Are you ready to capitalize on digital marketing to propel your business forward? Selecting the right marketing partner is crucial: do you opt for a specialized freelancer or engage a comprehensive digital agency?
Making a choice between a digital agency or a freelancer can be complex, but you are not alone in this decision-making process.
In this guide, we provide you with a detailed analysis and expert insights, enabling you to meticulously evaluate and discern the optimal choice for your business’s specific needs.
Read on to equip yourself with the necessary information to make a decision that will significantly enhance your digital marketing strategy.
When to Consider a Freelance Marketer?
The decision to hire a freelance marketer can be driven by several factors that align with your operational strategy and business model. Here’s when considering a freelancer might be your best option:
1. For Irregular Requirements
If your digital marketing needs are not fixed and vary from month to month, working with a freelancer can be highly beneficial and cost-effective.
Freelancers are ideal for businesses that require assistance intermittently—perhaps only a few times a year or for unpredictable tasks that arise spontaneously.
For instance, if you occasionally need a few social media posts, a blog update, or help setting up a temporary ad campaign, a freelancer allows you to manage these needs without the overhead of a fixed contract or salary. You pay only for the work done, making it a financially prudent option.
2. If You Have Short-term Projects
Freelancers are particularly suited for short-term projects that have a clearly defined scope and timeline. This might include promotional campaigns for specific events, product launches, or seasonal marketing efforts.
Employing a freelancer for these kinds of projects means you can engage expert skills for just the duration needed without committing to long-term employment or agency retainer.
For example, hiring a freelance graphic designer to create unique visuals for a holiday sale campaign or a freelance copywriter to craft compelling content for a product release.
3. For Marketing Tasks That Don’t Require KPIs
There are many marketing tasks that need execution but aren’t necessarily tied to performance metrics or specific goals.
For these service-oriented tasks, such as updating website graphics, proofreading content, or managing data entry for marketing databases, freelancers can provide the necessary skills on an as-needed basis.
This flexibility is perfect for tasks that contribute to the smooth running of your marketing operations but don’t directly drive performance metrics.
4. Want to Deal with Projects Without Deadlines
When you have tasks that are important but not urgent, hiring a freelancer can offer the flexibility you need.
In scenarios where the timing of task completion is flexible, freelancers can work within a more relaxed timeline, allowing for extensive collaboration, revisions, and refinement.
This is particularly useful for developmental projects like creating a new branding strategy or researching potential markets. The process with freelancers in such cases can afford the luxury of deeper exploration and iterative feedback, which might be constrained under tight deadlines.
When To Go with Digital Marketing Agency Solutions?
Hiring a digital agency provides a broad range of benefits, especially when your marketing needs are complex, continuous, or require a team of diverse expertise.
Below are detailed scenarios in which partnering with an agency could significantly enhance your digital marketing efforts:
1. If You Have Goal-oriented Digital Marketing Needs
If your marketing objectives are clear and tied to your business’s growth targets, such as increasing sales, boosting engagement, or enhancing online presence across multiple platforms, an agency is well-equipped to manage these comprehensive needs.
Digital agencies bring a strategic approach to planning and executing on long-term goals, utilizing a team of professionals who specialize in diverse skills of digital marketing.
For example, an agency can synchronize efforts across SEO, social media marketing, email campaigns, and paid advertising to ensure a cohesive strategy that drives toward your key performance indicators.
2. Need to Handle Multiple Projects
When you are dealing with multiple projects or campaigns at once, the breadth of expertise and resources an agency provides can be invaluable.
Agencies have teams that specialize in different areas of digital marketing, from creative design to data analytics, like SEO, PPC, social marketing, video marketing, and content marketing, which allows them to manage complex and diverse projects simultaneously.
This is especially useful for businesses that need consistent branding and messaging throughout all marketing platforms.
A digital agency project management skills ensure that each project is conducted on time and within budget, providing peace of mind and freeing up your internal resources to focus on other business priorities.
3. Want Expert Assistance for Ongoing and Extensive Campaigns
For long-term campaigns that require ongoing management and adaptation, such as year-round PPC campaigns or continuous content marketing strategies, an agency’s persistent oversight and strategic depth are essential.
Agencies provide stability, scalability, and the ability to adjust tactics quickly based on market feedback and analytics.
