It has been more than a decade since I ventured into the field of digital marketing, and over the years, I have associated with clients from different parts of the world. While working with people from different fields, I have met a few who are confused with managing their online business, and have doubts in hiring a digital marketing agency as opposed to having an in-house marketing team.

“Is it wise to hire an agency when you can set up an in-house team?”

Now that is a frequent question that I have encountered, and seeing as it’s on the minds of many people out there in the digital world, I am penning down my thoughts on the question – Should you hire a marketing agency or make do with an in-house marketing team?

I have done businesses (still do) with companies that have their own in-house marketing team. I have also had clients who outsource their complete marketing needs to us.

So which one is better, you ask? Well, even if your company has an in-house marketing team, it is often better to enlist the help of an agency. Here are the reasons why you should do that.

Consider a Few Facts:

1. Experience

Marketing agencies are usually well informed, both strategically and tactically, from the experience gained from working with various partners. This allows them to develop a good know-how into what would work and what wouldn’t for different types of businesses.

This type of experience is hard to come by with an in-house marketer even though they usually have a very good knowledge of their day-to-day activities and the services/products that the company provides. But digital marketing is an extensive area that has a wide range of job types to deal with; and in-house team members often don’t get the chance for sufficient exposure in some of the other essential areas.

2. More Infrastructure & Technology

When outsourcing your marketing needs to an agency, you will be treated to the most updated strategies, advanced marketing technologies and top marketing talents. When compared to an in-house marketing team, an agency certainly offers more.

A typical digital marketing agency will have an expert team for each aspect, like skilled web designers, developers, graphic artist, expert writers, SEOs, PPC experts, Email marketing team, Online reputation specialist, etc. On the other hand, an in-house team won’t often have a complete team to deal with different types of jobs.

Also, an in-house marketer wouldn’t find the time to remain updated with the latest marketing trends in technology. as they would, more often than not, remain immersed in day-to-day tasks. An agency, meanwhile, would always take the pain to educate themselves on new developments and will remain updated.

3. Efficiency

Good agencies have the experience of working with different businesses from different parts of the world and are very professional in keeping quality, deadlines and schedules. Moreover, a good agency would have an entire team of specialists under its belt.

Therefore, with the added experience and wisdom of specialists, a digital marketing agency can work at a higher efficiency than an in-house digital marketing team.

4. Cost Effective

Hiring a digital marketing agency may seem to be a costly affair. But in reality, it is much more affordable than paying an in-house team.

Often companies have team members who know a little of everything. When the cost per individual is taken with respect to the tasks undertaken by them, the net result is quite high.

Whereas for a digital marketing agency, you pay for the project you outsource, be it as a package or as an individual job. The price would include the costs for whatever areas the package/jobs would fall under, no matter how many people work on it.

5. Perspective

A problem often seen with in-house marketer is that they mostly remain rooted to their daily affairs. This makes them miss out on the broader picture, incapable of bringing forth new ideas or concepts.

When working from the inside of your business, you are prone to lose sight of how your audience perceives you or how your market is changing. But an outside agency can analyse how your marketing strategies and programs work in real world, and what can please your target audience.

Therefore, relying on an agency’s wisdom and experience would normally enable you to find an ideal solution for your business.

6. No Training Costs

Businesses don’t need to take the time or effort to train agencies about their business needs. Digital marketing agencies, who emphasis on performance, will have a team that provides a holistic approach to your digital marketing needs.

The agency’s staff would have the required skills and knowledge, so you wouldn’t need to spend extra time training them. An in-house marketer, on the hand, might often require training and further work experienceto deliver desired outcomes.

7. Agencies are Outsiders

In-house marketers work from inside the business, and are therefore prone to any ripples in the company work force. They can be subjected to any internal politics or drama, which can result in their productivity getting slumped.

Outsourcing to a digital marketing agency can, on the other hand, ensure your productivity doesn’t take a beating. Agencies stay away from any internal conflicts, thus your projects don’t get unnecessarily interrupted.

8. Hiring the Wrong Guy

Hiring an employee is always costly, and if it’s a wrong hire, then the cost paid is more than just monetary. It is always less risky to entrust your project to a reputed agency, rather than looking to hire a person for the task.

Consider the factors that would be compromised if the person you hired is not fit for the job. Everything from his recruiting costs to his salary and training costs, employee morale, missed business opportunities etc. would start to surface.

Agency + In-House Team = Efficiency

More often than not, companies with their own in-house marketing team hire agencies as well to improve efficiency. This is advantageous for both parties.

The company’s in-house marketer can make use of the experience and knowledge of the agency to get the desired results. The digital marketing agency can also benefit from having a clear communication channel with the company’s business through their in-house marketer.

It allows both of them to study the business and plan strategies accordingly. Moreover, the in-house marketer could gain knowledge from the agency, which can be of help in the future for the company.

The combined strength ensures that the output efficiency is higher and the company gets what it wants. The company can keep momentum with their marketing projects and ensure rise in productivity.

100% Return on Investment

When you invest in an accomplished marketing agency, you can be sure of 100% returns. Agencies won’t trouble you with administrative issues, employee strikes, unnecessary internal meetings etc.

Moreover, you needn’t spend any extra amount in the name of benefits, taxes or severance. All the money you invest in an agency will be returned to you as marketing deliverables, which would allow you to invest more into growing your business.

So, hiring a good digital marketing agency or consultant may often bring some unique advantages even if you already have a full fledged in-house team.

(Image Courtesy : Residorm Öğrenci Yurdu)