A new study has revealed that digital freelance workers climb more quickly up the success ladder than workers in any other industry. With brands understanding the importance of digital marketing it’s no surprise that those who have a history of delivering results are those constantly in demand.
For many businesses, who understand the need for consistent marketing online, the question isn’t “How much should we invest” it’s “should we outsource or hire in-house?” Of course there are pros and cons to each situation which you should consider before making a final decision.
In brief, here are some pros and cons to help you decide on the right digital marketing path to take.
Costs
In-house digital marketers may cost less on a week to week basis however this doesn’t take into account the costs for:
- Holidays
- Sick Pay
- Breaks
- Paperwork (such as the wages for your admin staff who process the in-house employees PAYE)
- Employee Insurance
Of course, there are benefits, you can decide on a regular salary and the amount you pay is unlikely to increase despite the extra workload that may be thrown at your digital marketer. Although, a salary may dampen enthusiasm for delivering results.
#Top Tip: If you are to hire in-house, consider bonuses or performance related rewards for digital marketers to ensure you receive a return on your employee investment.
Which leads us to:
Security
An in-house employee will feel extremely secure and if you’ve chosen wisely this shouldn’t affect their performance at all. If you outsource your marketing, you’ll find that the agency or person you hire doesn’t take this security for granted. Bespoke contracts aside, the agency knows that if they don’t deliver, you’ll go elsewhere, there are no written warnings for freelancers.
Commitment
An in house marketer will have one sole focus, your brand. They will spend their allocated hours per week working on marketing your company and nothing else. This is obviously a positive but does it mean freelancers are less committed?
Some may argue that freelancers will be more committed to your brand than those you have in house. This is because your satisfaction is crucial to their success.
A digital marketer will not clock off at 5pm, they will finish when the job is complete, this makes them ideal for real time marketing, analysis and social media.
Innovation
On the same theme, an in-house marketer may have your company as their only client, but does this focus lend itself to seeing the bigger picture? Freelancers constantly develop skills, research new ways in which to market online and if one client is experiencing success through a certain technique they will replicate that across the board.
A diverse range of clients means that freelancers can explore opportunities that may not have been immediately obvious to your brand.
The final decision does depend on your budget, your future plans and the time and resources you already have, in a future post we’ll show you how to separate the wheat from the chaff!
Martina Mercer
Connect with Martina MercerMartina Mercer is an award winning copywriter and digital marketer. She specialises in psychology delivering marketing that identifies consumer profiles and connects customers with brands. As an expert in proximity marketing, Martina is one of the only experienced beacon marketers in the UK highlighting her commitment to developing her skills in an ever changing consumer focused world.
