Most companies reach the same question once social media starts to matter: hire people to run it in-house, or work with an agency? Both models work. They fail for different reasons, so it helps to know what you are optimising for.
When an in-house team makes sense
- You publish every day and need to react within minutes, for example in customer service or news-driven brands.
- Your product is complex and the people who talk about it need deep, daily knowledge of it.
- You can afford a full team, not one person: content, design, community and reporting are different skills.
When an agency makes sense
- You need several skills at once (strategy, design, video, paid ads, reporting) but not full-time.
- You want to start quickly, without months of hiring and training.
- You want an outside view and benchmarks from other brands and sectors.
The hybrid model
Many of our clients keep one person in-house who knows the business and approves content, while the agency plans, produces, runs ads and reports. That person keeps the brand's voice; the agency brings the range of skills and the tools.
Questions to ask before you decide
- How many posts and campaigns do we need each month?
- Who will answer comments and messages, and how fast?
- How will we measure success: reach, leads or sales?
- What can we spend per month, including ads?
Not sure yet? Tell us about your current setup and we'll suggest the model that fits your size and goals.