They are proficient in handling extensive campaigns that not only need regular updates but also a strategic pivot to address evolving market conditions and business goals.
4. Need for Stability and Structure
If consistency, reliability, and a structured approach to digital marketing are what you value, then an agency is your go-to option.
Agencies bring a level of sophistication to project management that includes detailed timelines, regular reporting, and a systematic process for measuring success.
This structure is crucial for businesses that need to ensure their marketing activities are aligned with broader corporate objectives and compliance standards.
5. If Looking for Expert Help from Scratch
Establishing a strong online presence from the ground up requires a comprehensive strategy that includes web development, SEO, content creation, and more.
This structure is crucial for businesses that need to make sure their marketing activities are aligned with broader corporate objectives and compliance standards.
For businesses looking to build or revamp their online footprint comprehensively, an agency can manage the entire process from strategy formulation to execution, ensuring all digital marketing actions are cohesive and aligned with the business’s overall vision.
Budget Expectations for Digital Marketing Services
When deciding between a freelancer and an agency, budget considerations play a crucial role.
To help you better understand the potential financial commitments, below are the average expected budgets for common digital marketing services offered by both freelancers and agencies.
This comparison should provide a clearer perspective on what you can predict to spend depending on the service and the type of provider you choose.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Freelancer Cost: SEO freelancers typically charge between $75 and $150 per hour. For a proficient level of work, assuming 20 hours of service per month at an average rate of $100 per hour, the cost would be around $2,000.
Agency Cost: A good agency might charge between $500 and $1,500 per month for comprehensive SEO services.
This fee covers extensive SEO strategies, including on-page, off-page, and technical SEO, with a team of specialized experts focused on achieving your specific marketing goals rather than billing by the hour.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click Advertising)
Freelancer Cost: Freelancers may charge from $30 to $180 per hour for PPC management. If a campaign requires 15 to 20 hours of work initially, at an average rate of $50 per hour, the total cost would be around $1,000.
Agency Cost: Agencies typically offer PPC services starting around $600, which includes comprehensive management of the campaign rather than hourly-based efforts. This could be more economical for ongoing management and optimization of the campaigns.
Social Organic (Social Media Management)
Freelancer Cost: Hourly rates for social media managers range from $20 to $30. For 20 hours of work per month, this equates to about $400 to $600.
Agency Cost: An agency might offer a monthly package for $250 to $350, encompassing all facets of social media management, like content creation, post-scheduling, and engagement activities, often making it a more inclusive and strategically sound option.
Graphic Designing
Freelancer Cost: Graphic designers often charge between $25 and $100 per hour. Depending on the complexity and the number of designs needed, costs can quickly add up.
Agency Cost: Agencies typically offer graphic design services within a range of $300 to $2,500 per design package. This often includes multiple revisions and adaptations, which can be more cost-effective when needing a series of designs that are consistent in quality and style.
Content Writing
Freelancer Cost: Freelance writers usually charge between $25 and $40 per hour or per piece, which can vary depending on the length and subject complexity of the content.
Agency Cost: Agencies may charge between $15 and $20 per hour, offering content packages that include research, writing, and editing, providing a more cohesive and strategic approach to content creation.
Email Marketing
Freelancer Cost: Freelance rates for email marketing range from $20 to $95 per hour. For a single email campaign requiring around 3 hours of work at $50 per hour, the cost would be approximately $150.
Agency Cost: Agencies often offer email marketing services ranging from $70 to $150 per campaign, including strategy development, design, copywriting, and performance tracking.
Video Creation
Freelancer Cost: Freelance video production can cost ranging from $30 to $150 per hour. Depending on the project, total costs can become significant.
Agency Cost: Agencies provide video creation services typically priced between $2,000 and $20,000 per project. This includes comprehensive production services from storyboard to final editing, which ensures a professional outcome suitable for various marketing channels.
Web Development
Freelancer Cost: Freelancers charge about $25 to $150 per hour for web development. Costs for a project might vary greatly depending on its scope.
Agency Cost: Web development by an agency can cost between $5,000 and $25,000 per project. This usually covers everything from design to deployment, including rigorous testing and optimization, providing a more robust and scalable solution.
Evaluating Your Needs and Making the Decision
Selecting the right digital marketing support involves understanding your specific business requirements. Here are the essential factors to guide your decision:
- Marketing Objectives: Identify what you aim to achieve—increased visibility, lead generation, market expansion, etc.
