Guide to Outsourcing Digital Marketing

In the current economic climate, many businesses are facing budget constraints, workforce reductions, or both. This is particularly true in the tech industry and more broadly in the B2B sector. When businesses tighten the purse strings, marketing is often one of the first budgets to get cut. But this is a short-sighted move, as it’s even more important to maintain digital marketing efforts during times of economic uncertainty.

Rather than pulling back on marketing, consider outsourcing your efforts to a third-party agency instead. This approach allows you to maintain high-quality output without the considerable overhead of an in-house team. Plus, it frees your employees up to focus on other core business activities. Let’s look at the top benefits of outsourcing as well as what steps you can take to find the right partner for your needs, and what to expect in terms of cost.

Why outsource your digital marketing?

Keep costs under control

Managing costs is always top of mind—especially when budgets are limited. Working with a digital marketing agency eliminates the need to hire an entire team of marketing employees, which means paying full-time salaries, benefits, and training costs. When you’re looking to build a complete and highly-skilled  team, those costs are considerable. With an agency providing support, you can instead pay only for the services you need, increasing cost efficiency and giving you more control over your budget.

Access a whole team of experts

At the same time, outsourcing extends the value of that budget because you get access to a whole team of experts—likely much bigger than you could afford to hire in-house. Agencies provide specialized skills in everything from managing content management systems (CMS) and content creation to social media marketing and growth-focused digital strategies. Plus, they have in-depth knowledge of what works and what doesn’t, how to iterate and optimize, and how to measure the success of various campaigns and initiatives. The level of expertise and experience that comes with a good agency produces high-quality, up-to-date digital marketing efforts to optimize outcomes.

Take advantage of advanced tools

A good partner will also give you access to premium marketing tools and technologies that can help to elevate your efforts and enhance your results. When handling everything in-house, many of these tools are cost-prohibitive because you have to purchase and maintain them yourself. A good agency team will also know how to use advanced tools to drive the best possible results—unlike in-house team members, who may have to start from scratch.

How to find the right partner

Look for experience

So, how do you find the right company for your digital marketing needs? For starters, look for an agency with a proven track record. They should have a strong portfolio and a wide range of case studies demonstrating their success with similar businesses or projects. Asking in advance to see their past work will ensure you’ll get access to all that expertise and experience.

Prioritize communication

Communication and transparency are also key. Find out how often they’ll provide updates on campaign performance and adjustments, and how they will keep you informed. Make sure the way they communicate works for you, too—whether via Slack, email, project management software, etc. Choosing a team that gels with your own will also smooth the way for success.

Be sure they know your industry

Finally, choose a partner with experience in your specific industry. Digital marketing efforts may look similar across verticals, but the nuances matter. A good partner should have a good understanding of the specific market trends and challenges you face, so you can benefit from their wisdom. And as those trends and challenges evolve, they’ll keep their finger on the pulse—so you can focus on other business matters.

What should we expect in terms of pricing?

Flexibility is crucial

One of the key benefits of outsourcing your digital marketing efforts is flexibility. To optimize your investment, choose an agency that offers flexible support plans, giving you the ability to scale up or down as needed based on your changing needs and available budget. Adaptability and scalability are both crucial for keeping up in a rapidly-evolving market, and being ready to seize new opportunities whenever they arise.

Our demand-based pricing model

At Clear Digital, we offer three plans, with hours and hourly rates based on average monthly needs—all of which offer the option to rollover up to 25% of unused hours per month. We also offer emergency and rush services, so you’re never left in the lurch. This gives our clients the flexibility to keep up with changing demands without overpaying.

Additional services keep you covered

In addition, we offer a wide range of value-added services, such as data analysis, UX/UI design, and technology integration, which are available on an as-needed basis. Our goal is to provide a one-stop solution for all of your digital marketing needs, for any industry and any size business. While we also work with many clients on a per-project basis, for most businesses today a support subscription plan is more cost-effective in the long run.

Outsourcing your digital marketing is a smart way to make the most of your budgets and resources while maintaining a strong digital brand presence that delivers real-world results. Let’s talk about how we can partner to achieve your business goals.