Outsourcing digital marketing means hiring an external agency or specialist to handle your online marketing activities, instead of doing all of it in-house. 

Many UK firms already rely on this approach.

Roughly 42% of UK businesses outsource at least part of their digital marketing. 

Globally the trend is even stronger.

One recent study by Semrush found that about 94% of companies outsource some or all marketing tasks. 

This widespread use shows that outsourcing is a common way to bring in extra expertise, save time and stretch budgets. 

In this article we’ll explain how outsourcing works, its pros and cons, and help you decide if it’s right for your business.

How Outsourcing Digital Marketing Works

When you outsource digital marketing, you delegate specific tasks to outside experts or agencies. 

For example, you might give an agency responsibility for campaign planning, content creation, social media management or online advertising. 

This means briefing the agency on your goals and letting them run the day-to-day campaigns. 

The agency’s team then implements the strategy under your direction. 

Communication usually happens through email or video calls, with regular check-ins to review progress and tweak plans. 

Payment can be on a monthly retainer, a fixed project fee or hourly rate. 

Some businesses hire a local UK agency, while others use overseas providers for lower costs. 

In any case, the outsourcing partner should integrate with your in-house team: you set the objectives and they handle the execution.

What Does This Look Like in Practice? 

For example, a small company might not be able to afford a full-time graphic designer or PPC expert. 

By outsourcing, they delegate responsibilities such as campaign planning, content creation, social media management and advertising to a third-party team with specialised expertise. 

In effect, the agency becomes an extension of the company’s marketing department. 

Outsourcing also often means using specialised tools and systems that an agency already has in place, which can make the whole process smoother and faster.

Should You Outsource Digital Marketing

Deciding whether to outsource digital marketing depends on your situation. 

There are clear benefits if your internal team is small or lacks skills. 

Many companies choose to outsource because it saves money and allows them to focus on their main business. 

By handing marketing to experts, you can tap into decades of experience and avoid training new staff. 

In Britain, business owners note that an agency can be more cost-effective and efficient than having one person or a team in-house. 

A specialist partner will know how to get the best results (better ROI) and often has access to the latest tools and trends that a small in-house team might lack.

Outsourcing is Not One Size Fits All

However, outsourcing isn’t the best answer for every situation. 

If your business is just starting out and needs instant growth, it may not give quick magic results. 

Expecting hundreds of leads within a short period of time purely by outsourcing is unrealistic. 

Also consider how important it is to keep tight control of your brand’s voice and messaging. 

If consistency and personal relationship with customers are critical, you might worry that an outside agency won’t fully understand your products or culture. 

A common concern is loss of control: handover to external marketers can lead to mixed brand messages if not managed closely.

In the Long Term

Other factors include budget and long-term goals. 

Hiring an agency usually requires an ongoing contract. 

If you have only sporadic campaigns, it might cost more than handling simple tasks yourself. 

On the other hand, running marketing fully in-house means paying salaries, taxes, training and providing all tools. 

In-house teams pay higher overhead, whereas outsourcing can reduce marketing costs by up to 30% for small businesses.

If marketing is central to your competitive edge, you might lean towards building an in-house team and outsourcing only specific tasks. 

For most small and medium UK businesses, though, the decision comes down to needs and resources. 

If you lack certain skills or time, outsourcing can be a smart choice.

5 Tips When Outsourcing Digital Marketing

When you do choose to outsource, these practical tips can help make the partnership successful:

Define Clear Goals and Budget

Start by listing exactly what you want to achieve. 

Are you aiming for more website visitors, higher sales, or better brand awareness? 

Setting targets up front ensures both you and the agency know where you’re headed. Also decide on a budget. 

Compare the cost of an agency to hiring staff.

Often agencies win out because they bring a full team at a fraction of the price. 

Just make sure you know what the retainer or fee covers so there are no surprise charges later.

Choose the Right Provider

Research agencies carefully before signing on. 

Look for firms with experience in your industry and proven results. 

Check their track record by reading client testimonials or case studies. 

Ask for examples of campaigns they’ve run and the outcomes achieved. 

Picking an agency whose values and style align with yours can prevent culture clashes down the line. 

It’s also wise to check that their expertise matches your needs.

For example, don’t hire a social-media-focused agency if your main need is SEO.

Set Control and Communication Plans

Decide how involved you want to be. 

Some companies prefer to give agencies a lot of freedom, while others want daily updates. 

Discuss and agree on communication channels and frequency of reports. 

Many successful partnerships use weekly or bi-weekly meetings to stay on track. 

Also clarify who has final say on strategy and creative decisions. 

A clear brief and regular feedback will keep your brand’s voice consistent.

Specify Deliverables and Metrics

Before work starts, agree on exactly what the agency will deliver and how results will be measured. 

For example, will they handle content creation, ad spend and monthly analytics reports? 

Put this in a written contract or proposal and include performance metrics.

If the goal is web traffic, decide on a target number.

If it’s leads, define how you’ll count them. 

This transparency helps prevent ‘scope creep’ – where agencies charge extra for tasks you thought were included. 

