In-House Advertising Agencies: Pros and Cons

In-house advertising agencies help companies grow brands from the inside. Learn all about in-house advertising agencies, pros, cons, and possible alternatives
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Building brand awareness isn't something that you can nail overnight. Securing goodwill with your target audience, doing market research, and becoming a household name takes a considerable amount of time and resources.

That's where in-house advertising agencies can help a company achieve success. Whether its organic SEO content, mastering the marketing funnel, and

Let's look at the pros, cons, and possibly helpful alternatives to in-house advertising agencies.

What Is An In-House Advertising Agency?

people at an in-house advertising agency sitting down near table with assorted laptop computers
In-house advertising agencies help companies from within

In-house advertising refers to the wing of a company that focuses entirely on advertising said company's brand. So, instead of working with multiple clients, in-house ad experts dedicate themselves to mastering their brand.

These professionals have access to a company's social media, marketing strategies, and customer data. Again, this unfettered access is a massive boon to creating compelling marketing content. After all, content marketing is a huge part of marketing and advertising.

In-House Ad Agency Pros

In-house ad agencies have some useful pros if your business uses them.

  • More control. When your company uses an in-house team, you receive considerably more control over marketing efforts and ad spend.
  • Communication. Communication online can be a shaky affair. However, when working with people within your organization, communicating likely occurs much more quickly and fluidly. It's simply easier to speak with ad experts who occupy the same offices or buildings.
  • Familiarity with the brand. From the jump, team members have unfettered creative access to the company's brand. This access (and subsequent understanding) allows an in-house agency to comprehend your brand's tone and messaging.
  • Conflict of interest isn't an issue. Another positive aspect of using an in-house team is the lack of conflict of interest. If you use a digital agency, the company could already have forged a strong relationship with a direct competitor in your industry. The last thing you need is a team writing good copy for your biggest competitor. While this is possible, a digital agency should deliberate this before working with you. So, it's plausible but likely not probable.

In-House Ad Agency Cons

Now that you know some positives for keeping things in-house, it's time to see the downsides.

  • Costs. While a business can save money by opting for in-house teams, it can also rack up a hefty bill. But why? In-house teams will likely need access to expensive software and industry assets. With something like a digital agency, they will often have access to up-to-date marketing tools. This existing access takes the burden of the cost off your shoulders.
  • No outside perspectives. You can develop a great working relationship with the department when working in-house. However, working with the same people can lead to a lack of different perspectives. For example, an in-house agency may need to try a new marketing plan, they may not know it. They're used to doing things a certain way. Outside perspectives, in any industry, are valuable ways to improve the creative process. As such, an internal group can lose sight of the bigger picture. Again, with a digital agency, an outside pair of eyes can quickly clear up any glaring issues that may go previously unnoticed.
  • Skills. Although you hired highly skilled professionals, putting all your marketing eggs in an in-house basket can limit your team's skill set. Digital agencies, instead, provide a diverse set of skills in things like SEM, SMM, custom branding, and website development.

We've discussed many aspects of digital agencies, so let's clear some things up when it comes to the balance of advertising vs. marketing.

What Is A Digital Agency?

man teaching woman while pointing on gray laptop at a digital agency
A digital agency can help businesses grow their brand exponentially

A digital agency is an agency that companies can hire to outsource both advertising and digital marketing initiatives and campaigns. It depends on the agency.

For example, if you're looking for a comprehensive custom website build, you can seek digital marketing consultation services.

These services aim to assist businesses of all sizes in finding their pain points or what they need serious help with. Digital marketing consultations lay the groundwork for future advertising and marketing campaigns.

Although in-house agencies streamline everything, you could have an internal team inexperienced with specific software. This lack of expertise can leave your company in the dust.

Instead of relying on an interior department at a company, digital agencies usually boast experienced teams of digital marketers.

Digital agencies can have extensive experience in multi-channel marketing. This wide range of expertise aids in helping businesses with SEO efforts, PPC campaigns, and a slew of other advertising and marketing campaigns.

In-House Advertising Agencies Vs. Digital Agencies

Which should you and your business choose? An in-house team or a digital marketing agency? Well, it depends on what outcomes you're looking for.

Should you use an in-house agency or a digital agency? It depends on your business, the size of the company, and your priorities. If you're a small business looking to grow your brand, opting for a digital agency might be more your speed.

But if you're a Fortune 500 company, maybe keeping things in-house is a better idea. Again, it depends on your goals, priorities, and creative strategy.

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