Digital marketing is now a necessity for all companies, regardless of their sector, market or size. Indeed, it involves keeping a website alive, ensuring a presence on social networks, converting visitors into customers or developing your online business. All of this requires skills that few VSEs or SMEs have.
Outsource or internalize your digital marketing?
Every business leader is sooner or later faced with this question: Who am I going to entrust with my digital marketing? How can I really develop my presence on the internet without breaking the bank? And what budget should I devote to it?
Faced with the plethora of experts, consultants, freelancers, and agencies, you are probably wondering who to turn to. The choice is often dictated by your budgetary constraints. And the temptation is great, especially at the beginning, to do all or part of it yourself. Is this a good idea?
When should you consider hiring and creating an internal team? Who will advise you best? An independent consultant or a multi-skilled agency? These are all questions that will need to be answered appropriately and take into account your particular situation. Here, as in most cases, there is no standard solution. Each company has its strengths and limitations.
Of course, you will find plenty of advice on the internet. Unfortunately, the recommendations are often biased, depending on whether they come from a consultant, a freelance platform, or a web marketing agency.
In the United States, Smartinsights conducted the survey to determine which areas of digital marketing were outsourced or insourced. Here are the results of this survey:
In this unbiased article (I have no service to sell), I will try to enlighten you based on my long-term experience on both sides of the border (client and service provider).
Entrust your digital marketing to a freelancer
This is the solution that I generally recommend to smaller structures, (e-)traders, liberal professions or any sole proprietorship.
When to turn to a freelancer?
Turning to an expert is always a good idea since digital requires a series of very specific skills. If you notice that your website is not attracting the desired traffic, or if you are struggling to get your community off the ground on social networks, in this case, finding a specialist who can support you for a while is certainly a good idea, even if your budget is limited.
Here are the main assets of a (quality) freelancer:
- Flexibility: you can shorten or lengthen the collaboration, depending on the results obtained or your budgetary constraints.
- Cost: a freelancer is less expensive than an agency or an internal resource, because you only pay for the work performed (almost no charges, taxes or administrative fees, etc.).
- Expertise: often versatile and perfectly autonomous, in addition to his expertise, he will bring you a fresh perspective on your activity, nourished by his experiences with other clients.
- Focus: A freelancer focuses more on your project, the fewer clients he has. Conversely, the interest an agency will show you generally depends on your budget.
How to find a freelancer?
- First of all, it is about defining your needs precisely and setting your budget.
- Then, to find the rare pearl, turn to one of the following channels:
- Google (search for “freelance + skill + location”)
- social networks (LinkedIn or Facebook) with the same type of search
- platforms such as crème de la crème , malt , codeur , fiverr , Upwork , 99designs , 5euros , and many other general or specialised platforms.
Take the time to browse the reviews and compare several profiles.
- Your own professional network and word-of-mouth
- Compare profiles to establish a shortlist (check each person’s technical expertise, but also their achievements and their alignment with your own values).
- Contact the selected people to explain your project to them and ask for a modular quote for the services sought. Make sure that it is not a standard, non-personalized quote. I always recommend the modular approach, which allows you to prioritize and spread investments over time and to best respect your budget.
Risks & Disadvantages of Freelancing
Working with a freelancer certainly has many advantages but also limitations:
- Control – the freelancer manages his work as he sees fit. Define clear criteria (KPI) together to be able to evaluate his performance.
- Confidentiality – If the freelancer is going to handle confidential information, have them sign a non-disclosure statement.
- Specialization – have a clear idea before hiring a freelancer. Some freelancers specialize in one or another branch of digital marketing. What expertise are you looking for exactly? A creative, a copywriter, a webmaster, a community manager or a strategist to define and plan your digital communications? It is better to find the expert who best matches your expectations.
Working with a digital marketing agency
The main advantage of an agency is to bring together complementary expertise and to approach each project in a global manner in order to allocate the resources necessary to succeed in the mission entrusted to it.
When to turn to a marketing agency?
Digital marketing is becoming increasingly complex and requires increasingly sophisticated and diversified skills (SEO, content and video marketing, data analytics and automation, inbound marketing and lead generation, influencer marketing, etc.).
