Many businesses struggle with deciding whether to undertake in-house marketing or outsource their marketing to an agency when looking for the correct digital strategy to enhance exposure and revenues. Selecting between in-house and agency marketing may be difficult, and there are several factors to consider before reaching such a crucial decision.

This blog discusses the benefits and drawbacks of hiring an in-house marketing team vs. an outsourced marketing firm to assist you in determining which option is best for your company.

In-house Marketing Pros

Industry and Company Knowledge

They are compensated for being loyal to your business and might well spend every day learning the ins and outs of your business. Since it’s all they are working on, they’ll have a better knowledge of your service or product.

Avoid the Brain Drain

In-house marketing can help avoid “brain drain.” This is a phenomenon many organisations experience when they stop outsourcing to a digital marketing consultancy. You need to be careful about who you outsource to. If you outsource to an agency, you must ensure they provide you with the knowledge to excel without them. Whilst this can still be an issue even if you insource, it does provide you with greater control.

Knowing your staff

You will want to see who is in charge of your digital marketing initiatives, and if you prefer in-house marketing, you could select your entire team from the start. However, you must first be willing to invest significant time and money in recruiting to guarantee that you have the ideal individuals representing your business.

Less expensive for small enterprises

In-house marketing is frequently preferred by small firms and start-ups. Their marketing budget is limited, and they often demand tighter controls over their marketing expenditure. Knowing how to handle your digital marketing expenditure is critical before making the decision to make sure that you pick the appropriate option.

In-house Marketing Cons

Experience and abilities

Your company may struggle from a narrow skill-set if you utilize an in-house marketing staff. Although you may employ people depending on their digital advertising talents and expertise, once they are integrated into the in-house crew, they may find it difficult to find the resources and time to continue improving their skills. You might even have to spend more money on something like a social media course to make sure your in-house team is all on the same page. You also have a restricted variety of skills available to you when you opt for in-house marketing, so you’ll have to give up some of the abilities you expected to use.

Creativity is limited

Having a staff dedicated to your company is great; but, hiring people to focus on your business daily may limit overall innovation. When your in-house advertising staff is directly immersed in the company’s day-to-day operations, it could be difficult to stand back, acquire a wider perspective, and deliberate how to grow the brand.

Outsourced Marketing Pros

A more diverse and sophisticated skillset

Marketers at digital agencies are professionals at what they are doing. They invest time in sector training and stay up to date on the newest digital marketing trends in order to grow professionally and offer you superior service.

Greater Flexibility

The demand for digital marketing experts is rising across the world. Yet there is a skill shortage, given the industry is still relatively new. After all, social media giants Facebook are only 19 years old. However, even if you manage to hire top talent, uncertainty remains. The global economy is in crisis after the pandemic. Therefore, flexibility can be beneficial. Outsourcing to a digital marketing consultancy means you can hire experts and be adaptable to changing budgetary demands. And best of all, it can prove to be cheaper. A junior marketeer can cost over £100k per year when you factor in overheads. That’s without considering the cost of marketing software licences. The true cost can be considerably higher.

Enhanced creativity

If you utilize an outsourced marketing firm, you might profit greatly from an ‘outsider’ viewpoint. Every week is different for the agency professionals, who work with a variety of unique customer accounts. This allows their thoughts to remain awake, fresh, and, most crucially, creative. Furthermore, they are constantly exposed to a wide range of enterprises and sectors, allowing them to break free from the limits of regular routines and provide innovation.

Long-term cost-effectiveness

Outsourced marketing allows you to access a larger and more varied workforce without incurring additional costs on recruiting a large in-house equivalent. While employing an agency may appear to be costlier at first, you will get additional skills and information to help you build your initiatives and increase those all-important sales.

Outsourced Marketing Cons

It may take some time for an agency to become acquainted with your business

Unlike in-house advertising agencies, outsourced marketing firms must work harder to ensure they completely grasp your company and its target clients. Effective communication and a tight working connection can help to fix issues.

They might be involved in potential conflicts of interest

Outsourced advertising companies have a large customer portfolio, and some firms pride themselves on becoming specialists in a certain industry (fashion, beauty, food, etc.) Because of this industry concentration, certain digital firms may be working with a lot of customers that are in direct rivalry with one another, resulting in a conflict of interest.

Which Marketing Method Is Best for Me?

If you have the financial resources to establish a marketing team from the ground up. Then in-house advertising may be your best bet. This implies you’ll need to employ a graphic designer, a digital designer, and a director of marketing to make your marketing ideas a reality. However, if you lack the necessary resources, you can consider outsourcing your advertising. When outsourcing, select an agency that is accountable and will represent your brand.