Always check their track record with existing clients. Enquire about them from industry peers. Conduct your own thorough research.
2. Check out the technical aspects of the content pieces they created for their existing clients, like SEO optimization, grammar checks, uniqueness of the content, etc.

Communication skills

Great communication is the foundation of great work. The right content marketing agency will constantly check in with you, discuss issues, and keep in touch. They will do all within their power to ensure that the discussion at the end of the project will yield solutions. This means all the deliverables will be on time and meet the deadlines.

Things you should look out for in the first meeting

1. Check if they are good listeners. This can be gauged from the answers they give to the questions you ask.
2. Enquire about the process that they follow for communicating about delays in deliverables and how quickly they will rectify it.

Are they open to constructive criticism?

This is always a dicey topic because criticising someone’s efforts is easy, but giving constructive criticism takes effort and understanding. Finding your ideal content marketing agency in  the B2B Tech and SaaS space will depend a lot on how well they handle constructive criticism. Are they willing to accept it and make changes, or do they get offended by it?

Look out for these things

1. When giving constructive criticism, how well are they assimilating it? Are they asking a lot of questions or are they listening attentively?
2. Look for signs that they are willing to push themselves and deliver exceptional results.

Conclusion

Remember that the list we have provided is really a starting point for what to look out for when hiring a B2B Tech and SaaS content marketing agency, but before making a decision, you should trust your gut. You might need to conduct your own research on these factors because you can’t question them directly during the screening process.

But, simple things to look out for are, do they practice what they preach? It’s easy to see whether a content marketing agency can deliver on its promises by taking a look at its own content. It’s reasonable to believe that they are giving their clients the same calibre of content that is on their own website.

Looking for a specialist content agency for your B2B Tech and SaaS company, reach out to us at Koda.