Without marketing, success in the modern era is impossible. Yes, this is true. Brands get most of their customers through social media. It is a direct way of reaching their audience to share information and updates about your business. If you are not utilizing it, soon you will be left behind. But here comes the most asked question: is an in-house marketing team better or a digital marketing agency? This is where many businesses make the wrong decision. To avoid this, let us compare both of them in detail:
Skills and Knowledge
Digital marketing is an endless domain – you cannot learn its strategies and continue to implement them. Digital marketing strategies change according to shifts in audience behavior and social media algorithms. There is a lot to handle such as SEO, PPC, social media, email campaigns, and analytics. The demand for skill sets is enormous.
An in-house team can give excellent results in one area but struggle in others. Research by the Content Marketing Institute found that 50% of in-house teams cannot overcome the hurdles in keeping up with changing digital trends. Trends will change within a few weeks – strategies falling behind will get lost. Agencies are built around specialization. They bring together a team of experts who are constantly working on industry trends. They guarantee that your business benefits from ultra-modern strategies.
Cost of Hiring
Cost is what mostly fuels are decisions. After all, businesses tend to decrease their expenditures and improve profits. This guides our decision of an in-house team or an agency. You should know that setting up and maintaining an in-house team is definitely expensive.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a digital marketing specialist in the U.S. is $63,000 per year. Multiply that by the number of specialists you need. There will be graphic designers, content writers, social media managers, and data analysts. You have to add the costs of software, and tools as well. Further, employee benefits are added and the numbers quickly soar.
Agencies work with cost efficiency. You will get access to a full suite of professionals and tools at a fraction of the cost that you need to maintain an in-house team. Plus, agencies grant scalability. This way, you can adjust your spending based on your current demands without the hassle of hiring.
Technological Tools
Marketing success is heavily dependent on tools. You must have heard of some marketing tools, but there are plenty of tools that you need for analytics. Social media scheduling tools and modern AI-driven technologies have become a necessity. These tools are highly important, but they can be costly.
In-house teams will always struggle to justify the expense of premium tools. Digital marketing agencies will invest in these resources as part of their core operations. They are working with multiple businesses, so the costs are lower for them. This gives you access to the latest technology without additional costs.
Creative Campaigns
In-house teams will be familiar with your brand. They know the ins and outs, and so they can give the best content; however, when we talk about creativity, they may stay behind. It can sometimes fall into a routine that stifles creativity.
A digital marketing agency will bring an outsider’s perspective that will give unique ideas that connect with your audience. According to a HubSpot report, 73% of marketers believe creativity is behind many successful campaigns. By working with an agency, you get access to fresh strategies. They will share concepts that might not emerge within the boundaries of an in-house team.
Speed of Working
Time is a critical factor in digital marketing. If your posting gets delayed, the trend may already move ahead. Launching campaigns according to the market change is not an easy feat. You have to respond to customer demands, and this requires agility.
Agencies have a loyal team with AI-backed and streamlined processes. Mostly they can deliver faster results. In-house teams will face delays due to restricted staff or multiple priorities. Agencies are also able to make data-driven decisions. According to McKinsey, data-driven marketing can increase ROI by up to 20%, and agencies are experts in interpreting analytics that you can rely on for better strategies.
Talent Retention
Employee turnover for the in-house team is not a challenge to be ignored. Marketing roles have a turnover rate of nearly 17%, and this is one of the highest across industries, as stated in LinkedIn’s Talent Trends report. If you lose a team member the entire workflow is disrupted. Next, you will be juggling with a lengthy hiring process. It will take time, and meanwhile, you will be losing leads. Agencies can eliminate this risk as they give a stable and devoted team. Even if a person goes, they have a huge team to back up. Their sole focus is delivering results for your business.
Cohesive Campaigns
Marketing does not mean that you can follow any strategy that you find out. The campaigns on multiple platforms should be interlinked. Audiences will remember your brand through your different campaigns. This is paramount to creating a cohesive and integrated campaign.
An in-house team can be good for social media management, but they may struggle with SEO or paid advertising. Digital marketing agencies will have a balanced strategy. They guarantee that every aspect of your marketing strategy will speak the same thoughts. They focus on building campaigns that amplify your brand across an array of channels to create a unified message.
Modification for Industry Changes
You must know that the digital marketing industry is in constant flux. You can never get free from the sudden algorithm updates. Multiple platforms are being launched. For example, recently, Instagram released Threads.
Even more, consumer behaviors constantly change. Thus, the demand for vigilance and adaptability is high. A 2023 survey by Deloitte revealed that 61% of businesses struggle to keep up with digital transformation. Agencies are built to adapt, and their teams are working hard to monitor trends. They will modify their strategies accordingly. This confirms that your business keeps a strong position in the market.
Hidden Costs of In-House Teams
Though you can think that having an in-house team is appealing, hidden costs can outweigh the assumed benefits. There is much more beyond the conventional salaries. You have to cover the training costs and software expenses. Even then, the risk of inefficiencies due to a lack of specialized expertise is not negligible. Agencies, on the other hand, operate on a results-driven model. Every dollar you invest is tied to measurable outcomes. This is a more transparent and accountable option.
Final Verdict
You have learned a lot already about the comparison between in-house teams and digital marketing agencies. They have their advantages, but a digital marketing agency advantages can surpass the latter. This is owing to their extensive knowledge, and skills in this area. To succeed as a business, you should partner with a digital marketing agency like ALAANAK. This way you will get access to a results-driven strategy that will strengthen your your business in the modern era. If you want to take your brand to the next level, let’s start the process today.
