From brainstorming and A/B testing to personalization and content creation, there are plenty of ways to incorporate AI marketing into your organization. But if you don’t know how to use the technology—or don’t know how to use it correctly—you won’t get the results you want. In that case, you need to turn to an AI marketing agency with the right expertise. Unfortunately, finding one can be a challenge.
Now that AI has taken off, plenty of agencies are touting themselves as experts—without the knowledge or skills to back it up. In that case, how do you comb through those endless lists to find the agency that can truly help you? We’re here to guide you.
5 Tips to Find the Best AI Marketing Agency
If you’re just starting your search, you’ve probably found a roundup or two (or ten) full of supposed experts with 5-star ratings. If they all look the same and you’re not sure how to vet them, here are our best tips to find the right agency for your goals.
1) Define your goals.
This might sound obvious, but one of the most common issues we see in prospective clients is a lack of clarity and alignment about what they’re trying to achieve. If you want a partner to help you win your market, you need clear, documented goals (and, ideally, goals that can be measured). More importantly, you need goals that AI marketing efforts can directly support.
- Are you looking to improve customer segmentation?
- Do you need help automating your workflows?
- Are you looking for more insights into consumer behavior?
Be as specific as possible.
Tip: Create a detailed brief outlining your goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), budget, and timeline. This will serve as a reference point during your discussions with potential agencies. You can download our free creative brief template if you don’t have one already.
2) Research their track record.
AI is a newer technology, and not every agency that touts its mastery can really back it up. Look for an agency whose experience aligns with the goals you’re trying to achieve. Note: Some agencies may specialize in one area vs. another. For example, one agency might excel in data analytics, while another might specialize in AI-driven content creation.
This is why it’s important to comb through their portfolio, case studies, and client testimonials. (You may also want to scope their LinkedIn or blog to learn more about their perspective and expertise.)
Additionally, remember that one of the biggest benefits of AI is the ROI. Find out how an AI marketing agency delivers ROI, what performance metrics they use, how they report progress, etc. (Asking for this level of transparency is a good way to determine who the real experts are.)
Tip: Ask the agency about their experience with companies similar to yours. If they have successfully helped others, they’re more likely to deliver the results you want.
3) Evaluate their technology stack.
An AI marketing agency’s success heavily depends on the technology they use, so ask about the AI tools and platforms they leverage.
- Are they using proprietary technology or well-known AI solutions?
- Do they have specific workflows in place?
- Do they have an optimized infrastructure?
Understanding their technology stack will give you insights into their capabilities and the potential for integration with your existing systems.
Tip: There are more and more AI tools on the market every day. If you haven’t adopted any thus far, see our roundup of 50 handy AI tools you might want to experiment with.
4) Ask about their ethical guidelines.
AI can be a huge help in marketing, but it isn’t without risk.
61% of B2B marketers say their organization lacks guidelines for AI use.
—Content Marketing Institute
Things like data privacy, security, and even bias can be a huge liability to your company (especially if you’re sharing sensitive information with your agency). Beyond standard compliance, ask your agency what guardrails they have in place regarding:
- Privacy: How can you ensure AI systems comply with relevant privacy laws and regulations?
- Fairness: How can you mitigate bias in AI systems?
- Transparency: What needs to be communicated to your audience about how and where you use AI?
- Accountability: Who will be using AI in the agency? What are the roles and responsibilities of those stakeholders?
Tip: Ask potential AI marketing agencies about their approach to these issues, and make sure your own team is aligned. (If your organization doesn’t have any existing rules in place, see our tips to create your own AI marketing guidelines.)
5) Look for a collaborative partnership.
Marketing is an ever-evolving practice, and that is especially true when it comes to AI marketing. There are always new tools, new advancements, new trends, and updated best practices to follow. Cultivating a collaborative, creative partnership is the best way to ensure both organizations win long-term.
We’ve learned about new AI tools from clients, and we’ve helped them optimize their workflows with our insider knowledge. Sharing ideas and learning from each other has always been a huge part of our success, and it has kept us working with the same individuals—even when they move on to their next company.
To gauge whether or not your teams will work together well, pay attention to how the agency communicates, their willingness to listen, and their ability to understand your vision. Those early conversations can often be more telling than any document or proposal.
Tip: Once you find the right agency, it’s important to nurture your relationship from the jump. Follow these tips to build a productive dynamic between teams.
Don’t Forget to Educate Yourself
AI technology may be overwhelming, but it isn’t going anywhere. If you want to win, you need to understand its applications and potential. Some great places to start:
- See our ultimate guide to AI marketing to get a general overview of what AI can do for your brand.
- Use our free roundup of AI prompts to build a better marketing strategy.
- Find out about the 30 ways AI can help you hack your marketing.
And if you want to start your search with us, learn more about how we can bring an AI-driven marketing strategy to life. Let’s make your marketing smarter, together.
