When working with an advertising agency, you want to make sure that you’re getting the return on investment (ROI) that you expect, that you’ve been told you’re getting. Unfortunately, reach is one of those things that can be difficult to conceptualize. Unlike engagement which comes in the form of tangible likes and comments, reach is simply the number of people who view your content. Of course, the more people who view your content, the more likely it is you will gain conversions. However, if your content is being shown to the wrong people, your efforts are being wasted. So how can you tell if the agency you’re working with is actually expanding your reach?

Are they familiar with your audience?

If an advertising agency can’t describe your audience with utmost accuracy, odds are they are either completely failing at expanding your reach, or they’re reaching the entirely wrong demographic. When you discuss who it is exactly that you’re marketing to, does the agency sound like they know what your audience wants? Do they have a concrete, well-researched plan of how to tap into this market? Do they know your brand inside and out? These are things that your agency must have on lockdown in order to achieve your marketing goals. 

Are they actively trying to increase your web presence?

Have you had a conversation with your agency about expanding your presence on the web? If not, they might be remaining complacent in this area. As a brand, you should be active on as many platforms as possible (within reason of course). The more social media platforms you have a presence on, the more people you are likely to reach. It’s common sense. But if your agency seems fine with focusing all your efforts on, say, your website and Facebook, they aren’t doing your brand justice. Now of course there are exceptions, and you don’t want to spread yourself or your budget too thin. However, if all your agency’s efforts are concentrated on one or two platforms, they’re likely not doing much to tap into all of the possibilities that lie beyond.

Are you seeing an increase in conversions?

Conversions are how many visitors to your website or page carry out a desired goal. For example, how many subscribe to your email list or make a purchase. If you are seeing an increase in your conversion rate, not only does this mean your reach is expanding, but it also means that your content is being shown to the right audience. 

How to calculate reach on your own

While it is nice to have reports sent and numbers explained to you by your agency, in order to ensure that they are doing what they say they’re doing, you should do your own due diligence. To calculate your market reach, you can take your number of impressions divided by frequency of an action. 

To get your impressions, use this formula:

Impressions = Cost / (Clicks Per Impression/1000)

To find frequency, use this:

Impressions / Unique Users