In today’s digital climate, digital marketing can be crucial to the success of a business. However, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Businesses must have a digital marketing approach that matches their specific needs. For some, this means hiring a digital marketing agency while for others, it’s creating an in house marketing team. But how do you know which one is right for your business? Here’s what you need to know.
Benefits of Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency vs. Going In-House
Why hire a digital marketing agency? This is a common question asked by many businesses. There are a lot of companies who prefer in-house marketing because of the apparent cost savings. However, hiring a digital marketing team may actually be cost-effective in the long run. To understand its benefits, here’s a point-by-point comparison between a digital marketing agency and an in house marketing team.
1. Cost
When you work with a digital marketing agency, you aren’t only paying for their professional services. These firms will also typically charge for overheads and markups in order to make a profit. Whereas with an in-house marketing team, there are no additional charges because everyone is working for the same company.
As such, businesses — especially those with smaller budgets — will choose to go in-house. The money they save can instead be spent on additional resources that increase the quality and effectiveness of their marketing campaign.
Upon further analysis, though, going with a digital marketing agency can be more cost-effective. Since they have established experience and networks, they are able to achieve economies of scale. You can benefit from special deals and discounts, which can significantly the overall costs of your marketing campaign.
In the end, businesses who choose in-house marketing may spend the same or even more — but without the expertise that you would get when you hire a digital marketing agency.
2. Control
Another reason why businesses choose in-house marketing is that they do not want to lose control of their brand and its reputation.
An in-house marketing team will know your products or services in and out, as well as the values that the company strives to uphold. Thus, you can be assured that your marketing campaigns are always on-brand.
However, there are also potential consequences with this kind of setup. For instance, your in-house marketing team may suffer from tunnel vision.
The lack of an outsider’s perspective could increase the risk of developing a marketing campaign that is tone-deaf or problematic. A digital marketing agency may not know your company as well, but they have a better understanding of the industry. They can provide invaluable insight that an in-house marketing team cannot.
3. Skills and Experience
Despite cost-saving benefits, in-house marketing will have a hard time competing with a digital marketing agency when it comes to skill level and experience. A digital marketing agency works with a broad range of companies and this experience enables them to come up with richer and more innovative ideas. A digital marketing agency may also employ professionals from different disciplines, leading to more diverse perspectives.
Also, considering that digital marketing is still relatively new, the industry is constantly evolving. You can expect a digital marketing agency to keep up with these developments to produce effective and successful campaigns.
4. Time and Resources
Creating an in-house marketing team may also cost more in terms of time and resources. Businesses will have to search for available talent, screen these applicants, train them, and eventually manage them. Thus, it may take a while before you are able to reap the benefits of an in-house marketing team. Companies must also ensure that their in-house marketing team has enough workload to provide a good return on investment (ROI).
Meanwhile, if you are utilizing current employees for your in-house marketing team, they may suffer from productivity losses. The more time they spend on marketing, the less time they can devote to other important business tasks. Without digital marketing experience, it will also take an in-house marketing team longer to create and implement your campaigns.
These issues can be easily avoided by hiring a digital marketing agency. They already have the required expertise and can devote the time for creating and running your marketing campaigns.
Finding the Best Digital Marketing Agency for Your Business
In-house marketing teams and digital marketing agencies both have their fair share of advantages and disadvantages. In-house marketing may suffice if you are running smaller campaigns or maintaining active campaigns. However, if you have a big launch or rebrand coming up, it may be worth investing in a digital marketing agency. The best way to get a good ROI is to ensure that you are working with the best digital marketing agency for your business.
Potential Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency
- Do you have industry experience? You will find digital marketing agencies at every price point. While a higher cost may be indicative of more experience, that’s not always the case. Make sure to ask about their experience to see what they can bring to the table.
- How many employees and clients do you have? When interviewing digital marketing agencies, ask about their employee to client ratio. You don’t want to choose a company that has more clients than they can handle. Choose one that can devote enough time to your business.
- How do you measure success? Marketing is a science. You need a digital marketing agency that can track, measure, and analyze your data. It’s important to have a good understanding of their metrics for success to see whether there is a good ROI or not.
- Can you provide a sample digital marketing plan or case studies? A digital marketing plan or case study can provide insight into how a digital marketing agency typically conducts its business. Seeing sample output from a digital marketing agency can help determine if they are a good fit for your company.
- How much do your services cost? Cost is a big part of the decision process. Your choice of digital marketing agency will depend on how much budget you can spend. The more expensive doesn’t mean better service and cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean low quality. Thus, take the time to get to know your potential digital marketing agency. Even if a company doesn’t have as extensive experience, if they have had a good track record thus far, they might be worth considering.
Apart from these basic questions, there are many more questions to ask a potential digital marketing agency. When coming up with additional questions, think about the short-term and long-term digital marketing goals of your business.
Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency Is a Worthwhile Investment
It’s not easy deciding between hiring a digital marketing agency or creating an in-house marketing team. Both have its pros and cons so it’s up to you to decide which is better for the business. Hopefully, though, you have a better understanding of digital marketing agencies. Instead of getting turned off by their cost, consider the benefits that they can provide your business. It’s a worthwhile investment where you can reap rewards for many years to come.
If you need more information about hiring a digital marketing agency, please do not hesitate to contact Tanner Grey. Call us at 844.500.1339, email us at web@tannergrey.com, or contact us online to learn more about our services.
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