Are you struggling to balance marketing efforts with other business tasks? Outsourcing your digital marketing could be the solution you need.

Whether you're a startup or a growing business, offloading your marketing activities to an external agency can accelerate your growth. In this guide, I’ll explore the benefits of outsourcing and how it can help your SMB scale faster.

What Is Digital Marketing Outsourcing?

Digital marketing outsourcing is hiring a third-party agency to manage your online marketing efforts. This can include all or some activities, such as:

• Social media marketing

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

• Content creation

• Email marketing

• Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) or Google ads

• Creatives (video marketing, social media ads and graphics)

• Website development

• Digital PR

The major advantage? You can focus on other core aspects of your business, such as product development or customer acquisition, while professionals handle your marketing.

Recent data says 47% of business leaders would like to reduce their stress levels and other mental health issues. So letting others do most of your marketing work can relieve you of some stress.

Outsourcing digital marketing services gives you peace of mind as you enable experts to do the real work for you.

BPO vs. KPO: What's the Difference?

When outsourcing, you may encounter two terms: Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO).

BPO: Involves outsourcing basic tasks and following your marketing blueprint. You keep control over strategy and implementation.

Pros: Cost-effective, full control of strategy.

Cons: You must provide clear direction and manage the process closely.

KPO: The outsourcing partner provides advanced expertise and knowledge, including strategy development and execution.

Pros: Access to top-tier talent; no need for micromanagement.

Cons: More expensive than BPO.

Both approaches have their place, but for businesses without an in-house marketing strategy, KPO offers a faster path to results.

Now that we have clarified the basics, let’s talk about how your startup can benefit from digital marketing outsourcing.

Benefits of Outsourcing Digital Marketing

According to several studies, outsourcing digital marketing services can improve your bottom line. So let’s consider the advantages of outsourced services.

Saves You Money

Most founders, nearly 71%, use their personal savings to finance their businesses. And because raising funds for your SME isn't a stroll in the park, it’s vital to conserve every dollar and use it wisely.

Outsourcing a marketing agency is one way of saving on operational costs. For example, building a fully in-house marketing team is expensive. You need writers, designers, SEO experts, PPC specialists, account managers, and the list goes on.

Each of these employees earns thousands of dollars per year. For instance, you can expect to pay the following salaries in the US:

• SEO expert: $63,936 per year (Glassdoor)

• PPC specialist: $62,440 per year (Talent.com)

• Account manager: $65,816 per year (ZipRecruiter)

• Content writer: $67,055 per year (Glassdoor)

• Copywriter: $66,280 per year (Indeed.com)

• Creative manager: $87,021 per year (ZipRecruiter)

If you add up these amounts, it becomes a mammoth task to fund your startup and still make a profit. The good news is that outsourcing lets you access these skills without hiring full-time employees.

In fact, 70% of companies report reduced costs because of outsourcing, according to Deloitte. See the graph below for more details on cost savings from outsourcing.

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Enhances Your Productivity

By outsourcing, you can delegate marketing responsibilities and free up time for higher-level business functions. Focus on strategic planning and product development without worrying about day-to-day marketing tasks.

Also, you can have a ton of time to focus on managerial activities. Research shows that a small increase in managerial practices can lead to a significant increase in labor productivity.

Accelerates Growth

Your business can scale quickly with the help of marketing agencies since they have the tools, strategies, and experience. They know what works and can implement proven strategies to drive immediate results.

For example, an outsourced company can help you create a customer acquisition strategy. This could include optimizing your website for SEO, running PPC campaigns, and increasing your social media presence.

Access to Advanced Tools and Resources

Marketing tools such as CRMs, automation platforms, and analytics software can be expensive and complex. Outsourcing gives you access to these applications without the upfront investment, as agencies typically already have them.

For example, a digital marketing agency may use:

• A CRM to track customer interactions

• An automation platform to automate repetitive task

• Analytics software to measure the success of campaigns

Because agencies have these resources at their fingertips, they can keep an eye on the right metrics to measure business growth. Data analytics is the holy grail of a successful SEO and content marketing strategy. 

Marketing data enables your startup to evaluate progress, determine the return on investment, and refine your strategies.

Maximize Your Time

Managing digital marketing campaigns takes time. Outsourced agencies can fully dedicate their efforts to your marketing strategies, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks while you focus on other priorities.

Just to give you some idea about how much time you should spend on running your business. Take this survey report, for example. A study discovered that 25% of small business founders worked more than 60 hours weekly.

So it makes sense to outsource digital marketing agencies so you can have more time for other essential activities.

Access to Expertise

Outsourcing allows you to tap into the expertise of seasoned professionals. These specialists are up-to-date on the latest marketing trends and techniques, ensuring that your campaigns are always competitive.

Also, one reason small businesses hire marketing agencies is to cash in on their expertise.

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Let’s say you want to incorporate videos and email marketing into your content strategy. An agency with creative personnel can use video marketing to reach a younger demographic.

Or the agency can tap into its email marketing specialists to create targeted email campaigns to reach a specific audience.

Solve Small Business Challenges

SMEs often face challenges like managing cash flow, acquiring new talent, and increasing ROI. According to ACCA, increasing costs and talent management are two of the major concerns facing small businesses.

By outsourcing marketing, your SME can tackle these obstacles head-on, with dedicated experts focusing on maximizing ROI.

For example, a digital marketing agency can provide your startup with a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. This includes SEO, content marketing, and paid advertising that can help drive traffic and increase sales.

Outsourcing any of these functions can significantly improve your business’s marketing performance and cut running costs. And this frees you from the complexities of running full campaigns in-house.

Even Big Corporations Outsource

It’s not surprising that tech giants also outsource some marketing functions to minimize costs, leverage expertise, and remain competitive. For example, Apple uses external contractors for supply chain production, while Microsoft outsources IT to other companies.

How To Make the Most of Digital Marketing Outsourcing

Be sure to maintain open and consistent communication with the outsourced marketing agency for a successful collaboration. Regular updates, feedback sessions, and goal alignment ensure your company and the contractor are on the same page and work towards achieving desired results.

Here are some actionable things you can do to improve communication:

Clearly Define Objectives:

Establish clear and specific goals from the onset. Ensure both parties understand what success looks like for your project.

Establish Regular Meetings:

Schedule consistent meetings to discuss progress, address concerns, and realign on project objectives. This helps both sides stay aligned and connected.

Use Collaborative Tools:

Use platforms like Slack, Trello, or Asana for seamless communication and project management to ensure real-time updates and feedback.

Share a Communication Plan:

Create a documented plan detailing who should be contacted for specific needs, preferred communication channels, and response time expectations.

Align on Brand Values and Vision:

Ensure the agency understands your company's brand, values, and overall vision to accurately reflect them in their work.

Final Thoughts

Outsourcing digital marketing provides numerous benefits for businesses of all sizes. From cutting costs to enhancing productivity and driving business growth, a digital marketing agency can offer the expertise you need to succeed.

Whether you’re managing social media, optimizing SEO, or creating content, outsourcing to a professional team helps you achieve a higher return on investment (ROI) and scale your business faster.

Ready to take the next step? Let’s connect so we can explore how to handle your marketing needs and drive your business to new heights!