The Build vs Buy Decision
Every growing business faces this question: should we hire an in-house marketing team or partner with an agency? The answer depends on your budget, goals, and growth stage. Let’s break down the real costs and benefits of each approach.
The True Cost of an In-House Team
Building a competent in-house digital marketing team requires multiple specialists. A marketing manager, SEO specialist, content writer, PPC manager, social media manager, and designer add up quickly. With salaries, benefits, tools, and overhead, you’re looking at $300,000 to $500,000 or more annually for a mid-level team.
That doesn’t include training, software subscriptions, or the cost of hiring mistakes. The average cost of a bad hire is 30% of that employee’s annual salary.
The Agency Alternative
A full-service agency provides an entire team of specialists for a fraction of the cost. Most agencies charge between $3,000 and $15,000 per month, giving you access to SEO experts, content creators, PPC managers, designers, strategists, and analytics professionals.
That’s $36,000 to $180,000 annually vs $300,000+ for in-house. The savings are substantial, especially for small and mid-sized businesses.
Advantages of an Agency
- Diverse expertise — Access to specialists across all channels
- Scalability — Scale up or down without hiring/firing
- Tools and technology — Agencies invest in premium tools you’d have to buy separately
- Fresh perspective — Outside viewpoint from working with multiple industries
- Accountability — Performance-driven relationships with clear metrics
- Speed — Hit the ground running without months of hiring and training
When In-House Makes Sense
Large companies with $1M+ marketing budgets often benefit from in-house teams for day-to-day execution, supplemented by agency partnerships for strategy and specialized work. Companies in highly regulated industries may need in-house expertise for compliance. And businesses with very unique products may need dedicated personnel who develop deep product knowledge.
The Hybrid Approach
Many successful companies use a hybrid model: a small in-house team for day-to-day needs and brand stewardship, partnered with an agency for strategic planning, specialized execution, and scaling campaigns.
Making the Right Choice for Your Business
Consider your budget, growth goals, industry complexity, and how quickly you need results. For most businesses under $10M in revenue, an agency partnership delivers better ROI than building in-house.
Discover the Brandastic Difference
Brandastic gives you a full marketing team without the full-time price tag. Let’s discuss how we can grow your business.