- Budget: Understand your budget limitations and prepare appropriately to balance your marketing spending.
- Project Scope: Determine the complexity of your marketing efforts. Larger, multi-faceted projects might require diverse skills, while smaller projects may benefit from specialized expertise.
- Expertise Needed: Consider the specific skills your marketing projects require, such as SEO, content creation, or social media strategy.
- Management Level: Reflect on how much oversight your projects need and how hands-on you wish to be in the marketing process.
- Duration and Flexibility: Decide if you need short-term assistance or a long-term partnership, and consider who can best adapt to your needs over time.
- Review Past Work: Evaluating previous work helps gauge potential partners’ fit with your brand’s values and goals.
10 Questions to Ask Before Deciding Your Digital Marketing Agency or Freelancer
When selecting a digital marketer, it’s important to delve deeper into their expertise, processes, and alignment with your business’s strategic goals. Here are some detailed and discerning questions designed to uncover crucial insights during the vetting process:
- What specific tools do you use for project management, SEO, content creation, and analytics?
- What should we realistically expect from your services in the first 3 months?
- If we are targeting specific results, what is the estimated time to achieve these outcomes?
- When can we start seeing growth from our marketing efforts under your management?
- How do you handle data privacy and security, especially with our customer information?
- Can you provide examples of monthly reports or insights that we would receive?
- What is your strategy for adjusting campaigns based on performance data and feedback?
- How frequently will we review campaign strategies and results together?
- What is your process for onboarding new clients, and how soon can we begin implementing strategies?
- What support do you offer for reacting to market changes or unforeseen challenges?
Some FAQs
1. What should be best: in-house marketing vs. agency?
Outsourcing to an agency often proves to be a smart and cost-effective choice compared to maintaining an in-house marketing team. With an agency, you avoid the overhead expenditures of recruiting full-time employees, such as salaries, benefits, training, and workspace. Agencies contribute a wide range of talents and the latest technology to your projects without the long-term commitments and fixed costs of an in-house team.
2. What are the advantages of freelancers over in-house marketing teams?
Freelancers offer several advantages over in-house teams:
- Flexibility: Freelancers can be recruited on a project-by-project basis, which is suitable for fluctuating workloads or specialized jobs.
- Cost Efficiency: Without the fixed salaries and benefits associated with full-time employees, freelancers can be a more budget-friendly option.
- Specialized Skills: Freelancers often have specific skills and can be selected to match the exact needs of a project, ensuring expert handling of each task.
3. How much can you expect for digital agency costs?
Digital agency costs can vary widely depending on the scope of your project, the size of your campaign, and the specific services you require. Generally, you can expect to pay the following:
- Small to Medium Projects: $1,000 to $5,000 per month
- Comprehensive Campaigns: $10,000 to $20,000 per month or more for extensive strategies that include multiple marketing channels and ongoing management.
These costs reflect the agency’s ability to offer integrated services, access to a team of experts, and the use of advanced tools and technology.
4. Can you outline some of the pros and cons of Freelancer?
Pros:
- Cost-Effective: Generally lower cost due to no overhead charges like office space or employee benefits.
- High Flexibility: Ideal for projects that require specific skills for a short duration.
- Direct Communication: Easier and direct contact that might lead to quicker turnarounds.
Cons:
- Limited Scalability: Handling large or multiple projects simultaneously can be challenging.
- Less Oversight: Requires more direct management and coordination from the client’s side.
- Availability Issues: Freelancers might juggle multiple clients and might not always be available on demand.
Ready To Make Digital Marketing Boost Your Business?
After weighing the costs and benefits discussed, you may have decided whether a freelancer or an agency is right for your digital marketing needs.
If your requirements suggest that an agency is the best fit, then EvenDigit—with over 14 years of experience in the digital marketing industry—stands as the perfect partner for you.
At EvenDigit, we boast a robust team of over 70 digital marketing experts covering every essential area, including SEO, PPC, social media, Google Ads, video production, graphic designing, and content writing.
Our comprehensive approach ensures that your whole digital marketing strategy are expertly managed under one roof.
If you’re ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level and achieve substantial business outcomes, let’s talk. Once you submit the form below, one of our experts will get in touch with you to discuss about your particular needs and how we can help turn your digital marketing goals into reality.
