Markets are transforming at a very fast rate. Finely tuned online marketing strategies like search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click forms of advertising and others are the only way to keep any company doing Business profitably. SMEs that employ these kinds of strategies definitely have a competitive advantage over those who don’t. A company can either choose to have its own in-house digital marketing or decide to outsource it. In this article, we have mentioned the risks and benefits of outsourcing your Digital Marketing if you are considering this.
Benefits – Outsourcing Your Digital Marketing
1. Adaptability and responsiveness
An outsourced agency is adaptable and responsive to the newest developments. The same way your company strives to remain relevant and at the forefront of any innovations in the industry, so does an outsourced agency. Contrary to internal staff who will take time to learn new skills, new developments become apparent much faster when working with a digital agency. Your marketing plan benefits from new developments as the less relevant ones get little priority.
2. Flexibility
Another benefit of outsourcing your digital marketing is flexibility. From time to time, the requirements of your preferred marketing strategy will demand for a variety, if not a combination of marketing formulas. Unlike an in-house form of marketing where this will take a long time to accomplish, a digital agency is able to provide this in a timely fashion. Of, course an outsourced agency has to consider resource utilisation, but their levels of flexibility for being able to aptly apply skills at each level is incomparable.
3. Latest tools
With an outsourced agency, your company will have access to top-notch marketing tools and technology. The largest benefit to your company is that this will happen at a much lower cost as compared to getting these tools directly. Since marketing is greatly becoming digital and relying on expensive software platforms, creative software, PR management, Email service providers and more, obtaining them on your own can be quite costly and often digital agencies can apply them at a nominal cost, or as part of your package.
Risks – Outsourcing Your Digital Marketing
1. Choosing the wrong agency
It is not an assured success when it comes to outsourcing; risks do exist. The first of these risks is choosing the wrong agency. Ending up with a company with no capacity or capability to take you through your needs can be disheartening and costly. A company that cannot focus on achieving your goals is a bad choice too, because this will means a loss of both potential and existing customers, and ultimately a nose-dive in your sales figures.
2. Lack of understanding
When marketing your business, you want a process that is appropriate, transparent and repeatable. However, an outsourced company is not as close to your management compared to internal staff. With this kind of setup, there are chances of producing a marketing strategy that does not reflect and match well with the brand of the company.
3. Can be expensive
One of the greatest demands of an outsourced digital marketing agency is a heavy investment in planning. When the process is uncoordinated and sporadic, heavy financial costs are inevitable. Stop-start series’ of activities that come with poor planning can lead to an enormous cumulative cost.
When all is said and done, both outsourcing and having an internal marketing staff have risks and benefits at their own capacities. The logical step here is to analyze the marketing needs of your company to choose the right marketing strategy. When choosing to outsource to an agency, be sure the digital agency is equipped with the skill base to achieve the marketing goals of your company.
