A comprehensive guide to ensure you make the right choice when choosing a Digitalagency or a freelancer.
Digital agency vs. freelancer - how do I decide?
As an entrepreneur or manager, have you ever felt like you're juggling 10 things at once while spinning a few plates on your head? There are so many things to take care of that sometimes you feel like there aren't enough hours in the day.
One of the most important building blocks for building a successful business is strong marketing. It makes a big difference who you hire to develop your marketing strategy. You can hire a digital agency or work with a freelance marketing expert.
In this article, we look at the differences between working with an agency and a freelancer and explain how to make the best decision.
Let's get started.
The right time to decide between agency and freelancer
At the beginning of the start-up phase, it can make sense for you to take care of digital marketing. After all, you know the voice, style and tone of your brand. But now business is booming and you have 100 other things to do. Isn't it time you took care of other things and took advantage of some free marketing services?
Many entrepreneurs know the basics of marketing, and with a limited budget, sometimes it doesn't make sense to seek help. But as your business grows, the daily tasks pile up and it becomes almost impossible to manage everything on your own.
Then the question often arises: should I hire a freelancer or an agency? As a small or medium-sized company, this is a common dilemma that doesn't always get the attention it deserves.
Why is the decision between freelancer and agency so difficult?
The possibilities are endless. Just type marketing service provider, online marketing or marketing agency into Google and you'll get 1,810,000 results (as of today). That's simply too many to filter.
And then there's your industry - a marketing professional is not equally good for everyone. There are marketing professionals who know fashion but have no idea about health or technology. That's why we also differentiate here depending on the marketing sector.
Freelancer vs. digital agency - the basics
Let's take a step back - for those of you just starting to think about it, let's get a few basics out of the way.
What is a freelancer?
A freelancer is an independent marketing consultant who has most likely already worked for a larger company but offers their services on their own account. As a one-man operation, they are responsible for acquiring clients, carrying out client projects and handling recurring assignments. The role of a freelancer can be that of a virtual assistant, writer, marketing consultant, strategist or email marketer.
What is a digital agency?
A digital agency is a group of marketing professionals, usually full-time employees or freelancers, who can carry out a variety of marketing activities for clients. Projects can include social media marketing, email marketing, Content Writing, graphic design, marketing and business consulting, and more.
What is the agency model?
The agency model consists of an agency owner managing a larger team of marketers through a traditional hierarchical system where the marketers usually cannot choose their own projects and are given a set of objectives. It is very difficult to set up an agency and often the owner has to organize Zoom meetings or meet with candidates in person in the hope of finding someone who can carry out their numerous projects.
What is a freelance agency?
A freelance agency is an agency that consists of a team of freelancers who work together to serve clients. Many leading advertising agencies use the freelance agency model to save costs and recruit the best talent.
Undoubtedly, not all companies have exactly the same needs and therefore this decision is not clear-cut. In my case, my small but growing company needed a dedicated person who had the know-how, the time and, above all, the belief in my company.
Advantages and disadvantages of freelancers and digital agencies
There are many pros and cons to both, but a decision has to be made. Having made countless mistakes when trying to get additional marketing help, here are some of the pros and cons of freelancers versus a digital agency.
Skills
Freelancer
Advantages:
Freelancers are usually well-trained professionals. Most freelancers do not start their career alone and have usually worked in several companies before deciding to become self-employed. This gives them a broader perspective when it comes to marketing and their view of the business world.
When choosing your freelancer, you can find someone who caters to your exact needs, whether it's website creation, SEO or social media. You can also choose someone who has the right experience in your specific niche.
Disadvantage:
It will be difficult to find a freelancer with a wide range of skills, which means you may need to look for more than one freelancer.
Explaining your vision again and working with multiple freelancers can be time-consuming.
Digital agency
Advantages:
With a digital agency, you have access to a group of experienced marketing professionals who are likely to have a wide range of skills. You won't have to repeat your ideas and they'll agree on what's best for your business.
Disadvantage:
You don't get to choose who you work with. The digital agency will assign a marketer to your company, usually chosen at random depending on the size of your business. If you're a large company, you'll probably get an experienced marketer. If you're a smaller company, you'll probably be assigned a newbie.
