Best Digital Marketing Agencies in Chicago

Now, every business knows that a proven track record speaks volumes, but a superb digital marketing agency won't solely tell you they've helped grow a business or that they have improved revenues for X% of their client book. Instead, they'll be able to showcase figures, metrics and statistics to demonstrate their abilities.

It’s always worth having a look through a Chicago-based digital marketing agency’s portfolio to see what types of clients they work with and represent, but if you can access tangible and real-world outcomes, you should have a better idea about what the marketers might be able to achieve for you.

A digital marketing agency in Chicago with a rock-solid reputation will usually be happy to offer you some client details to get in touch – with the customer's approval, of course – allowing you to get a first-hand account of another client's experience working with your agency of choice.

Awards are a fantastic indication that an agency is a market leader, although it is fair to assume that not every brilliant digital marketer in Chicago will have been in the right place at the right time, particularly since many industry-specific awards are sponsored and may be influenced by contributions from member organisations.

However, a marketing agency in Chicago should have a good degree of professional experience and be able to back this up with formal knowledge, education and certifications, giving you the assurance that they have the technical proficiency to help you succeed.

Another good option if you're researching a digital marketing agency in Chicago is to see if they have been featured as a guest speaker, host or presenter at events and trade conferences locally, with slots in marketing publications also a positive sign that they are considered a thought leader or have a certain standing within the sector.

Some digital marketing agencies in Chicago have a broad scope, whereas others will narrow down their work to specific fields, sectors or industries. That may not be relevant depending on the specificity of the industry you work in, but ideally, you need a Chicago digital marketer with other clients in a similar space.

For example, if your Chicago-based digital marketer has worked with numerous clients who are also involved in e-commerce, logistics, shipping or beauty products, even if they aren’t competitors or have a different product type, they'll already have at least a basic idea of the opportunities, risks and market stability that may inform the strategy they suggest.

Alongside sector experience, it can help to choose a digital marketing agency in Chicago that either specialises in or has worked with clients at a similar stage – whether your business is a start-up, SME, nationwide company or a global brand.

The best digital marketing agencies in Chicago are the best because their staff are equally good – and although it’s normal to have an account manager or key contact there is no reason a reputable agency won’t be keen to introduce you to some of the marketing professionals you may be working with.

Communication is also essential, so if you're welcome to meet content creators, graphic designers, social media executives and other marketing strategists in Chicago, you can get a better feel for the style of the agency and how well it matches your expectations.

Fees can be a sticky spot because digital marketing agencies in Chicago will likely charge a wide variety of fee structures depending on the nature of the work, the direction and scope of the contract, and whether there are specific tasks you’d like them to take on – such as managing your social media, or securing media mentions through outreach PR.

Chicago is, of course, a pivotal place to do business, so it's important to be upfront about costs, even if digital marketers can only give a rough indication at the outset of what they may charge. Others have fixed-price packages, which are ideal for smaller companies and entrepreneurs trying to get the most out of a limited budget.

We hope these recommendations, suggestions and outlines of some of the best Chicago digital marketing agencies help you make informed choices about the right agencies to contact, with links included to more detailed bios through the Digital Marketing Jobs Board site.

You’ll find the agency’s own short about us section, lists of services offered, and contact details, including a website link, so you can get in touch with the agencies that seem most relevant to your business directly if you’d like to take things further.