When Should Your Business Outsource Digital Marketing
(5 Clear Signs to Watch)

Five clear signs your business needs a digital marketing agency:

1. You’re not doing any digital marketing.
2. There are glaring gaps in your in-house capacity.
3. Your marketing campaigns seem unfocused or inconsistent.
4. There’s been a change in your business growth.
5. Your consumer has changed.

1. You’re not doing any digital marketing.

The marketing department used to be considered a cost center for businesses, so it’s understandable why some companies think of it as a luxury for better days and the first budget to cut in leaner times.

But that’s all changed now. Digital techniques in data collection and analysis have allowed marketers to develop smarter, more effective strategies and have placed them in the position to offer real support to your other departments.

This includes more obvious functions, such as funneling prospective customers to your sales team or researching consumer demand for product features. Less obvious: digital marketers can shape the entire flow of information within your organization around consumer experience.

Running a business without digital marketing isn’t just leaving money on the table; it’s not even knowing where to find the table.

2. There are glaring gaps in your in-house capacity.

There are many perfectly reasonable explanations why some companies have insufficient in-house capacity, but they mostly boil down to two factors: cost and time.

A digital marketing agency can draw on the expertise of several specialists, from web developers, graphic designers, and copywriters to photographers, videographers, and inbound strategists. However, without several concurrent campaigns and accounts, recruiting all these specialists and managing their turnover becomes expensive and time-consuming.

And then there’s upkeep. Although many marketing principles have stood the test of time, their exact implementation has continued to change. These changes can be the result of updates made to digital advertising platforms, new laws impacting privacy policy compliance across different regions, or new search algorithms disrupting best SEO practices. Google reportedly tweaks its search algorithm 500 to 600 times a year and has rolled out nine major updates in the last two years.

In order to remain competitive, digital marketing firms have to stay on top of these changes, constantly retrain their staff in relevant skills, and pay for subscriptions to marketing tools and client management systems.

When companies compromise on in-house capacity, such as by hiring all-rounders and generalists, they’re often left with a marketing department that’s unfairly overstretched and increasingly obsolete. By outsourcing the finer details to a digital marketing agency, brand managers can be freed up to focus on matters of strategy and direction.

3. Your marketing campaigns seem unfocused or inconsistent.

This problem is especially common among overstretched in-house teams, who are too busy scrambling with urgent tasks or reacting to your competitors. While it’s important that your marketing efforts are flexible enough to seize opportunities or sidestep calamity, there’s a limit. An inconsistent marketing approach can confuse your consumers and sacrifice brand consistency for short-term goals.

A consistent brand is 3-4 times as likely to experience brand visibility. To keep your communications on message, digital marketing agencies can act as your brand bible, faithfully and consistently reflecting your business’s mission, values, and design language across all your communications.

It’s a common misconception that digital marketing translates into immediate results. The actual payoff comes with long-term strategies that earn and reinforce consumer trust over time, using consistent messaging you’re able to continuously refine.

4. There’s been a change in your business growth.

“Change” can be positive or negative. Whether your business is growing, stagnant, or even in decline, it’s vital that your digital marketing strategy reflects and addresses the stage of your business growth.

When your business is experiencing rapid growth, your staff is preoccupied with clients, either closing sales or providing after-sales services. During this time, marketing efforts can take a backseat to revenue. Left unchecked, your content can become outdated or irrelevant to your target audience.

On the other hand, if you’re experiencing stagnation or decline, and the cause is unclear, a digital marketing agency can assess your current marketing efforts, research your competitors, and offer suggestions for improvement or create entirely new campaigns that were previously unfeasible with your in-house capacity.