Every business owner will have to decide at one point whether to hire an in-house marketing team or work with a marketing agency. After all, digital marketing has become an absolute must because it can expand your business and attract more clients.
Whatever you do, there is no wrong answer here. It all depends on the size of your company, its goals, and the money you are willing to invest in marketing. Both in-house marketing teams and marketing agencies come with various benefits. Some companies hire both and see great success with a hybrid marketing approach!
If you are a business owner who wants to bring your marketing game to a whole new level, keep reading, and hopefully, we will help you select the best option for your brand!
What is in-house marketing?
In-house marketing teams exist within a company. Their goal is to create a marketing strategy and then manage it. Of course, the size of the team depends on the size of the business. For instance, start-ups often have smaller marketing teams, but everyone has their specific roles.
Digital marketing teams should have members focusing on SEO, social media platforms, analytics, content creation, and so on.
When you have an in-house marketing team, you know that all members are familiar with your brand and its long-term goals. After all, they are focusing on your business only. Additionally, you can contact the members of an in-house marketing team anytime because they are your employees, after all.
What is agency marketing?
Outsourcing to a marketing agency is an excellent idea too. Agencies are led by professionals who have years and years of experience in advertising and digital marketing. Whole departments are working on all segments of marketing. These include SEO, technology, customer support, and so on.
Marketing agencies offer all types of services, which is a huge plus. Not to forget that a business owner can choose an agency they want to work with and find the one that specializes in what they need at a given moment.
Business owners usually opt for a marketing agency if they can’t afford an in-house marketing team. Agencies are cheaper and provide a wide range of services. But you have to know that a marketing agency won’t be available to you at all times since they have other clients as well.
In-house vs. agency marketing
Now that you are familiar with both in-house and agency marketing basics, it is time for a quick comparison. Business owners need to choose the best possible option to grow their brand, get exposure, and attract more customers. So, let’s see what in-house and agency marketing have to offer:
In-house marketing – Pros and cons
Hiring an in-house marketing team comes with many benefits. First of all, the entire team is working on a single project – your brand. If you want to have people who wish to improve your business, this is the way to go.
Secondly, a business owner can handpick every single member of the in-house marketing team according to the expertise they need. Finally, they will be in the same office as you, which means better and faster communication.
Choosing the marketing team is also a tiny disadvantage since that process could take a lot of time. Finding the right people is difficult, especially if you are looking for a specific set of skills.
If your company needs to start a marketing campaign immediately, looking for new employees might not be the best option. Then there is the cost. Hiring an entire in-house marketing team is not cheap at all. According to Indeed, an average salary in digital marketing is $60,448 per year.
Marketing agency – Pros and cons
Many businesses go for a marketing agency option because it is convenient and more affordable. Marketing agencies follow the trends, know what is trending in the marketing world, and already know an excellent marketing strategy that will work for your brand.
They use the latest marketing tools, so there is no need for you to pay for various subscriptions. It can also lower the overall cost if you are working on a tight budget.
On the other hand, regular communication with a marketing agency might not be super smooth or fast. It can be a problem if you choose an agency outside your country or time zone. If this is a deal-breaker, consider contacting a local marketing agency with the same working hours.
Remember that you are not the only client using the marketing agency. It means they will not focus on your brand only. If you decide to take another marketing direction all of a sudden, you can’t expect them to jump on it straight away and create a brand new strategy in a day.
