Can’t decide whether to hire an in-house marketing team or outsource everything to an agency?
This decision can be one of the largest decisions that business owners make today. One wrong decision can sink your budget for years to come.
The right one?
It can:
Boost your revenue
Free up hours each week
Keep your marketing consistent
Each option is viable. However one will generally yield superior results for your particular scenario.
Here’s how to figure out which.
Outsourced vs In-House Marketing: Key Differences at a Glance
1. What Outsourced Marketing Actually Means
2. What In-House Marketing Looks Like
3. The Real Cost Comparison
4. Social Media Management – Which Model Wins?
5. How To Choose The Right Fit For Your Business
What Outsourced Marketing Actually Means
Outsourced marketing refers to hiring an agency or freelancer to do some (or all) of your marketing work for you.
That can include:
- Social media management
- SEO and content
- Paid ads
- Email campaigns
- Website work
You receive an entire team without adding anyone to your payroll. They come with their own equipment, processes, specialists and proven systems ready to go right into your business day one.
An effective outsourced partner, such as Adfield Agency plugs into your business and cares for it like it’s their own. Handling your strategy, content and reporting so that you can focus on running your business. Social media management is a prime example of this – the channels demand daily care and attention but most business owners find themselves short on time.
The trade-off?
You give up a bit of direct control in exchange for skill and speed.
What In-House Marketing Looks Like
In-house marketing involves hiring employees of your own. They work at your office (or on your virtual team) and focus solely on your brand.
This setup gives you:
- Full control over campaigns
- Faster internal communication
- Deep knowledge of your products
- Stronger brand consistency
Sounds great, right?
The problem is hiring in-house resources is costly and slow. You need to recruit them, train them, keep them happy, and pay them all yourselves. If one person quits, your marketing stops.
The average small business simply can’t afford an entire dedicated team. So instead they have one marketer stretched across 10 jobs and quitting after a year of burnout.
The Real Cost Comparison
Money matters. Here’s a breakdown of what each model actually costs.
In-House Costs:
- Salaries (marketer, designer, social media person)
- Software and tools
- Benefits and taxes
- Office space and equipment
- Training and courses
Crunch the numbers and one in-house marketer can cost you over £50k per year. Now scale that up to a whole team and it gets scary expensive, really fast.
Outsourced Costs:
- Monthly retainer fee
- Project add-ons when needed
- That’s it
Agencies always charge a flat monthly fee. You know exactly how much you’re paying. No hidden costs for sick days, software licences or training.
For the majority of scaling companies, outsourcing is cheaper. You receive an entire team for the price of one internal employee.
Social Media Management – Which Model Wins?
Social media management is one of the biggest battlegrounds in this debate.
Why?
Social media is always active. To build a successful brand, you need to post regularly, respond to comments, hop on trends, schedule ads, analyze results etc. every day. That’s essentially a career by itself.
The social media management outsourcing market is set to hit $22 billion by 2034. This just goes to show how popular this option is compared to hiring in-house.
In-house social media management gives you:
- Real-time brand voice control
- Instant approval on posts
- Direct connection to product launches
Outsourced social media management gives you:
- A team of specialists (strategist, designer, copywriter, ads manager)
- Access to premium tools without the cost
- Multi-platform expertise across TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Faster scaling when needed
Here’s the truth most business owners miss…
With over 5.4 billion people using social media, quality content standards have skyrocketed. The average part-time in-house marketer managing TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook will fall short on trends and quality.
Specialist agencies service hundreds of accounts daily. They identify trends quicker. They run campaigns more efficiently.
When it comes to managing social media alone, outsourcing is typically the best bet for small to medium sized companies. There is too large of a skill gap to bridge with just one employee.
How To Choose The Right Fit For Your Business
So which model is right for your business?
It depends on a few key factors. Here’s how to think them through…
A. Your Budget
If your marketing budget is below £100k per year then you are generally better outsourcing. You get significantly more skill for significantly less cost.
B. Your Growth Stage
Outsourcing is a huge advantage to startups and companies on the rise. Remain agile and pay for only what you need. Big corporations who are already established may want in-house for more control of a larger brand.
C. Your Industry
For very technical or highly regulated industries (think medical or finance), you might be better off with an in-house team that has expertise with your product. Most other industries function well with outsourcing.
D. Your Time
How many hours per week can you afford to manage marketers? Internal staff requires day-to-day management and feedback. Agencies are doing most of that for themselves, they just need you for approvals.
E. The Hybrid Option
Remember – you do not have to choose one or the other. Lots of companies do a hybrid of both:
One in-house marketing manager (for strategy and control)
An outsourced agency (for execution and specialist skills)
This means you get the best of both worlds. You maintain control, but also take advantage of expertise in areas such as social media and paid advertising.
The Final Verdict
So which model delivers better results?
Honestly… It depends on your specific situation.
But here’s a general rule to follow:
- Small or growing business? Outsourcing usually wins
- Large established company? In-house or hybrid often makes more sense
- Need specialist skills like social media management? Outsource it
- Want full brand control? Keep it in-house
Don’t choose a model simply because all of your competition is doing so. Consider your budget, your objectives, your time, and stage of growth. Then make the best decision for your business.
The decision you make today will hinder or set your marketing up for the next 5+ years. So take the time to really consider your options and choose what’s best for your business.
Keep in mind…the best marketing firm is one that you can afford to keep long term. An inexpensive internal group that flames out after 6 months is better than NO agency at all. Find an agency partner that you can work with for 5 years+.
