Geoff CuddPerformance marketing is seeing a huge upswing in interest.
Imagine paying for ads only per sale or lead or download – sounds like a pretty good use of the marketing budget, right? With performance marketing (and its close cousin, affiliate marketing), that’s exactly what you get.
The premise of performance marketing is simple: it’s an advertising program where you, the advertiser, pay for ad space only when a certain defined result occurs. That result could be anything from a lead to a sale.
The following performance marketing agencies offer the know-how you’re after.
Best for Growth Marketers Best for Paid Ads & CMO's Best for eCommerce Marketing
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Top Performance Marketing Services
When it comes to finding the perfect partner for your Performance marketing needs, the following agencies and resources won’t let you down.
1. Perform[cb] Agency
Perform[cb] is a top CPA Affiliate Marketing Network and is dedicated to redefining the landscape of performance marketing. Their mission to deliver real, measurable outcomes for their clients is seen throughout their approach. This ensures that businesses only pay for tangible results like customer acquisitions or specific user actions. This outcome-based approach underpins their entire service offering. Some of the biggest names on their client list include 1-800-flowers.com, Allstate, Babbel, BET+, and more.
Specializing in performance marketing, Perform[cb] offers a suite of services designed to maximize ROI for marketers, advertisers, app developers, service providers, and agencies. Their focus is on acquiring customers at scale, utilizing a blend of advanced strategies including targeted advertising, SEO optimization, and conversion rate enhancement.
The effectiveness of Perform[cb]'s strategies is evident in their case studies. One notable success story involves Lovepop, a greeting card and 3D paper art brand. Perform[cb]’s campaign saw a 777% increase in total revenue from affiliate YoY, 622% increase in the total sales volume from affiliate YoY, and a 33% increase in active affiliates MoM. It’s not hard to see why Perform[cb] has become so sought after.
Pros
- Specializes in CPA Affiliate Marketing, focusing on tangible outcomes.
- Offers a comprehensive suite of services for maximizing ROI.
- Utilizes advanced strategies like targeted advertising and SEO optimization.
- Proven track record with significant increases in revenue and sales volume.
- Works with a diverse range of clients, from startups to established brands.
Cons
- May be more suited for larger businesses with higher budgets.
- The focus on CPA might not align with all marketing strategies.
- Can be complex for businesses new to performance marketing.
2. Viral Nation
In the realm of performance marketing, Viral Nation excels in delivering data-driven, results-oriented campaigns. They focus on creating tailored strategies that blend innovative marketing techniques with precise analytics, ensuring a high return on investment for their clients. Their client list speaks to their approach’s success with names like SmartWater, Chelsea Football Club, Uber, and tons more.
Their performance marketing services encompass a wide range of tactics, including targeted advertising, SEO optimization, and conversion rate enhancement. Viral Nation's expertise lies in not just driving traffic but converting that traffic into tangible results, whether it's increased sales, higher engagement, or enhanced brand recognition.
Let’s take a look at one case study. For instance, their campaign for Meta Quest’s Resident Evil 4 VR gained 61.2 million impressions, 15.8 million views, and 1.3 million engagements. As you can imagine, these results created a significant buzz and effectively engaged the gaming community. Naturally, this leads to heightened anticipation and engagement.
Pros
- Expertise in creating data-driven, results-oriented campaigns.
- Specializes in blending innovative marketing techniques with analytics.
- Impressive client list, indicating trust and reliability.
- Effective in driving traffic and converting it into tangible results.
- Offers a wide range of tactics including SEO and social media marketing.
Cons
- May be more expensive due to its high-profile client base.
- Services might be too comprehensive for small or medium-sized businesses.
- The focus on viral marketing may not suit all business types.
3. NoGood
NoGood, a growth marketing agency, positions itself as a catalyst for sustainable and measurable business growth and is especially evident in their performance marketing services, where they emphasize data-driven decision-making and results-oriented campaigns.
In the realm of performance marketing, NoGood offers a comprehensive suite of services. These include SEM/PPC, social ads, SEO, content marketing, and conversion rate optimization (CRO). Each service is designed to meet customers where they are, transforming customer intent into profit, driving qualified traffic, and unlocking additional value in marketing funnels.
Their case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of their strategies. For instance, one case study highlights the results for ByteDance. NoGood’s campaign was able to increase organic traffic 879%, grow the sign-up rate by 69%, and 3X their keyword rankings. Talk about impressive results.
Pros
- Focuses on sustainable, measurable business growth.
- Offers a data-driven approach to decision-making.
- Provides a comprehensive suite of services including SEM/PPC and SEO.
- Demonstrated success in significantly increasing organic traffic and sign-up rates.
- Tailors strategies to meet specific customer needs and goals.
Cons
- Services may be more aligned with tech-savvy clients.
- Might be overwhelming for businesses new to digital marketing.
- The broad range of services could be more than some clients require.
4. Thrive
Founded in 2005, Thrive is committed to create effective online marketing strategies that not only increase visibility but also drive real, measurable results. They’ve been awarded accolades from Clutch and Forbes and have been featured in The Huffington Post, Search Engine Journal, and Semrush.
Under the umbrella of performance marketing, Thrive offers a variety of services. These include SEO, pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, conversion rate optimization (CRO), and more. Each service is tailored to meet the unique needs of their clients, ensuring that every marketing dollar is spent effectively to maximize returns.
