To Hire In-House, or Outsource to a Marketing Agency?
Digital marketing is becoming more specialized than ever, and the range of services that digital marketing covers is increasing, too, as more of our world moves online. Digital marketing now includes SEO, graphic design, web design, video, social media, reputation management, branding, messaging, email marketing, blogging, paid advertising, just to touch on a few. And, within each of these service categories, we can dive down even deeper, with “SEO” including on-page and off-page SEO and 200 more factors, and “social media” could mean being regularly active and engaged with any number of social networks ranging from Facebook to YouTube. If you are a small or medium business owner, you know you need strong digital marketing, but you might wonder if it is better for you to keep your marketing efforts in-house, or hire an outside marketing agency.
Many businesses keep their marketing in-house. That might be a good fit for some businesses, but it depends on what your goals are. Above we listed out some of the most fundamental elements of a modern digital marketing strategy. Even that list is incomplete – as it leaves out new technologies that will be released, changes to SEO strategies, new social platforms, mobile applications, and the list continues. Many business owners have a strong “DIY” attitude – one that has helped them be successful at running their business. The key, however, is that ALL of the elements complement one another, and if any one key ingredient is missing, it is likely your overall campaign will not be successful, especially if you are in a competitive market.
The good news: hiring a marketing agency is nearly always going to cost you less money than hiring an internal staff member.
Yes, really. Salary.com reports “The median annual Marketing Manager salary is $96,046, as of October 30, 2017, with a range usually between $83,692–$113,082″. Of course, this depends on several factors including where your business operates. If your single staff member worked non-stop 24 hours and 7 days a week, they still would not be able to take on all of the tasks of an agency. Mastering each different creative art and technical aspect isn’t feasible for one person to handle. With an agency, you get access to a full team of people who are all highly experienced and specialized in their niche. An agency will be able to move many different parts simultaneously, and will be able to respond much faster if data shows that any element needs to be adjusted.
Once you have decided hiring in-house isn’t the best option, you will have a new task at hand: choosing the right marketing agency. Almost any marketing agency can offer the same suite of services, so often times it will boil down to if they are a good fit for you or not. Take your time and find an agency that you will enjoy working with. Find an agency that listens and understands your business pain points and goals, and then measures steps to get you there. Find an agency that will share transparency about where your money is being spent, and will make honest recommendations to make sure your money is not being wasted on services that really aren’t necessary to get you where you want to be. Your marketing agency should be your partner in business, so be sure to have an idea of what you are looking for so you can ask questions that will help qualify any agency you talk with during your selection process.
Your business marketing can make or break your success. If you are looking for the right fit, we would love to be considered to be your partner in business. To learn more about our marketing agency, contact our team at Top Marketing Agency by calling (888)843-9840.
