Should You Hire a Digital Agency?
Jul 21, 2025Thinking about running Google Ads but unsure whether to hire a digital agency or manage it internally? This is one of the most common strategic decisions businesses face when investing in digital marketing.
In this article, we’ll explore when hiring a digital marketing agency makes sense—and when building internal capability can lead to better results. Whether you're launching a new business or scaling your ad spend, this guide will help you make the right decision for your growth.
Why This Choice Matters More Than Ever
Digital advertising is no longer optional. Platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and YouTube drive millions in revenue for businesses of all sizes.
But a successful ad campaign depends on two essential skillsets:
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A deep understanding of your business—its goals, margins, and customer behavior
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Technical expertise with the advertising platform—how it works and how to optimize it
If either of those is missing, your results will be limited—regardless of who runs the campaign.
Stage One: Where Is Your Business Right Now?
If you are:
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Just starting out
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Spending under $10,000 per month on ads
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Still testing offers or market fit
Then hiring a full-service agency may not be your best move.
Why? Because most agencies operate on volume. If your retainer is on the lower end, there often isn’t enough time allocated to deeply understand your business. That means they’re unlikely to grasp:
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What makes your offer unique
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Which customers are most profitable
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What messaging drives conversions
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How to differentiate your brand in a competitive market
These insights are critical. Without them, even technically sound campaigns can underperform.
After consulting with three major agencies, I saw this pattern repeatedly. Businesses under the $10K/month threshold weren’t getting the attention they needed—not because the agencies were ineffective, but because the economics didn’t support deep strategic work at lower budgets.
This realization led to the creation of Define Digital Academy—a training-based alternative that empowers small to mid-sized businesses to take control of their advertising with expert guidance.
Stage Two: What Skillsets Exist on Your Team?
Ask yourself: Do you have people who could be trained to manage digital campaigns?
If you’re running a trade business or service company without in-house tech capability, an external agency or freelancer can provide needed bandwidth and support.
However, if you’re in:
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Ecommerce
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SaaS
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Professional services
And your team includes roles like:
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Graphic designers or marketing assistants
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Admin staff with basic tech fluency
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IT or operational support
—then you may already have the talent needed to handle your Google Ads with the right training and frameworks.
This hybrid approach—internal ownership paired with expert support—often leads to better campaign performance, faster iteration, and lower long-term costs.
The Evolving Role of Digital Agencies
With automation tools and AI becoming more sophisticated, many tasks once handled manually by agencies can now be streamlined or fully automated, including:
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Search term audits
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Ad copy testing
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Bid strategies and adjustments
So where do agencies still add value?
In today’s landscape, the most effective businesses treat agencies as strategic advisors, not task-doers. They don’t outsource blindly. Instead, they invest in:
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Expert audits
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Conversion optimization strategy
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Platform-specific consulting
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Advanced data analysis
The goal is to build internal strength—and bring in external expertise only where it truly moves the needle.
Conclusion: Should You Hire an Agency?
Here’s a decision checklist:
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Does the agency understand your business deeply enough to drive meaningful results?
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Do you or someone on your team have the capacity to learn and manage ads?
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Would your budget go further with coaching, setup support, or platform training instead?
The top-performing businesses in 2025 aren’t relying entirely on outside help. They are building marketing capability internally and using agencies or freelancers with precision—where and when needed.
👉 Starting a Digital Marketing Agency? Do This First...