The answer is: it depends on their experience and expertise. Do they have similar clients in your niche? If they do then that’s a good and bad thing.
- Good, because they’ll know the niche and proven watering holes;
- Bad, because there might be some unspoken conflict of interest.
We’ll discuss this later on in the post, but in the meantime, let me just outline the three main points of this resource.
In it, I offer:
- An overview of marketing agencies in Hong Kong;
- Approximate costs these agencies will cost;
- And, Key questions to ask them.
An Overview
Contents
When working with a Digital Agency in Hong Kong you need to work with one that is able to deliver a personal, passionate and tailored service to your product or service.
Let’s be clear about one thing: there is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to SEO, Content Marketing, Social Media or PPC (“Paid Search”).
What you should be looking for is an agency with digital marketing methods that are innovative and as a result, are able to anticipate the intent of your customers and search engines.
What Makes Me The Expert?
I’ve been online since 2001 and I feel that I’ve earned my stripes. I’ve worked in dozens of ventures, some good, some bad and a bunch of in-betweeners.
Does it make me an expert? No. Does it make me a specialist? Yes. I’m currently working as a marketing consultant in Hong Kong (freelance) and I’ve been so for the last five years so I feel I know my way around the city.
If you want clear, honest and precise results online with the opportunity to learn how they can be generated then get in touch with me to see how I can help.
Are Digital Agencies In Hong Kong All The Same?
Basically, yes.
What they all share in common is that they offer online marketing services.
Hiring an agency to do your Internet Marketing in Hong Kong will vary when working with one agency over another.
By my reckoning, there are about 70+ Digital Marketing Agencies in Hong Kong, with most of them being located in Central, Sheung Wan and in Kowloon.
Some specialize, some don’t, some seem generic whilst others just look like a generic cookie-cutter agency that exists in multiples in every corner of the globe.
When looking for an agency to work with it really depends on what it is that you needing. Are you seeking a Growth Hacking Expert or a Hong Kong-based SEO Specialist? If so, then you’re probably best off going with a freelancer – but of course, it all depends on your budget and what type of contract you’re willing to have.
Tough Times Have Affected Marketing Agencies In Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, we’ve had (in the last year or so):
- Intense economy-impacting protests;
- A recession due to the above;
- A global pandemic.
These nasty three factors have had a very negative impact on marketing agencies as they have of course almost every other sector in Hong Kong.
These tough times have made several dozen agencies go bankrupt so what’s going to be vital when it comes to making your decision on what agency to work with is whether they have the ability to stay in business. My point here is that you don’t want to enter into a relationship to see it evaporate because other clients have left them.
However, the opposite is also true. If an agency is good at what they do then they’ll absolutely be winning leads and traffic for their traffic and the last thing that their clients will want to do is terminate their relationships with them.
Rent Is A Killer
Rent in Hong Kong is ridiculously high.
That high rent gets passed onto you.
One piece of advice is not to seek out a Digital Agency that has some posh address, but rather, look at what they’ve done in the past to get a sense of what they can do for you. The costs that the agency (or freelancers) save on paying silly rent can be passed to you.
How Much Are Agencies In Hong Kong?
Most digital agencies in Hong Kong will charge you a retainer for their services and you’ll get the fulfillment of services within that monthly charge.
In this chart, we take a look at the different (approximate) costs of working with these Digital Marketing Agencies in Hong Kong.
| Agency | Digital Strategy HKD $ | Other HKD $ |
| Wild At Heart | 8,660 – 40,000 | 8,660 – 50,000 |
| Virtuoso | 8,660 – 72,000 | 8,660 – 62,000 |
| GHC Asia | 8,660 – 61,000 | 8,660 – 71,000 |
| Madcradle | 8,660 – 57,000 | 8,660 – 110,000 |
| Venture | 8,660 – 50,000 | 8,660 – 35,000 |
| New Narrative | 7,250 – 49,000 | 9,000 – 72,000 |
| Alchemy Asia | 8,660 – 52,000 | 8,660 – 42,000 |
| Quintessentially | 8,660 – 45,000 | 8,660 – 47,000 |
The “other” column in the above table refers to:
- Social Media
- Graphic Design
- Copywriting
- PR
- Online Advertising (PPC et al)
- Content Strategy
- Website Creation
As you can see, the costs vary but you can as a minimum expect to pay HKD $ 8/9,000 a month to secure their services.
Questions To Ask Agencies Before Committing
#1 Who Are Your Existing Clients?
Kinda obvious but you should be seeking a degree of comfort with knowing that they work with a few Hong Kong heavy hitters. Now – remember though – the “big brands” in their books will probably get prime attention – you definitely don’t want to be bottom of the pile in terms of that proven attention, so make sure you receive the same treatment. Actions will speak louder than words with that so factor in a break-clause in any agreement.
#2 What Are Your Favorite Growth Hacks?
Ah – the namesake of my site. Growth Hacking is likely a concept that will apply to your business, especially if you are a start-up or SME.
Ask to see examples of real-life “Growth Hacks” they’ve executed successfully in Hong Kong; and if they can’t perhaps politely ask why they don’t have any? The market is tough today – you need creative “out of the box” thinkers and growth marketers are exactly that kind of digital marketing specimen.
#3 What Are Your Digital Marketing Skillsets?
Ask what they consider as being their “best marketing skills” and as ever, ask for evidence.
#4 Show Me The SEO!
Every man and his dog is a Hong Kong SEO Expert. The nice thing about SEO is that it leaves an indisputable footprint, and of course, it does – it’s meant to! Any decent digital and generic marketing professional in Hong Kong will know enough about SEO but what about the evidence?
It’s an obvious point but you have to ask.
For example, I can show you two niches that I control: Cybersecurity Conferences and Cyber Hacking Tools and I can (with tremendous pleasure) explain how I built-up those authority niches.
#5 Is Your Digital Agency Physically Located In Hong Kong?
I am not necessarily referring to a fixed physical address.
If the agency does not have a physical presence in Hong Kong, i.e. a human, that you can meet with in person at their office or at Starbucks, then keep it moving – go talk to the next consultancy.
Ignore all agencies that do not have a human-presence in Hong Kong.
Office addresses in Hong Kong, like a swanky address in Central, as I said above, is meaningless and frankly outdated. What’s more important is that you can look at another human in the eyeballs and talk turkey.
#6 Payment Terms
This is a big one.
Who is taking the risk here?
How about this: how about THEY (the agency) take the risk? Say this: if you can’t get me “X” leads then I want a discount for the next month. If the agency believes in themselves then they’d likely agree. Now, of course, before I get a flurry of hate from agencies in this post, you both need to be fair and reasonable, but if you both work from the same set of assumptions then the agency ought to be burdening the risk as well – otherwise, it is all on you.
#7 Onsite Visits?
This is a big one. Ask if the agency is willing to send out the account manager to meet you are your home or Starbucks to immerse themselves into your business. Their business should be your business.
Not willing to commit time to meet with you on a weekly or fortnightly basis reeks of getting screwed.
#8 Do They Speak At Events?
If they, the founders or key members, speak at events that you’ve got passion there. If not – why not? Perhaps they’ve stopped giving a shit? Sending out a junior flunky doesn’t cut it – you want to be able to see Freddy the Founder out there talking with the Love of the Digital Marketing Game otherwise, what’s the point in working with a semi-committed agency?
In Summary
I hope my mini-review and overview of working with Digital Agencies in Hong Kong gives you some food for thought.
Give everyone a chance but go with your hunch.
Set in targets and review their strategies and you’ll be just fine.
Good luck.