If you’re weighing the pros and cons of hiring a marketing manager versus hiring a digital marketing company, consider this: When you hire a digital marketing company, you’re not just getting one person working on your brand — you’re effectively filling eight key marketing positions; creating an entire marketing department with a single hire.
When you realize that a marketing manager will be an investment of $80k – $175k per year (excluding advertising!) and working with a digital marketing company will be an investment starting at only $36k per year (including advertising!), all of a sudden outsourcing your marketing efforts start to make a little more sense.
Here’s a closer look at the eight roles you gain access to when you collaborate with a digital marketing company.
1. Marketing Director
The Visionary Strategist
When you started your business – the marketing director was you. And it still is and always will be at the highest level. You will always control your brand. But at some juncture, you will need to have someone else hold and protect that vision for you so you can focus your attention on being the CEO.
So when you hire a digital marketing company, you will have a Marketing Director on your team This person holds the strategic role behind your marketing efforts. At our company, we call this person a fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer). They are responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of your marketing strategy. Here is a high-level view of what the Marketing Director will do for you:
- Strategic Planning: They create complete marketing plans that align with your business goals and vision. Can’t articulate what that is yet? They help you develop it!
- Budget Management: They define the advertising and marketing budget (that you approve) and then monitor the budget versus actual costs when campaigns are running to ensure you are getting a maximum return on your investment.
- Team Coordination: The marketing director orchestrates the rest of the team, so you don’t have to.
When you hire a digital marketing company, you gain access to seasoned Marketing Directors who bring a wealth of experience and industry insights to the table. They ensure your marketing efforts are cohesive, strategic, and aligned with your business objectives. Not all small business marketing companies offer this high level of service though, so be sure to ask!
2. Content Creator
The Storyteller
Content is king in the digital world, as you have heard, so you will have a dedicated Content Creator available to you. This role is crucial for crafting compelling stories that resonate with your audience. Their responsibilities include:
- Content Development: At the direction of the marketing director, they write all the blog posts, articles, social media updates, and other content pieces.
- Brand Voice: They are responsible for keeping the consistency in tone and messaging across all platforms.
- Engagement: They create the content that drives engagement, shares, and conversions on your social platforms.
Digital marketing companies have teams of skilled Content Creators who specialize in creating high-quality, engaging content tailored to your target audience. This helps in building brand authority and creating customer loyalty.
3. Graphic Design
The Visual Artist
In a world where visuals play a significant role in capturing attention, you will find that having a Graphic Designer who understands your brand completely is indispensable. They are responsible for:
- Visual Branding: Everything relating to the visuals of your brand. This includes designing or refining logos, developing graphics for social media, and producing all offline collateral such as brochures, business cards, trifolds, vehicle wraps, trade show displays, and more.
- Ad Creatives: They develop eye-catching graphics for online advertisements and social media.
By hiring a digital marketing company, you gain access to talented Graphic Designers who can elevate your brand’s visual identity and create stunning visuals that engage and convert. This means you can get rid of your subscriptions to Canva and Adobe as well as save yourself hours digging through creative common images (the ones you don’t have to pay for).
4. Ads Specialist
The Conversion Expert
Online advertising is a powerful tool for driving traffic and generating leads. If you have a team of salespeople that need to be fed leads, or if you don’t have time to get out there and network, then you will need to invest in advertising in one way, shape, or form. With a digital marketing company, you will have access to an Ads Specialist or media buyer who dedicates their time on:
- Campaign Management: They strategize, set up and manage your pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns on search engines like Google Ads and social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
- Targeting: They identify and target the right audience segments for your brand to maximize ad effectiveness.
- Optimization: They continuously monitor and optimize ad performance to ensure the best possible return on your investment.
Digital marketing companies employ Ads Specialists who are well-versed in the intricacies of online advertising, which is quite complex. This ensures your campaigns are cost-effective and deliver tangible results. Our team members have a minimum of 5 years of experience in ads management and have invested over half a million dollars in advertising dollars. Media buying is not something you want someone to “learn” on your dime.
5. SEO Manager
The Search Engine Guru
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for improving your website’s visibility and driving organic traffic. It is a long-term strategy and one that every small business should partake in. When you hire a digital marketing company, your SEO Manager’s role includes the following responsibilities:
- Keyword Research: They identify relevant keywords that your target audience is searching for. This is done in conjunction with the marketing director and SEO Manager to ensure brand cohesion.
- On-page Optimization: They optimize the website content, meta tags, and other elements for search engines.
- Link Building: They develop strategies to acquire high-quality backlinks which help you rank higher, and faster.
When you hire a digital marketing company, you benefit from the expertise of SEO Managers who can boost your website’s rankings and enhance your online presence. This leads to a reduction in lead costs in the future, which is something you will come to value as your company grows and the necessity for steady leads increases.
6. Data Analyst
The Number Cruncher
Data-driven decision-making is crucial for modern marketing success. Nearly every digital marketing company has a Data Analyst who is responsible for:
- Data Collection: They gather and organize all the data from various marketing channels (there are dozens of them to monitor as your company grows).
- Analysis: They interpret the data to uncover trends, patterns, and insights.
- Reporting: They create reports and dashboards to track marketing performance and return on investment.
Digital marketing companies have skilled Data Analysts who can turn raw data into actionable insights, helping you make informed marketing decisions and optimize your strategies. SBMS Media’s motto is “Whatever You Do, Do It With Intent”, which means ALL our decisions are data-driven.
7. Social Media Marketer
The Engagement Specialist
Social media is a powerful platform for building relationships with your audience. Your digital marketing company will ensure you have a Social Media Marketer handling the following tasks:
- Content Planning: They develop and schedule the social media content. Depending on your marketing package, they may create different content for each platform (be sure to clarify what is included in your agreements!)
- Community Management: They engage with followers, respond to comments, and work to create a sense of community with your brand always prominently displayed.
- Analytics: They monitor social media metrics to gauge performance and adjust strategies.
By hiring a digital marketing company, you gain access to Social Media Marketers who can effectively manage your social media presence, drive engagement, and build brand loyalty. You no longer have to see all business in your social media feeds because they handle it all for you (you’ll be amazed at how much time this saves you!).
8. Web Designer
The User Experience Architect
Every website needs to be monitored. Your digital marketing company will have a web designer on the team, ensuring that your website is not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and functional. They focus on creating a seamless user experience that keeps visitors engaged and encourages conversions. Here are some of their duties:
- User Experience: They are responsible for site architecture and layout design, user experience, site maintenance, and mobile optimization.
- Impact: They help the rest of the marketing team enhance the user experience as more content gets added to the site. They work toward keeping reduced bounce rates and are responsible for technical and aesthetic updates. Their primary role is to develop and maintain an attractive and functional website.
Hiring a digital marketing company offers small businesses and startups a complete affordable marketing solution. Instead of relying on a single marketing manager, you gain access to a team of specialists who can handle various aspects of your marketing strategy, from content creation and graphic design to SEO and data analysis. This holistic approach ensures that your marketing efforts are cohesive, effective, and aligned with your business goals.
If you are ready to grow your business with intent and want to explore working with a digital marketing company, contact SBMS Media today at 760-885-7456 or schedule an introductory call now using our Free Marketing Consultation Link.
