Pros + cons of agency vs in-house vs freelance marketing

Want to hear more? Check us out on these platforms.
Warning: our content is super addictive.

Marketing is a crucial part of any business, but at some point, you may not want to do it yourself. There are three options to consider when it comes to marketing: in-house, agency, and freelancer – each with its own pros and cons.

In-house >

In-house refers to having a marketing professional or team working within your company. One advantage of having an in-house marketer is that they are on the ground and can learn and grow with the business. As time goes on, they become a valuable asset and require less input from you. You are also their one and only priority, so you can be confident that your marketing needs are being taken care of. Additionally, they keep all your marketing files organised and on file.

However, one downside of having an in-house marketer is that if they are the only person handling your marketing, they may feel unsupported or not have the full skillset of marketing, communications, design, web development, etc. They can also become overwhelmed from being in the business and may struggle to get everything done.

Agency >

This means hiring a third-party company to handle your marketing needs. One of the significant advantages of working with an agency is that they can learn and grow with your business. Agencies often have a full suite of skills and can provide a variety of marketing services such as design, web development, social media management, and more. They also tend to be more experienced as they have worked with many different clients and have had the opportunity to learn from various projects.

Agencies also have established relationships with suppliers, which can be beneficial to your business. If the agency is big enough, they can meet almost any timeframe you need and, like in-house marketing, agencies keep all your files organised and on file. However, agencies can be expensive, especially when compared to hiring a freelancer. Additionally, agencies work with multiple clients, so you may not be their only priority.

Freelance >

Hiring a freelancer is an independent professional who handles your marketing needs. Freelancers tend to be cheaper than agencies, and they can still be highly experienced in their field. They also tend to be more flexible with turnaround times, making them a good option for small businesses with changing needs.

On the cons side, they can sometimes ghost you, taking all your hard work with them. If they get sick or go away, your work will stop until they return. Freelancers also may not last for years, meaning you could lose access to essential files over time.

Wrap-up tip >

It's also important to keep track of all your marketing files, logins, and templates, so you always have access to them. Also keep an eye on reporting to see how your marketing efforts are progressing over time.