What should I look for when hiring a digital marketing agency?

Both, but the custom work is where the real value shows up. Calculators, directories, member portals, product configurators — tools that earn traffic and generate leads on their own. The LTC News Cost of Care Calculator drives thousands of monthly visits as a standalone resource.

Most projects launch in 8–12 weeks. The first 3–4 weeks are research and strategy — competitor analysis, audience mapping, content planning. Design and development run in parallel after that. You'll see the strategy before signing anything, so the timeline is real before you commit.

Monthly, with specific recommendations attached. Not a PDF of charts — a document that says "here's what happened, here's what it means, here's what to do next." If something urgent surfaces between reports (a campaign tanking, a traffic spike worth capitalizing on), you'll hear about it immediately.