Digital marketing today is quite different from what it was this time last year, and even just last month. This field covers a wide range of required digital marketing services, from SEO and PPC to content marketing and website development. When you go back even further and compare it with the digital marketing space of 10 years ago, it’s almost unrecognizable.
Some strategies that business owners may place under “digital marketing” actually cross over multiple areas of expertise and specialized knowledge. For example, SEO today includes everything from technical SEO to content expertise, on-page SEO optimization and other components that influence where a single page or blog post will rank in Google and the answer engines. So while we now have more ways to reach customers online than ever before, the volume alone makes it realistically unmanageable for a single freelancer.
By working with a digital marketing agency, businesses can tap into the specialized knowledge held by multiple team members under one roof, rather than relying on a single expert to function as a jack-of-all-trades. What we once considered to be “digital marketing” is no longer a single skill set. It now requires multiple skill sets (held by various team members) that work together to achieve a single goal.
This is why, at Rocks Digital Marketing, we rely on team members with specialized knowledge rather than a single person to manage it all. For example, Amber leads our technical SEO efforts, while our project manager, Julie, works directly with our writers to create content based on topics and keywords provided by our content strategist, Meredith. We also have different team members assigned for editing, uploading, scheduling and QA. (For now we’ll save reporting on these other necessary details, and will be glad to discuss any aspect of this proven process.)
The above are only a few of the layers involved for each piece of content we write for our clients. Yet there is more, as I (Lissa Duty) personally handle assigning content to the writer and reviewing it as it’s returned, after it is scheduled and before it publishes on the client’s website. Does this seem like a lot of layers? The answer is “yes,” but we actively use these layers to reduce errors, improve SEO, and ensure our clients show up in search results.
5 Facts to Consider When Deciding to Hire a Digital Marketing Agency or a Freelancer
Many businesses look outside for help at some point, and the decision usually comes down to working with a freelancer or hiring a digital marketing agency. To help resolve the issue, Rocks Digital looks at some key differences between hiring a digital marketing agency rather than a freelancer.
Most Freelancers Focus on One Specialty
The complexity of SEO, PPC and other disciplines means that freelancers often focus on one area. Each successful freelancer’s strength comes from their deep knowledge in a single specialized field. That could be copywriting, social media communication, paid ad optimization and so on. For a business that needs a very specific service, this can be extremely valuable. As marketing responsibilities grow, however, relying on a freelancer with a single area of expertise can become more limiting.
Agencies Bring a Team of Specialists
The agency model takes an approach based on widespread specialization throughout the company. When you hire an established digital marketing agency, specialists are available for specific tasks across SEO, content, paid search and website development. Instead of a freelancer giving their best efforts in areas they are less comfortable with, agencies can assign tasks knowing that each individual has the skills required to handle the work.
Collaboration Creates Better Marketing Results
The best agencies go even further with their ability to collaborate. Marketing channels today don’t usually operate independently, and in response Rocks Digital integrates SEO, web development and content decisions, rather than treating them as separate tasks.
Web design and content writing must consider SEO and conversions, and PPC relies on high-quality landing pages. A Google Business Profile (GBP) must be consistent with listings on Yelp, Bing Places and every other directory. When you hire a digital marketing agency, you’re getting a team that collaborates to deliver the best results.
Strategy Connects Multiple Marketing Channels
How this collaboration works depends largely on strategy. Working with one or more independent freelancers could lead to work that is fractured, and not built around wider business objectives. In contrast, agencies typically begin with your overall business goals. With this understanding, marketing decisions can be coordinated and measured against shared targets and metrics. For example, data from one channel (such as which keywords drive the most conversions) can directly inform decisions in another, like which topics to prioritize on your blog.
Agencies Provide Greater Continuity
Achieving success in digital marketing is an ongoing process that requires long-term strategies and consistent execution. Agencies can provide such continuity by sharing this knowledge with all involved team members. Because institutional knowledge about a business is not restricted to a single individual, it allows team members to support one another, identify optimization opportunities quickly, and scale efforts when required. Before making a long-term commitment, businesses should review the questions to ask before choosing a digital marketing agency.
Choosing Between a Digital Marketing Agency and a Freelancer
Ultimately, choosing between hiring a digital marketing agency and a freelancer often comes down to the work you need done. If you have a successful in-house marketing department and need help with a specific task, a freelancer might be appropriate. However, most businesses will achieve better results with a strategy built on multiple specializations, collaboration and coordinated teamwork.
Whether you’re a small local business or a multi-location brand, agencies are often most able to provide the expertise that digital marketing requires. To see how that works in practice, take a look at our digital marketing agency case studies.
Digital Marketing Agency Services for Local and National Businesses
The team members at Rocks Digital bring decades of combined digital marketing agency experience to every client’s campaign. Our team develops coordinated online marketing strategies across SEO, web development, PPC, content marketing and graphic design. For help attracting customers and increasing sales, contact us at (214) 989-7549 or request a website audit today.