Thrive's case studies demonstrate their proficiency in performance marketing. For instance, they helped Nationwide Construction increase its online leads by 800% and its conversion rate by 640% through Thrive’s marketing campaign. As you can see, this shows how Thrive can drive drive traffic that converts and meets your marketing goals.
Pros
- Long-standing experience in online marketing strategies.
- Offers a variety of services tailored to client needs.
- Proven track record of increasing online leads and conversion rates.
- Recognized by industry leaders and featured in reputable publications.
- Focuses on effective spending to maximize returns.
Cons
- Broad service offerings may dilute their performance marketing focus.
- Might be more suitable for clients with a larger marketing budget.
- The extensive range of services could be complex for smaller businesses.
5. Fresh Content Society
Since its inception in 2015, Chicago-based Fresh Content Society (FCS) has attracted high-profile clients such as National Geographic, KFC, and True Value, thanks to its tailored approach to social media marketing. FCS excels in creating captivating content for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube, known for its ability to grab attention instantly.
FCS's expertise isn't limited to nationally and internationally renowned brands. They also cater to local enterprises with a comprehensive range of services. Their offerings include detailed social media audits, strategic planning and content creation, thorough analytics and reporting, as well as influencer management.
The feedback from FCS's clientele is overwhelmingly positive. For instance, Cara from Coleman Powersports remarks, “Working with FCS was the best decision for our social media strategy.” A notable success story is LINE-X’s campaign, where FCS's innovative video content amassed over 7 million views in just 7 months, boosting customer engagement by an impressive 4,000%.
The outstanding results and high client satisfaction rates are a testament to FCS's efficacy. FCS stands out as an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes, from local favorites to global brands, looking to enhance their social media marketing strategies.
Pros
- Specializes in social media marketing with a focus on engaging content.
- Attracts high-profile clients, demonstrating trust and expertise.
- Offers comprehensive services including audits and strategic planning.
- Notable success in boosting customer engagement and views.
- Tailored approach for both local enterprises and global brands.
Cons
- Focus on social media may not align with all marketing needs.
- May not offer the depth in other performance marketing areas.
- The approach might be more suited to visually-driven brands.
Types of Digital Marketing Agencies
What Is a Performance Digital Marketing Agency?
A performance digital marketing agency offers online advertising services that only have you pay when the campaign returns certain agreed-upon results. This allows you to leverage the power of digital and eliminate the chance you pay for ineffective advertising. After all, Google knows exactly how many people see ads, click ads, and even proceed to buy something after clicking an ad.
Exploiting this data enables advertisers to pay based on outcomes, significantly improving ROI per impression, click, lead, or any other relevant metric. And who crafts these campaigns and maximizes your pay-per-click strategy? Performance marketing agencies.
Many agencies bundle their performance marketing programs with other digital solutions as well, as a cost-per-click strategy is a core piece of any modern marketing plan. For our part, we’ve tried to highlight primarily performance marketing agencies, but many of these top-rated firms also offer many other services you can take advantage of.
What Does a Performance Marketing Agency Do?
A Performance marketing agency leverages Google data to target ads toward shoppers the algorithms perceive may be interested in your product or service. These ads are crafted by a specialized digital marketing team and monitored for performance. They’ll set them up so that they can track a user’s interaction with the ad and compile data on impressions, clicks, and more. That data becomes the basis for how much you pay for the service.
An important point to note is that while all Performance marketing professionals will know some level of digital marketing, not all marketers will know how Performance marketing works. Forget this and you could end up working with someone who professes digital marketing knowledge but doesn’t have a clue about building an effective PPC or CPC campaign. This is especially important to keep in mind when hiring freelancers or an agency for the job.
How Much Does a Performance Marketing Agency Charge?
That’s hard to say. Performance marketing is all about paying based on the effectiveness of your ads – that means the price not only can fluctuate wildly between companies and agencies but also from campaign to campaign. A better question would be: how can performance marketing affect the ROI of my marketing budget?
Because pricing for this digital strategy is so tied up with performance, it is highly likely that you’ll spend less per lead with an effective performance marketing campaign than just about any type of traditional approach. Of course, when choosing providers and agencies, be sure to review the rates per click and any other fees and expenses. Rates can fluctuate between agencies, so do your homework and ask the hard questions on the exploratory calls.
FAQs
Is it worth it to hire a performance marketing agency?
Generally, yes. These agencies will grow the reach of your brand through targeted ads that ultimately save you money on a per-click basis. Hiring a specialist in this can let them work out the logistics of your campaign as you focus on what you do best: developing your product or service.
How do I choose a performance marketing agency?
Start with a list like the one above, then determine what your needs and budget are. If you only want some light PPC work done, consider an independent freelancer. Looking for a bit more support, such as deep analytics and a robust, multi-channel campaign? Consider a traditional agency or a firm that contracts out vetted freelancers ready to take on more serious projects.
Which performance marketing agency is best for small businesses?
For small businesses, we’d recommend starting with Upwork or Fiverr. Why? Because of ease of use and price point. You can easily start finding someone to help with establishing some initial paid campaigns before jumping into anything more serious. When you’re ready to take things up a notch, contract with a dedicated agency.
