Agency vs In-House Marketing: What’s Best for Your Company?4 min read
Liquid Digital March 3, 2023
5 Ways to Know If You Should Use an Agency or Do Marketing In-House
When determining the best approach for your company’s content marketing efforts, there are a few key factors to consider.
Do you have the resources and budget to outsource your marketing? Will agency marketing be able to provide more expertise or specialized services?
Essentially, there are pros and cons to both, and ultimately, it comes down to what will work best for your company and yield the highest marketing ROI.
What is an In-House Marketing Team?
In-house marketing is a department that only provides marketing services to the company it’s employed by. This type of marketing involves a team typically made up of employees hired by the company rather than outsourcing to an outside agency or freelancers.
This type of marketing structure allows for a more personalized and tailored approach, as well as better communication and collaboration within the company.
Generally, small to mid-sized businesses handle their marketing in-house and have a team that consists of an SEO specialist and analytics expert, content writer, social media manager, paid ads specialist, CRO developer, and so on. These officials all report to a marketing manager.
What is a Marketing Agency?
A marketing agency is a third party that works with multiple clients, often in various industries, to provide services such as branding, advertising, social media management, and public relations. Marketing agencies bring their expertise and specialized skills to the table, while also offering a fresh perspective compared to an in-house team that may be more familiar with their company’s internal processes.
Agency vs In-House Marketing Team: Things to Consider
Conduct a needs analysis for your company
Before investing in any marketing, analyze your company’s needs to determine if it is a good fit.
This includes understanding your company’s short-term and long-term goals, areas that need improvement, and potential opportunities. This will help inform your decision when picking a digital marketing agency vs in-house team.
For example, if your company needs help with a specific aspect of marketing such as social media or SEO, an agency may have more expertise in those particular fields.
On the other hand, if you have a solid understanding of your company’s overall marketing strategy and just need additional support for execution, working with an in-house marketing team may be more appropriate.
Consider budget and resources
One of the biggest factors to consider when it comes to deciding on in-house or agency marketing is your company’s budget and resources. In-house teams often require larger upfront costs for things like hiring, training, and equipment. However, they may have lower long-term costs and offer more flexibility for adapting to changes in your marketing strategy.
Hiring an agency, on the other hand, typically requires a smaller initial investment and can provide access to specialized expertise. However, it may also have higher long-term costs and less control over the direction of your marketing efforts.
Checking out various ad agencies’ rates for your marketing needs and comparing them to the cost of internal marketing staff can be helpful. You may also want to touch base with your financial department about these numbers before making a final decision.
Look at past success and expertise
Looking at past successes and areas of expertise for both agencies and in-house teams is important when considering agency vs in-house. Has the agency worked with companies in your industry before? Can they provide specific examples of successful campaigns? Are there any gaps in their skillset that may not align with your company’s needs?
Likewise, consider the past successes and skillsets of in-house marketers. Do they have the necessary experience and expertise to handle your company’s marketing efforts? Are they able to adapt to changes and new challenges?
Evaluate communication and collaboration
Good communication is crucial for a successful marketing campaign, so take a look at how well agencies and in-house teams communicate and collaborate.
- Will an agency be able to effectively communicate and work with your internal team?
- Will an in-house team be able to keep up with the fast pace of a dynamic marketing campaign?
These are important questions when considering in-house marketing vs agency.
Additionally, consider how much input and control you want to have over your company’s marketing tools and efforts.
Do you prefer more hands-on communication with an internal marketing team or would you prefer to delegate tasks to a reliable digital agency?
Think about scalability
Is your company’s digital marketing strategy likely to expand or change in the future?
If so, consider how well agencies and in-house teams can adapt and scale with those changes.
- Can an agency easily add new services or team members to meet your growing needs?
- Can an in-house marketing department handle a larger workload or pivot to a new marketing strategy if necessary?
Choosing between an agency and an in-house marketing department for your company’s marketing efforts is not a one-size-fits-all decision.
By conducting a needs analysis, considering budget and resources, looking at past successes and expertise, evaluating communication and collaboration, and thinking about scalability, you can make a well-informed decision on what will be the best fit for your company’s digital and social media marketing needs.