The Honest Comparison
One of the biggest decisions growing businesses face: should you build an in-house marketing team or hire an agency? Both have real advantages and drawbacks. Here’s an honest comparison to help you decide.
Cost Comparison
In-House Team
A competent marketing team needs at minimum: a marketing manager ($80K-$120K), a content specialist ($50K-$70K), a PPC specialist ($60K-$80K), and a designer ($55K-$75K). Add benefits, tools, and overhead: $300K-$450K+ annually. And that’s a lean team.
Agency
A full-service agency provides all those roles (plus SEO, analytics, strategy, and project management) for $3K-$15K/month ($36K-$180K annually). You get a bigger team for a fraction of the cost.
When an Agency Makes More Sense
- Your marketing budget is under $300K/year
- You need expertise across multiple channels
- You want to scale up or down without hiring/firing
- You need senior-level strategy without senior-level salaries
- Your industry has seasonal fluctuations
When In-House Makes More Sense
- You have $500K+ annual marketing budget
- Your industry requires deep, specialized knowledge that takes years to build
- You need instant, always-available marketing support
- Your brand voice is extremely nuanced and specific
The Hybrid Approach
Many successful companies use both: an in-house marketing manager who owns strategy and brand, supported by an agency that provides execution, specialized expertise, and scalable resources. This gives you the best of both worlds.
Get Agency-Level Results at a Fraction of In-House Cost
Brandastic gives you a full marketing team dedicated to your growth. No hiring headaches.
