6 Reasons Why a Digital Agency Outperforms an In-House Marketing Manager

Is your business run off its feet? Are you struggling to keep up with day-to-day tasks and lacking the time for marketing efforts? 

If so, you’re not alone. This is a common problem business owners face, and a common solution is hiring an in-house marketing manager. 

However, today’s marketing managers are being swamped with extra tasks, like social media management, Google Ads, SEO, content creation and design. And to add to that, they’re expected to be across their company’s CRM platform like HubSpot too. 

Marketing managers are being asked to be a jack of all trades. We all know the saying, ‘jack of all trades, master of none.’

That’s why we think there’s a better way: engaging a digital marketing agency like Margin to take control of your marketing and get you back on track. Okay, we may be a little biased… But we’re here to convince you that working with an agency is worth it.

Just to prove it, we're presenting our top 6 reasons why engaging a digital agency often outperforms hiring an in-house marketing manager. Let’s dive in.  

1. Leverage their Expertise

When you engage a digital agency, you gain access to their knowledge and expertise. Digital agencies have a team of specialists with diverse skills and experiences, providing a broader range of expertise than a single in-house manager. For example, they will have trained specialists in content creation, SEO, Google Ads, graphic design, and website development. They can help you to set up a full funnel marketing approach that leverages multiple channels for optimum results.  

Agencies also have insight into the latest trends in the marketing industry, like advancements in technology, social media and AI. They can use this knowledge to inform your business’ marketing strategies to help you remain competitive. 

Working with an agency gives you access to specialists who can:

• Turn your underperforming website into a profitable asset
• Turn your underperforming Google and Facebook ads into scalable revenue
• Introduce closed-loop reporting for acquiring better leads, to name but a few

2. Gain Access to Advanced Tools and Resources

One key benefit of partnering with an agency is the access you gain to sophisticated tools, software, and reporting resources that might be cost-prohibitive for individual businesses. For instance, agencies are adept at using social media scheduling tools and email marketing software like Klaviyo.

For ecommerce ventures, a digital agency can assist in setting up and optimising your Shopify store. They can recommend the most effective apps and extensions to enhance your Shopify experience and maximise results.

3. Ensure Strong Return On Investment

Although it may seem like doing all your marketing in-house can save you money, it will cost you in the long run because you won’t be able to achieve the same results as an agency could. We think it’s more worthwhile to invest in hiring an agency, to ensure you get a strong ROI from your marketing efforts. 

The cost of hiring an agency in Australia depends on the type of service required, the complexity, and the size of the agency. Typically, the average annual digital marketing cost ranges from AUD$50,000 to $206,000. Here’s a breakdown of some of the marketing agency costs in Australia: 

• Hourly consultant services: $150 to $360 
• Monthly marketing services: $5,000 to $14,300
• One-off website projects: $12,000 to $50,000+ 
• Google Ads a few cents: to $70 per click
• Social media marketing: $30 to $145 per click or impression

When it comes to choosing an agency, don’t just go for the one with the cheapest rate. As the saying goes, ‘You pay peanuts, you get monkeys’. This definitely applies to marketing agencies. Lower rates can mean that the agency isn’t adequately resourced to serve your needs. Instead of being proactive and focusing their efforts on your business growth, they will be doing ‘reactive’ marketing. Just skimming the surface. 

A good agency will be more expensive, but they will work hard to ensure your marketing efforts deliver real results for your business. They will act as an extension of your team. 

4. Improve your Online Strategy

When you partner with an agency, they will help you to develop a strong digital marketing strategy. They will leverage their expertise across different marketing channels to create a well-rounded and informed strategy that reaches your prospects and drives conversions. 

Your strategy will also be informed through the agency's industry contacts and their knowledge of current advertising standards and trends. They will also have a focus on meeting monthly or quarterly KPIs and driving results for your business. 

An agency will also help you to effectively scale your marketing efforts to suit your budget and your business needs. They can help you scale up your marketing during key sales periods and scale down during quiet seasons. 

5. Recruiting Stability: A Reliable Partner for the Long Haul

One of the key advantages of partnering with a digital agency is the stability it brings to your business. Unlike in-house marketing managers who may depart after a short tenure, agencies offer ongoing marketing services that can span years. You can rely on your agency to consistently deliver marketing support, eliminating the need to repeatedly recruit and onboard new marketing managers.

6. Gain Access to Detailed Reports

When you do all your marketing in-house, it’s up to you to take the time to gather data, analyse it, and come up with solutions. This takes a lot of time and effort, especially if you’re not particularly skilled in Paid Performance Marketing and SEO tools. 

Don’t worry, your digital agency can help! When you work with an agency, they can provide detailed analytics and reporting, making it easier for you to track the effectiveness of your campaigns and make informed decisions. 

At Margin, we provide monthly reports for all our clients so they can gain insight into their business’s current performance and set quarterly benchmarks for the future.  

Do I still need a Marketing Manager? 

Even with the support of an agency, maintaining an in-house marketing manager can prove invaluable. However, it's essential to redefine their role within the organisation.

Instead of focusing on campaign creation, your marketing manager should pivot to coordinating, briefing, and facilitating communication between your in-house team and external partners. They should also oversee the management of your marketing budget and serve as the primary liaison with your agency.

Ideally, your in-house marketing team should:

• Brief the specialist agency on business goals, upcoming campaigns, or sales objectives.
• Provide the agency with all necessary assets, such as case studies and branding materials.
• Keep key stakeholders informed of marketing initiatives and provide regular reports.
• Manage event coordination.

By allowing specialists to focus on their core competencies, your in-house team can optimise results and enhance collaboration with external partners.

How to Find the Right Digital Agency for your Business

Now that you’ve decided to hire an agency instead of doing all your marketing in-house, the next question is how to find the right agency for your business needs. Digital agencies in Brisbane come in all shapes and sizes, so it can be difficult to choose. Here are some prospective questions you can ask your potential agency to see it they will be a good fit: 

• Which processes and tools do they use?
• Which areas are the specialised in eg. SEO, PPC, web design, or content marketing?
• How do they measure success for their clients? 
• When can you expect to start seeing results? 
• How much do your services cost? 

Apart from asking these questions, there are a few other strategies you can use to find the right digital agency. These include:

• Talk to their past customers about their experience 
• Look at recent reviews and testimonials
• Critically review their website (keep an eye out for red flags) 
• Give them a coffee test 
• Do a trial run 

At Margin, we provide a complimentary discovery call for potential clients, enabling us to understand your challenges, goals, and objectives. Following this, we offer a comprehensive overview of our processes, services, and team. Additionally, we conduct a complimentary audit of your current marketing strategies, providing you with a clear roadmap for future success.

Why Choose Margin?

At Margin, for over 17 years, we've specialised in helping businesses get found online through strategic marketing. 

Our expertise lies in prescribing tailored online marketing strategies and tactics that attract audiences, convert traffic into qualified leads, and drive exponential sales growth.

Our all-star Brisbane lineup includes Paid Search Pros, Digital Designers, Web Developers and people who live and breathe digital marketing. 

Book your free discovery call.