Content Marketing: Agency Vs. Freelance Vs. In-House

Content marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies out there. By providing your target audience with value, you can earn their trust and begin a meaningful relationship. But who should be writing your blog posts or articles?

Let’s look at the pros and cons of managing your content in-house, hiring a freelancer or working with a marketing agency.

In-House Content Marketing

Pros of an In-House Team

1. They know your brand inside out: Members of your in-house team don’t need to do research to understand your brand and culture. You can trust the content will reflect your brand voice and align with your business goals.
2. It’s easy to communicate and collaborate: Communicating about strategy, KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and timescales can be easier when you work in the same space.
3. They can be flexible as your strategy develops: In-house teams are well-positioned to develop and execute long-term content strategies. Your appointed content marketer can quickly adjust their content plans based on the latest insights, without this affecting contracted hours or adding extra admin.

Cons of an In-House Team

1. You’ll have high overhead costs: Building and maintaining an in-house marketing team can be expensive, especially for smaller businesses. Using a third party might be cheaper than covering a full salary plus benefits, training, and additional software or tools.
2. They may lack expertise: If you’re appointing someone from your current team as your content writer, it’s unlikely they’ll have the skills and creative ability of an outside specialist. Content marketing may seem like a task anyone with writing skills can carry out, but SEO, visual design and general marketing knowledge are crucial. 
3. It can cause delays: Hiring additional staff can be time-consuming and costly. And when you assign new (and potentially unfamiliar) tasks to your current team, it can take a while for the job to get done. For businesses looking to scale quickly, using your in-house team might be challenging.

Freelance Content Marketing

Pros of Hiring a Freelancer

1. It’s cost-effective: Freelancers often charge less than agencies as they operate with lower overhead costs. If you need someone for just a few hours each month, a skilled freelancer might be a budget-friendly option.
2. They’re flexible: Freelancers offer flexible arrangements, and they’re often willing to adjust their hours based on your current needs.
3. Some freelancers offer niche expertise: Many freelancers specialise in specific areas, such as tech writing, financial content, or SEO copywriting. All good content marketers are adept at research, but specialised content knowledge can be a plus.

Cons of Hiring a Freelancer

1. They may have limited capacity: Freelancers work alone, which can restrict the amount of work they can produce or the speed at which they can deliver. Larger projects or tight deadlines may pose a challenge.
2. Consistency can be an issue: Your freelancer might take on other commitments that affect their ability to produce high-quality work on time.
3. They may have limited expertise: Most freelance content marketers focus primarily on content creation. They may not have experience with strategic thinking, SEO or data analysis, which would be accessible to an agency or in-house content marketer.

Content Marketing Agency

Pros of Using a Content Marketing Agency

1. They offer broad expertise and resources: Content marketing agencies typically bring a well-rounded team of specialists, including strategists, writers, designers, and SEO experts. 
2. It ensures consistency: Agencies have the capability to handle large volumes of content consistently. This means your deadlines will be met without any compromise on quality.
3. Access to Tools and Analytics: Agencies usually have access to premium tools for content management, analytics, and SEO, which enable them to execute more data-driven content strategies. These tools often require substantial investment, which agencies can spread across multiple clients.
4. You’ll receive fresh perspectives: An agency team can provide an outside perspective on your brand, which can be invaluable in identifying innovative ways to connect with your target audience.

Cons of Using a Content Marketing Agency

1. It can involve higher costs: Hiring an agency may come at a premium compared to freelancers or an established in-house team. 
2. You’re less in control: You may have limited control over day-to-day operations and decisions. Agencies often have their own ways of doing things, so it’s important to choose the right one. 
3. Some agencies take a templated approach: It’s important to find an agency that tailors its work to align with your brand’s voice and values.

Choosing the Right Fit

Each option for content marketing—agency, freelance, or in-house—offers unique benefits and limitations. Here’s a quick summary to help guide your decision:

• Content Marketing Agency: Ideal for businesses with the budget to invest in a high-quality, full-service approach to content marketing. Agencies provide comprehensive resources and scalability, and they provide clear reports of the work’s performance.
• Freelancer: A good choice for companies needing flexibility and cost-efficiency. Freelancers can bring expertise and adaptability but may lack the capacity to handle large projects or to align the content with business goals.
• In-House Team: Best suited for businesses focused on long-term content strategies that need close brand alignment and collaboration with other departments. In-house teams perform best when they contain specialists within each specific field – e.g. copywriting, SEO – which not many businesses have the budget for.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best approach to content marketing depends on your business goals, budget, and resources. If you require a scalable, all-encompassing service, an agency may be the way forward. For those on a budget or seeking niche expertise, a freelancer could be the best fit. And businesses with sufficient resources and a focus on brand consistency might find an in-house team to be the most beneficial.

At Digivate, we provide content marketing services to a broad range of clients. Our copywriters, SEO specialists and digital strategists work closely with your in-house team to stay on-brand and achieve the results that mean the most to you.

Book a free consultation now to find out how our content could boost your performance.

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Article by

Nicholas Turner

For over 12 years, Nick has been conjuring creative experiences that entertain and - most importantly - resonate with users. He holds a Film and Television Production bachelor's degree from the Cambridge School of Art as well as a degree from the University of the Arts London for Brand Strategy. Whenever he's not willing creative ideas into existence, Nick spends his time travelling, consuming comics and movies as well as writing his own scripts, short stories and novels.