Choosing Between an Agency and an In-House Team
Outsource Versus In-House
All companies, big or small, must eventually decide between an in-house team or an agency for their online presence. Especially in situations where a site is being reworked, there are a lot of roles to be filled. Most teams consist of project managers, copywriters or content writers, SEO specialists, graphic designers, UI/UX designers, developers, and more.
A decision between the two avenues isn’t always the easiest, and there are a few key factors to keep in mind when choosing. What type of renovation to either your site or platform are you seeking? What team will best represent you? And most importantly, what budget do you have allotted? Analysing your budget, goals, and metrics will help define the pros and cons of agencies and in-house teams. Check out some of the best reasons to opt for an agency below.
Agencies’ Teams Offer Vast Resources
Agencies are made up of collaborative, pre-established teams, unlike in-house teams that are often hired in a segmented fashion. Teams are more likely to have a variety of perspectives, with people who are young and full of fresh ideas alongside those who are seasoned experts.
While an in-house team may only have one person per role, agencies are able to have multiple. For example, agencies will often have more than one developer, each complementing the others’ abilities, which avoids pitfalls in skill sets. This combination of well-rounded members is what makes agencies so successful, and that’s a great team to have on your side as you redesign or redevelop your site.
Agencies Have Experts in Every Field
With an agency, you don’t need to choose which services are most important to you. There are few in-house teams that match the size and work-power of an agency. Smaller businesses may opt to use their budgets on certain creative or development aspects but not others, often leaving things like copy to be finished by non-experts. With an agency, you’ll have access to professionals in every field – UI/UX, development, branding, and more – every time.
Agencies Make Collaboration Simpler
The notion that in-house teams always make it easier to work together during design and development is flawed, and agencies actually bring the benefit of extended project management resources. They can oversee entire projects, keep track of deadlines, and be mindful of budgets – all on your behalf. While in-house teams can be helpful for in-person collaboration, most communication is more than possible using online tools and management platforms.
Agencies Have the Necessary Experience
Agencies spend their entire company lifetimes marketing, designing, and developing for not only others, but also themselves. They have industry insight beyond in-house teams, with a wide variety of clients and past projects. Composing an in-house team with this level of experience can be near impossible, especially within budget constraints. Agencies offer further development of ideas, room for concepts to grow, and a new perspective. In-house teams may understand a given campaign or niche industry better, but an agency is a third party that can view your products or services from a consumer’s point of view.
Finding Your Ideal Agency
After deciding to find an agency, there comes the process of finding the right one. First and foremost, always seek an agency with experience specific to your platform. This includes ensuring the skills of specialists and developers at said agency fit your project, because a position’s responsibilities may vary between larger agencies and boutique agencies. Second, you’ll want an agency that performs thorough testing during their QA process. This is vital for keeping everything running smoothly following a campaign, site, or project launch. Lastly, you’ll want an agency that’s friendly in nature, prioritises collaboration, and is quick to reply to any correspondence.
Radiant is proud to be an agency with the knowledge, skills, and degree of care necessary to bring your business to the next level, all while maintaining the communication and instant feedback of an in-house team. Find all you need and more for your Shopify site by getting in touch today, and watch your E-Commerce presence grow through our top-notch branding, custom Shopify sites, and priority support services.