When your business grows or when you want to outsource a larger project (the launch of a new product, for example), it is better to contact a (good) marketing agency specialized in digital.
A “project manager” will be your main point of contact. They will assemble the necessary team in the agency, prioritise and coordinate tasks, and give you regular feedback. They will also ensure that deadlines and instructions are met.
The advantages of an agency can be summarised as follows:
- Multidisciplinary expertise : the agency selects and coordinates the most relevant profiles to successfully complete your project. You don’t have to do this tedious research.
- Consistency : The agency’s experts decide together on the best strategy. On the contrary, if you work with several freelancers, you will not get the same level of consistency, each working independently.
- Project management : the agency has the resources necessary to carry out more complex and longer projects. And in the event of illness or vacation, it will ensure that missing profiles are replaced to ensure the continuity of the project.
- Long-term support : a versatile agency has the structure and skills to support you over the long term and vary the resources allocated to your project according to your specific needs.
How to find a digital marketing agency?
- It is essential to define your needs precisely (we will speak of a brief or specifications) and to plan the budget.
- To select an agency, you will turn to the same channels:
- Google (search for “digital marketing agency + localization”)
- social networks (LinkedIn or Facebook)
- the Sortlist platform
- word of mouth
- Comparing agencies is essential (their expertise, their values, their achievements, and consult customer reviews). Keep a maximum of 2-3 that you will invite to meet you.
- Invite the selected agencies for a detailed briefing and a reciprocal presentation. It is not only the skills that count. It is also necessary that the current passes between the different interlocutors. Collaborating remotely without trust never gives good results!
Internalise digital marketing
Internalizing your digital marketing, of course, gives you total control over your communication and marketing campaigns. But it is an investment that must be carefully considered.
When to manage your digital marketing internally?
Many very small businesses get into digital marketing in DIY mode and learn on the job by watching YouTube videos or following specialized blogs. Very often, they are disappointed with the results and quickly become discouraged because the learning process is long, and practising digital marketing is extremely time-consuming, especially if you don’t have the tools and effective routines.
Internalising your digital marketing mainly involves having reached a certain digital maturity . Recognizing the importance of digital for your business means understanding the impact that fast, targeted and coordinated internet marketing campaigns can have to really boost the company’s reputation and profitability. Having competent resources in-house is of course a major asset in terms of speed of execution and reaction.
Among the advantages of internalization, we will especially remember better governance. Directly involving employees in the company’s communication is an excellent way to develop their commitment and their sense of belonging.
Other benefits of insourcing include:
- Better knowledge of products/services : the huge advantage of an internal team is being able to consult experts and the company’s various departments at any time.
- Corporate culture : the cohesion of an internal team can boost the company’s communication and give it a more coherent, closer and more authentic image.
Towards a hybrid formula
Insourcing or outsourcing your digital marketing is probably not the heart of the issue. Both options have their advantages and limitations. Take the time to weigh the pros and cons, and don’t consider budget as the only selection criterion.
The best solution is probably hybrid : internal management with collaborations, possibly occasional, external. The main thing is to understand the importance of digital marketing for your company: to acquire and retain new customers, to make yourself known and recognized, to sell and advise, to share your values and develop a community. The competitive advantage that will result is priceless!
Last but not least, don’t forget that digital marketing is evolving so quickly that you will have to constantly adapt your practices and actions. This means constantly training and informing yourself . To take the measure of technological innovations, understand the evolution of consumer behaviour or, anecdotally, know the algorithm changes.
In short, whatever option you choose, you will have to personally invest in this digitalization process to understand where and how to steer your business. Because, ultimately, whether you internalise or outsource your digital marketing, you are the project manager, you who will have to set the course and the guiding principle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether you opt for a freelancer, agency, or in-house team depends on your business’s unique needs, budget, and long-term goals. Freelancers offer flexibility and cost savings, and agencies bring multidisciplinary expertise and consistency while internal teams provide full control and faster execution. However, a hybrid approach often combines the best of both worlds. Regardless of your choice, ensuring expert guidance is essential for success. For reliable and versatile support, the best digital marketing agency can provide the strategic edge your business needs to thrive.