Owning your own business can be an exciting journey, but, as someone who’s owned, managed, and marketed their own small business, I know that marketing can feel like an uphill battle. Nothing burns out the joy of creating something you’re passionate in more than trying to sell it does.
My company, Luck Dragon Media, is a small business. With only three employees on our team, we know the challenges business owners like you face when trying to get your message out there. And of course, we are a video and digital marketing agency – we want to sell our business to you! But we also know trusting another company with advertising your business can be daunting, so I’m here to help break down the pros and cons of hiring an online advertising agency – like us – versus DIY marketing, to help you make an informed decision.
Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency
Pros
- Expertise and Experience: Online advertising agencies like us bring specialized knowledge in SEO, PPC, social media, and content marketing. We stay updated on trends and algorithm changes, ensuring your campaigns are optimized for success.
- Time Savings: Marketing is super time-intensive. By outsourcing, you free up hours to focus on what you actually love about your business.
- Access to Advanced Tools: We already have the tools (and knowledge to use them) for analytics, keyword research, and ad management, which can be expensive for individual business owners.
- Scalability: We’re happy to adjust strategies to match your growth, whether you’re launching a single campaign or expanding across multiple platforms.
- Professional Results: We’ve been doing this for years, and our little team of skilled designers, writers, and strategists, can deliver polished campaigns that enhance your brand’s credibility.
Cons
- Cost: Unfortunately, we can’t give our services away for free. But even on a limited budget, we have several content creation plans that are flexible for your business, no matter where you are in development.
- It’s Scary: For a lot of small business owners, their business is their life’s work! There’s a lot of trust that goes into handing it off to someone else. That’s why we focus on communicating every step of the way, always.
- Complicated Contact: With most advertising agencies, there’s a separation between your marketing team and your creative team. Often, they are two separate companies altogether! We do it different – at Luck Dragon Media, we’re your single point of contact: your creative development team, video production team, and your marketing strategy team.
DIY Marketing
Pros
- Low Cost Alternatives: If you’re ready to jump in to it, tools like Canva and Google Analytics can get you started on a cheap ad campaign. But remember, there’s a reason “Graphic Designer” is it’s own career path!
- Learning Opportunity: You’ll definitely learn a lot from managing your own marketing campaign! Knowing the ins and outs of what goes on analytically can help you adjust your products and services to fit what people are looking for.
Cons
- Time-Consuming: Marketing demands significant time for research, content creation, and campaign management, which can detract from what you actually love doing – running your business.
- Steep Learning Curve: Digital marketing is complex, with ever-changing platforms and algorithms. Mastering it – and keeping your older campaigns running – requires ongoing education, effort, and time.
- Limited Resources: Without access to premium tools or a team, your campaigns will lack the polish and reach of agency-led efforts.
- Risk of Burnout: Juggling marketing alongside other responsibilities can lead to overwhelm, potentially impacting your business’s overall performance.
Finding the Right Balance
Choosing between a digital marketing agency and DIY marketing depends on your budget, time, and goals. If you have the resources and want professional results with minimal hassle, an agency like Luck Dragon Media can provide tailored strategies to elevate your brand. However, if you’re passionate about learning and have the time to invest, DIY marketing can be a rewarding, cost-effective option. We’re flexible, and many of our partners find success with a hybrid approach.
We believe in empowering small businesses to shine – because we are one! Whether you choose to hire us or go the DIY route, the key is to stay consistent, track results, and adapt to what works for your audience. Have questions about your marketing strategy? Contact us today, and let’s discuss how we can help your business soar!
