Introduction
When it comes to digital marketing, however, one concern that a lot of companies have is whether or not they should keep their marketing in-house or whether they should work with a digital marketing agency. This is a really good issue, and the purpose of this article is to answer all of your questions concerning marketing done in-house versus marketing done by an outside firm.
Difference between in-house and agency marketing
With in-house marketing, you promote your brand using a group of employees already working for you. On the other hand, when you hire an agency to promote your firm, they will engage an outside group of marketers to do so.
In-house marketing
In-house marketing involves creating, managing, and updating your digital marketing plan with an internal team. Should your company fund an internal or external team?
Read on!
Pros
In-house marketing benefits include:
Brand awareness
Marketing teams know your brand. This informs marketing decisions and materials. Agencies will learn your company’s mission, tone, and brand over time.
Accessibility
Your internal marketing staff is accessible. Visit their office. Agencies aren’t nearby. If your organization outsources marketing, you want a responsive agency.
Focus
In-house marketing teams focus on your business 24/7. Agencies research your brand and develop a marketing strategy, but they also serve other clients. Your firm may require a dedicated team.
Control
Your marketing approach is shared with a marketing business. Some companies prefer to handle their marketing in-house, making agency work difficult. If you like that much control, build a corporate team.
Cons
In-house marketing teams have drawbacks, such as:
Staffing
Hiring one or three people to start an internal marketing department takes time. Marketing positions typically take 50 days to fill.
Staff costs
In-house marketing is expensive.
Check out some marketing roles’ average salaries:
Digital Marketer: $65,000
Marketer: $49,000
SEO Expert: $48,000
Social Media Specialist: $48,000
These salaries average $52,000.
These estimates do not include taxes, insurance, retirement plans, or equipment expenditures associated with in-house teams. The average marketing person costs over $70,000 due to these fees, which represent 40–100% of their income.
An average-sized marketing team (three people for a company with 25–49 employees) costs more than $200,000 to manage.
Software fees
Marketing software costs are in addition to in-house marketing team costs. SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush and freelance services like graphic design and web building are examples.
Capabilities
In-house marketing also limits your team, organization, and money.
Agency Marketing
Agency marketing employs a team of web marketers to grow your firm. Is an Internet marketing agency the best choice?
Pros
Digital marketing agencies have several advantages over in-house marketing teams:
Expertise
Partnering with an agency lets you choose from the most experienced organizations. This benefit lets your company use services that specialize in your industry or approach, like SEO.
Capabilities
Digital marketing companies have talents that in-house teams, especially small-to-midsized ones, lack. These include Google Ads beta features and data on successful approaches and campaigns.
Applications
Online marketing agencies investigate and buy marketing products for your organization. Use your agency’s keyword research tools for your approach.
Scalability
An agency can grow faster than an in-house marketing staff.
An agency can help you boost paid advertising during busy seasons or boost your social media presence. In-house marketing departments struggle to meet those needs.
Cost
Many companies demand price comparisons when choosing an agency or in-house marketing department. Agencies cost $20,000–$200,000 per year, while internal marketing departments cost above $200,000.
Cons
Digital marketing agencies have drawbacks:
Location
Local marketing companies are at a disadvantage because agencies are worldwide. For instance, your ideal agency may be across the nation.
Clients
Digital marketing agencies work with many enterprises, making some feel forgotten. However, an experienced and client-focused agency shouldn’t give you this impression or emotion.
Control
Digital marketing agencies might cause growing pains for companies that like to control their marketing campaigns. Agencies work best with some freedom.
Wrap Up
It can be hard to choose between an in-house marketing team and an agency. We can only provide the knowledge you need to make the best decision for your specific business. A marketing campaign may be manageable for a small business with few clients. On the other hand, an agency may help a small business with a few clients grow. You know your business best, so making the proper decision is key.
