Every business needs a marketing strategy – and the second sales start ramping up, every company needs to choose between hiring a marketing manager or outsourcing operations to a marketing agency.
Both approaches have their respective benefits and drawbacks, making the decision difficult.
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the pros and cons of in-house and outsourced marketing solutions, aimed at helping businesses make informed decisions.
By examining the key factors, such as cost, expertise, and control, this article will provide insights for both start-ups and established companies in their quest for the best marketing solution that aligns with their specific needs and goals.
What is outsourced marketing?
Outsourced marketing is when a company hires an outside agency to handle its marketing efforts instead of having an in-house team. Basically, it’s like hiring a contractor to take care of your marketing needs. This can include tasks like advertising, public relations, social media management, and event planning.
The idea is to essentially hire a pool of talent for the price of an employee.
It’s a popular option for businesses of all sizes, especially for those who want to save time and resources, or for those who want to focus on other core aspects of their business.
5 types of marketing outsourcing
Content marketing
There are several advantages to outsourcing content marketing to an external agency or consultant rather than handling it in-house:
– Expertise: External content marketers have specialised expertise and experience in creating and executing successful content marketing strategies, which can result in a higher return on investment (ROI) for businesses.
– Cost-effectiveness: Hiring a full-time in-house content marketer can be expensive, whereas outsourcing can save money while still providing access to top talent.
– Fresh perspective: Someone not in your field of view can provide alternative takes on existing pieces of content, increasing the likelihood of your content going viral!
– Scalability: As the business grows, an external content marketer can be scaled up or down as needed, allowing for greater flexibility and cost savings. If you were to hire a content manager, you’ll likely need to start hiring writers and so on after a short while.
– Better ROI: A study by the Content Marketing Institute found that companies that outsource content marketing see an average ROI of 14.6%, compared to 7.8% for those who handle it in-house.
Social media marketing
Similarly to content marketing outsourcing, hiring a social media team instead of a social media specialist comes with very similar benefits. Here they are:
– Expertise: Due to a track record of performing similar campaigns for businesses similar to yours, social media teams will likely have a high-performing strategy in mind the moment you walk through their doors.
– Time Saving: Social media marketing requires a significant amount of time and effort to be effective. Hiring a specialist can free up time for your internal team to focus on other core business activities, while still ensuring a strong social media presence.
– Increased Reach: An external social media marketer can help expand your reach and connect with new audiences through targeted advertising and content engagement strategies.
– Cost-Effectiveness: Hiring a social media marketer on a contract or project basis can often be more cost-effective than hiring a full-time employee, especially for smaller companies.
Paid media marketing
Outsourcing a paid media campaign to a marketing agency has several benefits, including:
– Expertise: Marketing agencies have a team of experts who specialise in digital advertising. They are well-versed in the latest PPC and Paid Social strategies and techniques and can bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to your campaign.
– Cost-effectiveness: Outsourcing to a marketing agency can be more cost-effective than hiring a full-time in-house team. This is because agencies have the resources to spread the costs of tools and technologies across multiple clients, making it more affordable for you.
– Time-saving: Running a successful paid media campaign requires a lot of time and effort, from keyword research to ad creation, bidding and monitoring. Outsourcing to a paid media agency frees up your time and resources, allowing you to focus on other important aspects of your business.
– Improved ROI: A well-executed PPC campaign can bring a high return on investment. Marketing agencies have the expertise and tools to create and manage campaigns that deliver the best results for your business.
– Increased flexibility: Outsourcing to a marketing agency allows you to adjust your paid campaign as needed, without having to worry about finding and training new in-house staff. Agencies are able to respond quickly to changes in the market and adapt their campaign accordingly.
– Access to the latest technology: Marketing agencies have access to the latest tools and technologies for advertising, and can use these to optimise your campaign for the best results.
Influencer marketing
Whether or not you should hire an influencer marketing agency depends on your specific goals and needs. Here are some factors to consider:
– Budget: Influencer marketing can be an effective way to reach a large audience, but it can also be expensive, especially if you’re working with popular influencers. Consider your budget and determine whether or not you can afford to hire an agency.
– Goals: Consider your overall marketing goals and determine whether influencer marketing is the right fit for your company. An influencer marketing agency can help you create and execute a comprehensive strategy, but it may not be the best choice if you have other marketing priorities.
– Time and resources: Hiring an influencer marketing agency can save you time and resources, as they will handle the logistics of the campaign and negotiate with micro and macro influencers on your behalf. However, if you have internal resources and the time to manage the campaign yourself, you may not need to hire an agency.
– Expertise: An influencer marketing agency will have expertise in this area, including knowledge of the latest trends and best practices. They can also provide insights and recommendations based on data and analytics.
Event marketing
Whether or not you should hire an event marketer depends on your specific goals and needs. Here are some factors to consider:
– Event scope and complexity: Consider the scope and complexity of your event and determine whether you have the internal resources to handle it effectively. If you’re planning a large-scale event with multiple components, an event marketer can provide valuable expertise and support.
– Time constraints: Event planning and execution can be time-consuming and require a significant amount of effort. If you have limited time and resources, hiring an event marketer can help ensure that the event runs smoothly and is delivered on time.
– Budget: Event marketing can be expensive, and hiring an event marketer can add to your costs. Consider your budget and determine whether you can afford to hire an event marketer to help you achieve your goals.
– Event marketing expertise: An experienced event marketer will have a deep understanding of the latest event marketing trends, best practices, and strategies. They can also provide valuable insights and recommendations based on data and analytics.
Which works best in your business?
In conclusion, if you have a complex campaign with limited time and resources, or if you’re looking to improve your campaign marketing efforts, hiring an agency could be a good choice for your company.
However, if you have the resources necessary to hire an in-house team of specialists, you’ll generally gain more control over your marketing campaign.
The benefits of outsourced marketing
Outsourced marketing can bring several benefits compared to an in-house marketing team, including:
#1 Access to specialised expertise
Outsourced marketing agencies have a team of professionals with specialised skills and experience, who can bring a unique perspective to your marketing efforts. This can be especially valuable for companies looking to break into new markets or target specific audience segments.
#2 Time savings
Outsourced marketing can free up time and resources for your internal team to focus on other core business activities. This can be especially valuable for companies with limited marketing resources or those looking to maximise their internal team’s time and expertise.
#3 Cost savings
Outsourced marketing can be more cost-effective than hiring an in-house team, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. Outsourcing eliminates the costs associated with hiring, training, and maintaining a full-time marketing team.
#4 Scalability
Outsourced marketing agencies can provide the resources and expertise needed to handle fluctuations in demand for marketing services. This allows companies to scale their marketing efforts up or down as needed, without having to invest in additional headcount or equipment.
#5 Flexibility
Outsourced marketing agencies can provide flexible and customisable services, allowing companies to choose the marketing services that are most relevant to their needs.
#6 Objective perspective
Outsourced marketing agencies can provide an objective perspective on your marketing efforts, which can be invaluable in identifying areas for improvement and generating fresh ideas.
To get started with a reputable marketing agency, why not trusting us? We have a proven track record in getting businesses like yours to the top – and we pride ourselves on the high-performing standards our campaigns can perform at.
To get started, get in touch today!
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Alex Grossi