It also makes it easy to hold the agency accountable if targets aren’t met.

Foster a Collaborative Relationship

Treat your agency as a partner, not just a contractor. 

Share necessary data and internal context so they understand your products and services. 

At the same time, respect their expertise. 

Good agencies will take time to grasp the nuances of your offerings and suggest fresh ideas. 

Build trust with regular check-ins and constructive feedback. 

If any issues arise, address them early. 

Remember, outsourcing is most successful when both sides work together closely and adapt as they learn.

Benefits to Outsourcing Digital Marketing

Outsourcing brings several key advantages for many businesses:

Access to Specialist Skills

An agency’s team often includes experts in every field of digital marketing – SEO, social media, content writing, paid ads, analytics and more. 

This breadth of knowledge means campaigns benefit from a full toolkit of best practices. 

For example, an agency can optimise your website for search engines while also running ad campaigns and increasing engagement on social media.

Fresh Ideas and Perspectives

Being on the outside, an agency can bring new insights to your brand. 

They’ve seen many clients and industries, so they know what strategies work elsewhere. 

This can spark creative campaigns you might not have thought of internally. 

For example, an external strategist may spot opportunities in your market or audience that your in-house team overlooked.

Cost Savings and Flexibility

Outsourcing often costs less than building an in-house team. 

You avoid salaries, benefits, training and expensive software licences. 

Also, outsourcing is scalable: you can increase or decrease services as needed. 

If you have a big product launch, the agency can ramp up work quickly.

If things slow down, you simply pay for fewer hours. 

This flexibility is much harder to achieve with full-time staff.

Latest Tools and Technology

Marketing agencies invest in professional tools for analytics, automation and campaign management.

This software might be too costly for a single company. 

By outsourcing, you benefit from those tools without extra expense. 

This means your marketing can be data-driven and up-to-date with industry trends.

More Time to Focus on Your Core Business

Handling marketing in-house can eat up a lot of time for you or your staff. 

By giving that to an agency, your team can concentrate on what they do best – whether that’s product development, customer service or strategy. 

This means less distraction with posting updates or tweaking ad bids, and more energy on growing the company in other ways.

Risks of Outsourcing Digital Marketing

Outsourcing is powerful, but it comes with some potential downsides to watch for:

Loss of Control over Brand Message

When an outside agency handles your marketing, it’s possible that your brand voice or strategy could drift. 

If the agency misunderstands your brand or uses slightly the wrong tone, messaging can become inconsistent. 

To mitigate this, always give detailed brand guidelines and feedback. 

Regularly review content and campaigns early on to ensure they match your values.

Communication Challenges

If your agency is in a different location or country, there can be practical hurdles. 

Time zone differences and cultural nuances may slow down replies or complicate meetings. 

Even with UK-based agencies, differences in work style or terminology can cause mix-ups. 

Delays in feedback also hurt fast-moving marketing. 

A slow feedback loop might mean missing a timely trend. 

Good communication protocols help a lot.

Hidden Costs

Outsourcing promises savings, but unexpected fees can sneak in. 

An agency contract might not include every service, so extras like additional revisions, premium ad spend or specialised software might cost more. 

It’s important to get a clear written agreement on exactly what is included. 

Always ask about potential extra charges upfront so your budget isn’t blown.

Data Security and Privacy Risks

Giving an agency access to your marketing often means sharing sensitive data – customer lists, website analytics, even product plans. 

This comes with a risk if the agency doesn’t handle data securely. 

To reduce risk, work only with reputable agencies and insist on security measures such as data encryption and access controls. 

Also ensure they comply with GDPR and other regulations when handling personal data.

Dependence on the Agency

Over time, you might become reliant on the outsourced partner. 

If the agency becomes too integral, it could be difficult to switch or bring marketing back in-house. 

For instance, your team might not learn how campaigns are run, or you may sign long contracts. 

To guard against this, keep learning from the agency.

Ask them to train your staff on the basics, or retain some smaller tasks internally. 

That way, you won’t be helpless if you change direction or end the partnership later.

Key Takeaways

Outsourcing digital marketing can be a smart move for many UK businesses. 

It gives you access to expert skills, fresh ideas and advanced tools, often at a lower overall cost. 

An agency can free up your time and bring creativity and efficiency that your in-house team might struggle to match. 

However, it’s not a guaranteed fix. 

You must consider the trade-offs.

Letting someone else run key campaigns means giving up some control and trusting them with your brand. 

Communication, clear contracts and careful choice of partner are essential to make it work.

Whether to outsource depends on your company’s needs. 

If you lack marketing expertise or bandwidth, and if cost is a concern, outsourcing could boost your online presence and growth. 

But if tight brand control or ultra-rapid results are vital, you might prefer to keep functions in-house or use a hybrid approach. 

By weighing these factors and working closely with any chosen agency, you can take advantage of outsourcing while avoiding its pitfalls. 

Done right, outsourcing can help your business compete more effectively in the digital world.

For more information outsourcing your digital marketing, get in contact with us here at Neon Atlas.