Social Media: In-House vs. Outsourcing Decision Time

When it comes to managing social media platforms, business owners face the dilemma that comes naturally with choosing between outsourcing social media marketing efforts and carrying those functions in-house.

If you’re currently facing the same dilemma, read on to discover whether you should outsource your social media operations or keep them within your business.

Summary Outsource

  • Super cost effective
  • Expertise and experience would be miles ahead. They are doing this daily and are dedicated to it
  • Better bang-for your bucks – clients who join us get access to the whole team not just our Social Media Manager. It’s about providing value.
  • They know how to use tools to get the job done efficiently
  • They’ve implemented social media tactics on other businesses and know what works and doesn’t
  • Completely hands off for you – you should though receive an editorial schedule at least once a month.

Summary In-House

  • Expensive (salary + benefits + compensation + bonus + computer + tools + training)
  • You know the voice of the Business best
  • You don’t know how to grow your audience and know how to effectively try out tactics that you are hear about.
  • You might not have the full experience and need to spend a lot of time training and learning skills/new tools
  • Might not know how to be fully efficient
  • You know everything that is happening is your channel
  • You know what is going on within the business and be able to communicate it.

Determine Whether or Not You Can Handle Social Media In-House

There are two things you need to have if you’re planning to manage social media in-house: time and expertise. You need more than 30 hours per month to manage your social media efforts on just one single platform, if you are a mid size company. Since you may need to create a social media strategy that involves various platforms, you’ll require even more time.

Also, the person responsible should know about social media trends in order to devise strategies that would work. If you think you have the time and expertise for that in your organization, consider handling your social media efforts in-house.

Consider Cost and Revenue Recoup

If you are currently handling your social media efforts in-house, you’re probably paying an average of $45,169 every year to your professional. This amount doesn’t even include the employee benefits you offer and the training sessions you should send them to regularly if you want to secure your success online. Even when things go wrong and you’re forced to fire them, they’ll still cost you since you’re required to pay severance.

Now you can always take on this task yourself, but remember that your core business functions will be affected in the process. Therefore, your best choice is to outsource your social media management and marketing operations. Not only will you be able to hire professionals without additional overhead, you can easily conclude your collaboration without paying extra.

Remember that Social Media Marketing Needs Expertise

One of the major benefits of outsourcing your social media efforts is expertise. Getting an expert social media professional to handle the job for you is always a commendable idea since it’ll make your social media strategies more effective and ensure better response from your audience.

Unfortunately, in-house social media experts can’t boast the same. For starters, most of them are fresh graduates or experts with less than a decade of experience. Plus, they may work alone, robbing them from the necessary interaction with more skilled personnel who can guide them further.

Consider these three points to make up your mind and ultimately win over the online community with your social media efforts.

Matthew Goulart


|3 minutes read

Matthew Goulart is the founder of Ignite Digital, a Canadian digital marketing agency. Through Ignite Digital, Goulart works with Fortune 500 companies and advertising agencies from around the world and has helped launch profitable and highly successful digital marketing initiatives for his clients.