Service
Freelancer
Advantages:
Freelancers work for their own account and their reputation is the most important thing for their business. They are likely to provide an excellent service and ensure that your needs are met. It's in the freelancer's best interest to push for results. After all, they want you to recommend them to other entrepreneurs.
Freelancers are usually also good communicators, as they are used to explaining marketing jargon to small businesses, which often don't have the same background as larger companies.
Disadvantage:
Since freelancers sometimes work remotely, they sometimes disappear without a trace. They also don't insist on contracts, which can sometimes lead to legal problems if they don't finish the work.
Digital agency
Advantages:
A digital agency has a certain structure that enables good communication and service. There are also regular meetings to review the company's progress.
Disadvantage:
A digital agency obviously cares about its reputation, but the individual marketers within the digital agency are not held equally accountable, so providing exceptional service is not their top priority.
Priority
Freelancer
Advantages:
Freelancers usually have fewer projects than a larger digital agency and can prioritize your projects. If the project is big enough, freelancers sometimes only work on one project at a time. It's almost like having a marketing professional in-house.
Disadvantage:
A freelancer may take longer to complete a project because he/she lacks the resources.
Digital agency
Advantage:
A digital agency has more resources to get your project done quickly.
Disadvantage:
A digital agency is inundated with projects and is under pressure to deliver results for big clients with big money. Smaller clients are not as valuable to the agency. A project managed by an agency may not get the attention it deserves.
Flexibility
Freelancer
Advantages:
The biggest advantage of freelancers is that they are flexible and don't work from 9 to 5. They also have an unstructured working day - which is the reason why
is the reason they became freelancers in the first place! This is useful if you're faced with a potential crisis in the early hours of the morning or at the weekend. For example, a social media professional can respond to your clients immediately or whenever they need it.
Disadvantage: If you work in the evening or at the weekend, they may charge you extra.
Digital agency
Advantages:
With a digital agency, you know where you stand in terms of time and can align your business accordingly. For a smaller project or a one-off task, they may have more flexible payment terms.
Disadvantage:
If you turn to a digital agency, your marketer will only be available during normal business hours, and even then they may be competing with other projects. If you have a business with non-standard working hours, a digital agency might not offer the flexibility you need. Your marketer from the digital agency might also be stuck in team meetings or out to lunch with potential clients, making them generally unavailable.
Communication
Freelancer
Advantages:
You need to set your expectations upfront and talk about the timeframe for the whole project and the individual goals along the way.
Freelancers can be more flexible here and communicate with you in a more informal way via messaging or social media.
Cons: It can be difficult to communicate with a freelancer, especially because their time zone is often different than yours.
Digital agency
Advantages:
Digital agencies usually have a set way of communicating with their clients.
As a rule, each customer is assigned a project manager who holds weekly or monthly meetings. For larger projects, there may even be additional contact persons.
Disadvantage:
Scheduling additional calls and reports can sometimes incur additional costs. Also, agencies are often very reluctant. If you don't request regular communication, you may never get the information you need.
Price
Freelancer
Advantages:
A freelancer does not require a fixed salary and can offer a price per project and hour. Since freelancers work in their own time, they are usually much more productive than office workers. There are also no disruptions from colleagues or pointless office politics.
Disadvantage:
The payment schedule could be a little tighter than when working with an agency.
Digital agency
Advantages:
You get quality work and the digital agency can offer you a convenient payment plan.
Disadvantage:
A digital agency has high overheads. They usually work in rented premises and hire graphic designers, creatives and other specialists, all of which come with a hefty price tag. For example, it will cost you more to hire a freelance writer through an agency than directly.
Things you should think about before you make your decision:
Experience in your niche
Check whether the freelancer or digital agency has experience in your industry or niche. Check the brands they have worked with and their knowledge of the industry. If they have no idea about the industry, it's likely that they will struggle to create a business plan.
Proven results
Can your freelancer or digital agency show you performance data? Not all can, but some agencies can give specific points to marketers who track their past campaign performance.
Recommendations from former customers
It's important that you read real reviews from real clients that can give you an insight into working with the digital agency or individual freelancer. Were they always courteous? Did they always respond quickly to your email? Did they respond well in a crisis?
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