Definition: What is an advertising agency?

From a scientific perspective, the term is defined as follows: Service companies that take on consulting services as well as media planning and design or the implementation of marketing mix measures on behalf of a client. It is therefore more of a collective term that describes the main tasks of an advertising agency. However, the definition differs according to the segmentation into various agency types. However, the client-service provider relationship and the implementation of the developed roadmap are generally applicable.

DREIKON employees illustrating the tasks of an advertising agency

What does an advertising agency do today?

The increasing digitalization and use of new media has changed user behaviour and the tasks of advertising agencies. This complex field of work has given rise to different types of agencies, some of which do not have much in common. However, good advertising agencies have one thing in common: they aim to communicate a brand's messages attractively, creatively and effectively. As service providers, they create advertising and communication measures for their clients that are designed to increase sales or awareness.

Sub-areas such as marketing consulting, search engine optimization (SEO), conception and creation of content, as well as search engine advertising (SEA) are often offered by so-called digital or internet agencies in order to improve the positioning of your website in the search engines Google & Co. Full-service agencies often also integrate disciplines such as print media and the development of a new corporate design.

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Different types of agencies and tasks of advertising agencies

Due to the wide range of tasks, there are different types of agencies that differentiate the focus of their work from one another.

Classical agency:
It focuses primarily on marketing campaigns for analog advertising media. Its core competencies include the creation of print advertisements, posters or advertising brochures and the creation of a corporate identity.
Online Marketing Agency:
It focuses on the digital marketing world and develops concepts for the use of digital media, above all search engine marketing, often supplemented by social media. Some service providers also specialize solely in acting as a social media agency.
Brand agency:
They focus on branding and building your brand, often in the context of employee recruitment.
E-commerce agency:
They are characterized by their expertise in the field of marketing for online stores and offer e-commerce consulting as well as specific marketing measures for the online trade sector.
Communications agency:
Communications agencies are responsible for their clients' corporate communications (internal and external). Everything revolves around high-quality, authentic and relevant content for your marketing tools - for example, the creation of press releases, public relations and advice on all aspects of social media content.
Design agency:
Design agencies are the creators of your brand language and their focus is on the development of brand logos, color concepts, visual languages and layout for your brand messages.
Full-service agency:
Several disciplines go hand in hand for a holistic marketing strategy. You can also focus on individual measures, but the comprehensive media planning of a full-service agency offers you more opportunities to improve your presence. The most popular digital advertising measures include search engine marketing (SEO and SEA), content marketing, social media presence and communication via email.

Employees of the advertising agency DREIKON to illustrate the question What does an advertising agency do?

Traditional offline marketing measures are no longer enough - what does the advertising agency 2.0 do?

Most of an agency's existing and potential customers have a much greater digital presence and expect personalized content. Print media, TV and radio commercials still have their place, but they are less efficient than online marketing measures. Traditional advertising media are often less targeted and generate higher costs with a lower reach. A major advantage of digital instruments, in addition to target group-specific playout, is the high measurability of digital measures. This enables meaningful analyses and reporting. A good advertising agency can help you with the appealing, well-founded design, track the success of your campaigns and draw conclusions for future advertising campaigns.

What makes a good advertising agency?

A competent online marketing agency does not do things by halves, but follows a well-founded action plan with its work. In a comprehensive conception phase, opportunities, risks, costs and durations are weighed up and discussed with you as the customer. Marketing experts are also characterized by interdisciplinary work, continuous optimization of results and a long-term improvement of your presence and position in the search engines. They concentrate on the measures that suit you and summarize their results in easy-to-understand reports.

Choosing the right agency - what makes an advertising agency a winner

As is probably the case with any collaboration, the first thing to look for is sympathy. Many agencies, especially young ones, make a first impression with motivated, cool employees, prestigious offices and an outstanding online presence. It may be the hippest agency, but at the end of the day it's all about achieving your goals. Therefore, you should also consider other points when making your decision.

A business relationship should be based on trust. Therefore, pay attention to the customer references, ratings and awards of the preferred company. There is usually a free initial consultation at the beginning, where you discuss your objectives and find out what the advertising agency does to achieve them.

Before starting the conception, a good advertising agency first provides detailed advice. They have in-depth specialist knowledge and professional experience so that they are familiar with the legal provisions and special features of the various campaigns.

What makes the advertising agency excellent? Has it received relevant certifications for its work? Which certificates are involved? Find out about the agency's certified performance and quality in the areas offered.

Which projects have already been successfully implemented? Which clients have entered into a partnership or are receiving regular support? Customer references and reviews are often placed on agency websites. However, you can also usually find reviews outside your own website that can help you decide for or against a partner in the marketing sector.

As a rule, you will first receive advice from the managing director and marketing experts. The responsible team then takes over the implementation, led by an expert project manager. This structured workflow ensures that deadlines and agreements are met and enables proactive solutions to be found in the event of any delays.

Transparent and comprehensible prices are essential for a trusting collaboration. It is advisable to compare price and service packages from different agencies and request detailed quotes.

How do I find a good advertising agency for my business goals - our tips

Analyze the needs of your own company & formulate goals

Deduce the necessary services from this

Go into the research: Experiences, testimonials, services

Evaluate potential marketing agencies based on the information collected

Arrange a free initial consultation & get to know the team

Concept / strategy development from the agency side

Make a decision & start the collaboration

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With us, you can rely on cooperation at eye level. DREIKON's competent customer consultants and account managers will support you with a great deal of passion and in-depth expertise to optimize your presence and achieve marketing success. Contact us now to get to know us without obligation and find out more about what our advertising agency does!

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