Startups that are Series B and above finally have the cash to get serious about their marketing efforts. Sometimes the in-house creative teams are well up to the challenge of developing and building out whatever campaign and brand assets are necessary. But when they need some help, is it best to turn to an ad agency or freelance team?
Depending on the in-house capabilities, a freelance copywriter and freelance designer/art director is a great place to start. A creative team can work seamlessly with an in-house group without causing the same kind of friction as bringing in an outside agency. A freelance copywriter can often work with resources a company already has to accomplish a ton of work for a fraction of the cost of an agency.
But there are certainly times when an agency is more cost-effective and efficient than a freelance copywriter or designer, especially when big project deadlines are looming and the in-house team is already stretched. So here are a few things to think about when deciding between hiring a freelancer or an agency:
Consider Your Budget
Ad Agency: If your marketing budget exceeds $50,000 and you have specific marketing challenges that require comprehensive solutions, an agency might be the better choice. Ad agencies excel at addressing complex problems and have the capacity to coordinate multiple disciplines to execute a seamless marketing strategy.
Freelancer: If your marketing budget is limited to less than $50,000, hiring a freelancer or freelance team is the way to go. Freelance copywriters and freelance art directors or designers typically earn between $700 and $1700 a day, depending on their level of experience. (Of course, there are those who charge less and more, but these numbers should give you an idea.) When you don’t have huge budgets but still require senior, specialized expertise for a defined project or campaign, a freelancer is the way to go.
Are you buying media?
Ad Agency: If you have an approved budget for paid media and need strategic planning, creative execution, and production for social ads, digital ads, video ads, billboards, broadcast, or other media placements, an ad agency can provide better rates and handle the coordination effectively.
Freelancer: If you have no approved media budget but need to build your brand and create assets for social media, website, or sales meetings, hiring a freelance team can deliver significant value. Freelancers can assist in designing and creating brand assets on a smaller scale for specific projects.
Freelancer: If you have media already purchased and now need to execute a campaign quickly, bring in a freelance team to work with your internal resources and execute to the media plan.
Full Funnel Media Campaign or a few executions?
Ad Agency: If you envision a multi-media campaign that builds awareness, drives consideration and initiates conversions across multiple media touchpoints, you want an agency. An advertising agency brings together the strategy, creative, account management, project management, production capabilities and media planning, buying and tracking that you don’t want to try to replicate on your own
Freelancer: If you have one or two media channels and you’re looking to execute creative in a defined set of assets, hire a freelancer. Maybe you need some out-of-home or a radio campaign or a couple social campaigns to A/B test. A good freelance team will knock it out faster and for a lot less money. And if you already have an in-house producer and need video scripts and campaign ideas, hire a freelance copywriter to develop a number of ideas and have that person work with the in-house design team and production team to knock it out.
New Product Launch:
Ad Agency: When launching a new product or service in multiple markets using various media touchpoints, an agency's ability to coordinate PR, social, digital, outdoor, audio, events, and tradeshows becomes indispensable. They excel at managing complex launches and ensuring a coordinated execution across multiple channels.
Freelancer: If you’re looking for a campaign to execute in your home market and you understand the media landscape, a freelance team can be a great way to get exceptional creative thinking and budget-friendly campaign execution.
Freelancers are also ideal for preliminary presentations for internal approval. Or if you want to explore launch ideas without committing to anything, working with a freelance team can offer tremendous flexibility. Freelancers can collaborate closely with you, present ideas, and develop presentations to showcase to management before proceeding to production.
Strategy/Research:
Ad Agency: When strategic research is needed to gain insights into marketing problems that require creative solutions, involving an agency ahead of time is recommended. Agencies can offer valuable perspectives on research outcomes and guide you in identifying the most actionable insights to inform your marketing strategy.
Freelancer: If you have an in-house planner who is looking into target audience segmentation, or evaluating current market awareness, hiring a freelancer to assist with implementing focus groups, tallying polls, and tracking surveys can be helpful.
Website Development:
Ad Agency: If you are planning a multimedia campaign that requires a comprehensive website redesign, along with landing pages linked to various media placements, an agency is better equipped to handle the project. Agencies possess the expertise to integrate multiple disciplines and ensure a cohesive execution of your site build.
Freelancer: If your in-house team is in control of the website and you need a refresh, redesign or new sections written, hire a freelancer. Or if you’re just starting out, a freelance team can quickly design and build a website using platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, Webflow, Shopify, Weebly, IONOS, GoDaddy, or Wix. If you’re still not sure, click HERE and I’ll let you know my thoughts. Or fill out this form if you want to get more specific insight on which way to go.
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The Freelance Copywriter San Francisco Blog is written and produced by Josh Denberg; a top freelance copywriter, creative director, content writer and founder of Ad Agency Division of Labor. Click HERE to discuss a project.