Surprisingly, the answer is not as simple as saying "yes" and "no". To better explain this, it is important to look at various factors from both the employer's and employees' points of view, and the expectations to have from agencies when it comes to availing services and receiving the deliverables.
What is outsourcing in digital marketing?
The practice of hiring a third party to perform services is no different when it comes to digital marketing. A business can reach out to a third-party agency that would be experienced in looking after social media management, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, content creation, email marketing, analytics, copywriting, development, graphic design, and video production, to name a few.
Employer’s Perspective
Every company comes across a fork in the road when it has to decide whether it should create and hire full-time employees or outsource activities to an agency. Here are a few of the pros and cons from the perspective of employers.
Pro’s
Cost Efficiency
Outsourcing helps in cutting down on the necessity of hiring full-time employees, which encompasses salaries, insurance, and office space, among other things.
For startups and small businesses with limited budgets, outsourcing can lead to a substantial reduction in costs while maintaining high quality standards.
Access to Expertise
Often, companies may not have the specialized skills required for specific tasks, such as running complex digital marketing campaigns.
Outsourcing to agencies/specialists/professionals who specialize in these areas allows employers to tap into the wealth of knowledge, tools, and strategies that would be expensive and time-consuming to develop internally.
A digital marketing agency will have teams focused solely on SEO, PPC, content creation, etc., providing businesses with deep expertise.
Scalability
Outsourcing offers flexibility in terms of scaling up or down. During high-demand periods, companies can quickly ramp up operations by outsourcing more tasks. Conversely, during slower times, they can reduce their outsourced workforce without the complications of layoffs or restructuring. This is particularly useful for businesses with seasonal demands or fluctuating workloads.
Focus Core Activities
By outsourcing non-core activities, businesses can concentrate on what they do best.
Scenario: A tech company may outsource its marketing needs so that its internal team can focus on product development and innovation. This streamlined approach can boost productivity and enhance the overall quality of the company’s core offerings.
Cons
Loss of control
Outsourcing always involves relinquishing a certain amount of control over how tasks are performed. For instance, an outsourced team may make decisions that do not fully align with the company’s internal processes or values.
At WittyWeb Studio, we understand how important control and accountability are. After all, your brand is your baby. That is why we believe in complete transparency. We do not shy away from sharing our thought process, the execution strategy, and the timelines. This way, we not only keep you in the loop but also make sure that we are all aligned at every step of the way.
Communication Barriers
Outsourcing to teams in different time zones or countries can lead to communication delays and misunderstandings. Time zone differences can make scheduling meetings difficult, and language barriers might result in miscommunication about project goals. In some cases, cultural differences can also affect the way teams approach problem-solving or business relationships.
Whether it is campaign management or any digital marketing activity, the key to success always lies in the timing of execution. That is why at WittyWeb Studio, we do not hesitate to align your working hours with ours. This helps us ensure that last-minute changes or hurdles if they arise, do not result in unnecessary delays or potential friction.
Quality Concerns
The quality of work can vary significantly when outsourcing, especially if there isn’t a solid vetting process in place. Some outsourced teams may lack the attention to detail or commitment to quality that in-house teams offer, which can result in subpar work.
Whether it is an upcoming agency or an already existing agency, mistakes can occur anytime, anywhere. That is why at WittyWeb Studio, we have our own process and multi-check process at every stage that ensures that each and every communication/design/campaign follows the brand guidelines and there are no grammatical mistakes.
Security Risks
Outsourcing often involves sharing sensitive business data with external teams, which can increase the risk of data breaches or intellectual property theft. This is particularly concerning when outsourcing tasks like customer data handling or proprietary marketing strategies.
As more and more companies are shifting their operations online, both the companies and governments have realized the importance of data security, confidentiality, and privacy. That is why at WittyWeb Studio, we ensure that with every client NDA's are signed, all the data is GDPR and HIPAA compliant, and we never become the first owner of the data of any customer. To further protect the data, we ensure that no information ever leaves the workspace of WittyWeb Studio without the consent of the clients.
How agencies can help
Expertise in Latest Trends:
Digital marketing is constantly evolving with new tools, platforms, and algorithms. Agencies that specialize in this field are often better equipped to stay on top of these trends than an in-house team with broader responsibilities. For example, when Google releases a new update, an agency will likely know how to adjust SEO strategies immediately, ensuring the client's rankings aren’t impacted.
Comprehensive Solutions:
A digital marketing agency can offer a full suite of services, from content marketing to PPC, social media, and email marketing. This holistic approach ensures consistency across all platforms and channels. Agencies are equipped to create cohesive campaigns that integrate all aspects of digital marketing, giving businesses a more streamlined and effective marketing strategy.
Data-Driven Insights
Agencies often have access to advanced analytics tools and a wealth of performance data from various clients. This allows them to make data-driven decisions to optimize marketing campaigns. Businesses can benefit from this expertise by gaining actionable insights into customer behavior, campaign performance, and market trends, which might not be easily attainable with an in-house team.
Fast Time-to-Market
Since agencies are staffed with experts who specialize in different aspects of marketing, they can implement and launch campaigns more quickly than a company’s internal team, which might need additional training or resources. This is especially advantageous when businesses need to respond quickly to market opportunities or competitive threats.
Cost-effective for Small Businesses
For small businesses, building an in-house team with the same expertise as an agency would be prohibitively expensive. Agencies provide access to a range of high-quality services at a fraction of the cost, allowing small businesses to compete with larger companies without needing to invest heavily in internal marketing resources.