More and more companies are looking to outsource their marketing efforts. Why? Well, marketing is a vast department and requires numerous types and levels of expertise. In order to stay competitive, you need to be up-to-date on all the latest platforms and trends. You also need to be informed on what other brands are doing to stand out.
An internal marketing team that is skilled in all areas of marketing can be an expensive cost. This is why outsourcing some areas can be the best solution. Below, three types of marketing that you may want to consider leaving up to the experts.
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1. Paid Media
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Paid media is an overarching term for any type of advertising where you are putting dollars behind it. Unlike organic or word-of-mouth referrals, paid media focuses on sponsored promotions. This includes everything from display ads to paid search to social media posts. In today’s digital world, paid media can be effective in expanding your reach, generating leads, and boosting traffic.
Dabbling in paid media can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t have a digital or social background. Hiring outside experts who are skilled in this world and up to date on the latest trends can be advantageous. Instead of teaching yourself how to run Facebook ads, for example, you can outsource this and start gaining new customers today.
When selecting an agency, there are a few things to consider. First, how closely do you want to work with them? Some agencies will take your logins and current data and go from there.
Others, such as Hawke, will want to work more closely with your team to better understand your goals and come up with a comprehensive strategy. They may want to meet with you more frequently to analyze performance and optimize.
Second, make sure the agency you’re hiring is skilled in the type of paid media you’re most interested in. Paid media is a broad category, so if an agency is only really skilled in social media they may not be the best choice for your Google Ads.
Look at their qualifications and see who else they are currently working with. This can help inform the decision making process, ensuring you’re outsourcing the best team for your unique needs.
2. Influencer Marketing
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The world of influencer marketing is constantly changing. As platforms evolve, the way influencers grow their audiences and how they post branded content changes too. Diving into the influencer world can be daunting. How do you decide who is the best representation for your brand? And are they actually reaching the audience they say they are?
These questions alone can prompt you to outsource influencer marketing to a specialized agency. The main role of these agencies is to source the most natural, effective individuals with the right followings that align with your intentions.
They’ll work with you and the influencer to craft a campaign that is creative and informative. Ideally, the campaign will benefit both parties; you’ll see a boost in interest and traffic, and the influencer will see a spike in their engagement.
When working with an agency, make sure they are sourcing from a wide talent pool. You never want the partnership to feel forced. It should be a natural collaborative effort between you and the influencer. The agency should be vetting every influencer they recommend to ensure they are going to deliver what you’re asking for.
If possible, it can be better to establish long-term partnerships with a few influencers rather than one-offs with numerous individuals. This can allow for you to truly educate their influencers.
For example, the supplement company Seed, which is known for its influencer marketing campaigns, started an education platform to lessen the spread of misinformation. Be upfront with your agency if this is the type of influencer program you’re looking to build.
3. Content Marketing
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Influencer marketing and content marketing are often viewed as complementary strategies, each offering unique benefits in engaging audiences. While influencer marketing is typically used for gaining new leads, content marketing aims to foster loyalty and credibility among existing and potential customers.
Collaborating with influencers can help amplify your content reach and credibility, as influencers can authentically promote your content to their followers. This can result in increased brand visibility and engagement, especially among audiences that trust and follow the influencer’s recommendations.
Additionally, incorporating influencer-created content into your overall content strategy can add a fresh perspective and variety to your content mix, keeping your audience engaged and interested in your brand’s offerings.
However, it is very important to establish a stable content marketing strategy before incorporating influencers. Establishing an in-house content marketing team dedicated to creating regular branded content is a common practice for many brands. However, sometimes this isn’t feasible and outsourcing this task can prove beneficial.
A content marketing agency collaborates with your team to develop a strategy that not only engages but also retains your audience through informative and appealing content. This can be a variety of formats, including long-form articles, videos, social media posts, and podcasts. The primary goal is to keep your brand top of mind without the content feeling like an advertisement.
Additionally, a content marketing agency can create a content calendar aligned with your overall objectives. They analyze your current strategies and identify any gaps that may be missing from you and your competitors.
By leveraging past learnings, they can identify the most effective content types to maximize your return on investment. This alone can save you from testing and trying out different content modalities that may not resonate with your audiences.
Conclusion
Paid media, influencer marketing, and content marketing are distinct realms, each demanding specific skills. A paid media expert isn’t necessarily the best person to be recording branded Instagram Reels.
Similarly, an influencer marketing specialist might not have the expertise to develop a comprehensive content marketing strategy. Partnering with specialized agencies in these fields can accelerate your marketing strategies and ensure expertise in each area, ultimately boosting your overall marketing performance.
