Should You Hire a Marketing Team or a Digital Agency?

There is general agreement that a company needs skilled marketers to thrive and build good relationships with consumers. However, there is disagreement about whether a company should have a full-time in-house marketing employee or hire a digital marketing agency.

When you ask yourself if you should hire a marketing team or a digital agency, there are two main possibilities to consider.

Let’s dig right in and compare the two possibilities when you ask yourself: “Should I hire a marketing team or a digital agency?”

Team vs. Single employee

There is no one perfect answer to whether you should hire a team or a single employee. Every company is different and has their own unique vision. You need to decide what would work best for your business. However, marketing is a big job that requires many different tactics and skills - like creating content and analyzing website performance.

It can be hard to find someone who is good at a lot of things. When you are looking for someone to do a job, you need to think about what they are good at. You also need to think about how much experience they have, what kind of skills they have, and if they know a lot about your industry. You also need to think about how quickly they can do the job.

How to decide what’s best for you

Before you decide whether to work with an in-house employee/team or a digital marketing agency, you need to think about your business' needs and logistics. 

#1. What specific marketing tasks do you need help with? 

Are you looking for someone to only help you with email marketing? If so, then it may be better to hire an employee who can work in-house. If you need help with many different marketing tasks, a digital agency may be a better choice. They have a team of people who can each specialize in one task, whereas if you hired an employee, they would have to do many different tasks which could lead to them not doing any of them as well as they should.

#2. What are your goals for your business? 

How soon do you want to achieve them? Hiring an outside marketing agency may help you reach these goals more quickly. They can focus on all of the marketing aspects for your business while you concentrate on other areas.

#3. How much money do you have to spend? 

Can you afford to hire multiple people who will work in your house? You need to look at your finances and figure out what you can afford. That includes training for the employees who will work in your house.

Benefits of digital marketing agency

#1. Diverse skills

A digital marketing agency provides a team of people with different skills. Each person has a different talent that they bring to the table. At SeedX, we have content writers, email marketing specialists, web designers, ad specialists, social media experts and more. With so many different types of expertise, the agency can look at a problem from many different angles and find a solution. More minds, more marketing magic!

Cons

If you have an in-house staff, it is less likely that you will find someone who can do all of the jobs related to marketing. That includes a lot of work!

#2. Costs

Hiring a digital marketing agency is more cost-effective than using in-house employees. Glassdoor statistics show that the national average base salary for a marketing manager is $78,141. Obviously, those numbers will drastically increase with an entire in-house team. A digital marketing agency costs less each year – annual costs with a team can range from $24,000 to $96,000.

You can get great services, experience, and productivity from an agency for a lot less money than you would spend if you had an in-house team. Check out this helpful infographic to see how the costs compare.

Cons 

Hiring an in-house team costs a lot of money for a company. Not only do they have to pay the employees an annual salary, but they also have to pay for vacation time, bonuses, and employee benefits.

#3. Knowledge of industry trends

The marketing world is always changing. That's why it's important to have a digital marketing agency that is always up-to-date on the latest trends. They should know about the latest technology and tools so they can help your business run smoothly.

Cons

If you are doing all of the marketing operations yourself, you may not be as up-to-date on industry trends. This is especially true if there is only one person in charge of all marketing.

#4. Focus on Marketing

A digital marketing agency will focus on the marketing of its clients. This will allow business leaders to focus on their internal operations and other opportunities.

Cons

When you have an in-house marketing team, sometimes people do marketing work and other work too. That means they might not have time to do only marketing things.

Benefits of in-house marketing

#1. Internal communication

Having streamlined communication among different departments may be an advantage with an in-house team. A full-time employee may offer more immediate and regular involvement in this regard on a daily basis. When hiring in-house employees, it’s essential to examine how the employees can best interact with other company divisions in order to optimize business performance. You can read this useful article on ways to cultivate productive and successful internal communications.

Cons

Not all digital marketing agencies are the same. Some have other clients and may not be able to give your project the attention you need. But this depends on the quality and commitment of the specific team. A top-notch agency should have strong communication skills and respond to requests promptly and efficiently.

#2. Hand-picking employees

Creating an internal team allows you to choose the best employees for the job. You need to find employees who have the right skills and can handle the dynamic responsibilities of marketing. Keep in mind that hand-picking employees can be a time-intensive and expensive process, especially if you are hiring multiple people.

Cons

When you hire a digital agency, you are hiring a team that has already been put together. This team is likely to be made up of people with different skillsets who work well together. This will save you time and effort because you will not have to create this team from scratch.

#3. Familiarity with the company

A full-time employee who works in the company will usually know more about the company and its goals. They will be familiar with the company's vision and what it wants to achieve. They may also be able to help contribute to brainstorming sessions and meetings, making sure that the company's voice is heard.

Cons

A digital agency that works remotely won't be as familiar with your company culture. But this can be fixed. With good communication and research about your company's culture, and a good fit, the agency will understand your objectives.

Where to find digital marketing agencies

Thumbtack

Thumbtack is a website that connects you with experts in various industries. On the website, you can find an introduction, a list of services, and details such as business hours, social media accounts, and payment methods. There is also a section on the website that shows past projects, photos, and videos. Past clients can review agencies on the website, which can help future clients get unbiased testimonials.

Clutch

Clutch is a marketing platform that provides insights to improve customer interaction and activity. They work with hundreds of popular brands like Godiva, Pandora, and Samsonite. Their strategy involves three key functions- identifying customers, extracting meaning from data, and recommending actions that benefit your brand.

Upcity

Upcity is a website that connects companies to many different professionals. The people who work on the site have checked all the professionals to make sure they are good, and you can see what other people have said about them. You can also see what each professional offers, who their customers are, and what makes them special.

Google search

You can use Google to find marketing agencies in your area. For example, if you search "Top Digital Marketing Agencies in New York City," you will find many pages with lists and descriptions of top-notch teams. Google can help you do research on different agencies and explore your options.

Are you still undecided? Don't worry, this is a really important decision that you need to think about carefully. You need to weigh the pros and cons, ask yourself some essential questions, and use this article to help guide you to the best decision for your business.

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