After travelling through the plateaus of a business cycle, there comes the point when an organisation has to ask itself: is it better to seek agency marketing solutions, or will our in-house marketing team suffice?

It is an important question and has been repeated often. A definitive answer is, however, impossible to provide as a digital marketing agency has to balance several options to arrive at a proper decision.

That leads us to an impasse: which is the best option? Well, here is a dispassionate and nuanced look at the aspects of each choice, as far as digital marketing services are concerned. It relies on several surveys and words of wisdom from several CEOs.

In-house marketing vs agency marketing

To reach a consensus, a notional idea of the two parties involved is a must-have. In-house marketing involves people who work for your organisation currently and can be drawn from various departments at short notice. An agency hires professional marketers and their expert advice.

Based on value added in total, each party holds some cards. Here’s how they compare.

Skillset-based competition

In-house team:

When you hire professionals for your own organisation, they come up with a digital marketing strategy which is consistent with your organisation’s goals. That is because they are familiar with a company’s fundamentals and objectives.

You can pick and choose from your own digital marketing services team to create a truly diverse and responsive unit.

Agency marketing:

They are professionals and bring with them an objective outlook, not to mention a fresh perspective.

While individuals may not be more skilled per se, the skill set tends to be more diverse, especially in pure marketing.

Verdict: A tie, but a digital marketing strategy often needs reworking, and an external agency can hold an edge.

Creativity-based competition

In-house team:

Creative people get bored easily. You have to be extra judicious when picking your team for your own company. Favouritism cannot outweigh merit.

Besides, your organisation’s employees know what to expect from the authorities and what they expect in return. That way, they know precisely what to deliver.

Agency marketing:

Agencies bring with them a broader understanding of your industry niche and also of your direct competitors.

Verdict: Agency marketing is the clear winner here, as they can bring a fresh and broader perspective. While it may cost your organisation more, they bring with them better advantages.

Adaptability-based competition

In-house team:

You know who your team members are and what gels them together. Since they work in the same office, they are adaptable to shorter deadlines and tight budgets. You can always prioritise which tasks need more attention and which can wait for later.

Lastly, in-house teams know each other and may work better in the company of colleagues than that of strangers.

Agency marketing:

Such agencies are professionals and are highly adaptable, to say the least. Your company hierarchy has to take a call.

A digital marketing agency may also have other clients, which may force them to depreciate the emergency challenges your business throws up.

Verdict: A marketing agency is better off with an in-house team in this instance.

Overall verdict

All said and done; there cannot be a one-size-suits-all solution to this problem. It is up to the people who run an organisation to decide whether to bring in outside help from a digital marketing agency or stick to in-house pros. It is an important decision a company needs to ponder upon at length before arriving at any reasonable conclusion