If you run a small business in New Hampshire, you have probably been pitched by more than one online marketing agency in NH. Most of the pitches sound alike. This post gives you a short checklist for comparing them, and explains how we at CEO Exchange in Salem handle each point.
What an online marketing agency in NH should be able to explain
Before you sign anything, you should be able to get clear answers to four questions. If an agency can’t answer them in plain words, keep looking.
1. What exactly will you be doing for me?
“Online marketing” can mean a lot of things. Ask the agency to name the work. At CEO Exchange, the services are:
- SEO and GEO (getting found in Google and in AI search tools)
- Digital marketing
- Social media management
- Video and media production
- Podcast production
You may not need all of them. A small business owner who just wants to show up when local customers search usually starts with SEO. If you want to know what to look for there, read our post on what to look for in an SEO company in New Hampshire.
2. How will I be charged?
Be careful with any agency that quotes a price before it knows anything about your business. Your website, your competitors and your goals all change the work involved. For SEO, we give a quote after a call, so the price is based on your situation and not a one-size-fits-all package.
3. How will I know whether it is working?
Ask what you will receive and how often. For SEO clients, we send ranking reports once a month by email. You don’t have to log in to a dashboard or chase us for an update. The report lands in your inbox, and you can reply with questions.
4. Can I talk to a person?
Many of our prospects prefer to pick up the phone, and that suits us. We are based at 254 N Broadway #201 in Salem, NH, and we work with businesses in Salem, across New Hampshire and in New England. You can call us at (603) 425-5255 and talk through what you need.
Fix the basics before you spend more
A good agency should tell you when you are not ready to spend on ads. Sometimes the website, the Google listing or the page structure need attention first. We wrote about this in 7 things small businesses should fix before paying for ads. It is worth reading before you hire anyone, us included.
Think about AI search, not only Google
More people now ask AI tools for local recommendations instead of scrolling through search results. That is why we list GEO next to SEO. GEO means shaping your website so AI search tools can understand your business and have a reason to mention it. Our post What is GEO? AI search optimization in NH explains it in simple terms.
Video and podcast are part of marketing, too
Some owners are more comfortable talking than writing. If that is you, video and podcast production can give your business a voice that text alone doesn’t. We offer both, along with SEO and social media management, so the pieces can work together instead of being handled by three different vendors.
A quick checklist to take to any agency
- Ask for the specific services in writing.
- Ask how pricing works and what affects the quote.
- Ask what reports you will get and how often.
- Ask who you will actually talk to, and how.
- Ask what you should fix on your own site first.
If an agency gives you straight answers to all five, you are in a better position to decide, whether you pick us or someone else.
Talk to CEO Exchange
If you are a small business owner in New Hampshire or New England and want to know what online marketing would look like for you, start with a call. Phone us at (603) 425-5255 or email services@ceoexchange.ai. You can also visit our contact page or read more about our online marketing services. After the call, we will give you a quote for SEO based on what you actually need.