Outsourcing isn’t a Backup Plan anymore, It’s a Growth Strategy
For a long time, outsourcing marketing had a bit of a reputation. It was the thing you did when you couldn't afford to hire, a stopgap until the "real" team came together in-house. That thinking is outdated. The most ambitious business owners we work with aren't outsourcing because they have to. They're doing it because it's the smarter way to scale.
Marketing today isn't one job. It's a dozen. Strategy, content creation, photography, videography, paid ads, email marketing, social media management, events, and the platforms and algorithms behind all of it, changing constantly. Expecting one person, or even one small in-house team, to be genuinely excellent across all of it is a big ask and wishful thinking if you talk to us.
Most internal marketing hires end up specialising in one or two areas out of necessity. That's not a knock on them, it's simply how skillsets work. But it means gaps, and gaps mean missed opportunities, slower output, or work that needs to be outsourced anyway.
Outsourcing as a Scaling Tool, Not a Cost Cut
When you partner with an agency, you're not replacing a role. You're plugging in a full bench of specialists who already know how to work together, and who are already across what's changing in the industry. That means:
Faster turnaround, because the right person is already handling the right task
Consistent quality, without carrying the risk of one person's leave, turnover or bandwidth
Access to skills that would be expensive or slow to build in-house, like drone footage, paid ad optimisation or email automation
The flexibility to scale support up or down as your business and campaigns demand
Normally no lock-in contracts so your exit plan is a lot cleaner
Project by Project, or as a Long-Term Partner
This is where outsourcing really earns its place as a growth strategy. It's not all or nothing. Businesses can bring in agency support for a single campaign, a seasonal push, or an event, and scale that relationship up as trust builds and results show up.
The True Cost Comparison
Numbers help cut through the noise, so let's look at them honestly. Here is our completely unbiased look at Marketing Agency vs In-House Marketing Team.
According to SEEK, the average Marketing Manager salary in Australia sits between $105,000 and $125,000 a year. That's before superannuation, leave entitlements, a laptop, software subscriptions, ongoing training, and the cost and time of recruiting if the role doesn't work out. It's a genuine investment, and for the right business at the right stage, it's a good one.
An agency partnership is generally a different shape of cost altogether, often scaling with the scope of work rather than a fixed annual salary, and without the on-costs that come with an employee. But it's not a straight swap, and it's worth weighing up both sides honestly rather than assuming one is simply "better."
In-House Marketing Manager
Advantages:
Deep, day-to-day knowledge of your business and culture (if they’re anything like I was in a Marketing Manager role, you wore the culture building like a badge of honour putting your reputation on the line for the enhancement of the business and its people).
Fully dedicated to your business, no shared attention across other clients (although, some may have other stuff going on. Side hustles and other commitments)
Present in the room for internal meetings and quick decisions
Disadvantages:
One person, one perspective, and inevitable gaps in skillset
Salary, super, leave and tools are fixed costs whether output is high or low that month
Risk sits with you if the hire isn't the right fit, or if they leave
Who picks up the slack while they’re ‘away’?
Marketing Agency
Advantages
A full bench of specialists across strategy, content, paid ads, email, events and more (Often agencies specialise in specific skills for specific industries. This has become increasingly common and very beneficial to your business)
Access to skills and equipment that would be costly to build in-house (Think expensive camera gear, studio space, training courses for your staff and so forth that you don’t have to think about)
Flexibility to scale support up or down as your needs change (Modern agencies have been flexible in the way they work. No lock-ins, project-based)
Disadvantages
Less physically embedded in day-to-day operations
Requires clear communication and briefing to work well
Shared attention across other client work, though a good agency manages this closely, prioritises well and communicates thoroughly to avoid mishaps.
As scope increases, so do commercial terms (compare this to hiring more people internally, though, its a fraction of the cost)
Neither option is right or wrong. The right fit depends on your stage, your budget and how much specialist coverage you actually need.
As a founder, I have been on both sides of this equation. I have managed marketing teams myself, so I understand the calculation business owners are making. Outsourcing isn't about handing over control. It's about surrounding your business with the right expertise at the right time, so you can focus on running the business while the marketing keeps moving. As I mentioned above, staying on top of the fast-moving, forever-changing landscape that is marketing has become impossible for one person to manage on their own, heck, even a small in-house marketing team struggles from time to time. I know this from experience!
The intention of this article is not to persuade you one way or the other. This is lived experience and there are real positive outcomes that can come from both sides of the fence. It all depends on your stage of growth. If you’re just starting out in business, chances are you’re doing everything yourself anyway but as you start to grow and lose track of your marketing, an agency is a perfect place to start. If your a business owner with mutliple staff and your marketing team has high turnover, momentum often gets lost, concepts and assets dissappear with the staff and brand identity loses shape. A marketing agency can come in with a fresh perspective, clean up your appearance and set you back on the right path. We also see established businesses with highly functioning marketing teams come to us for help. There may be 4 members in-house but none of them are skilled in a specific area; Brandid Media has plugged into these businesses a lot and it works great.
Food for thought, give me a buzz if you want to chat more!
