The competitive nature of the marketing industry comes along with several challenges. One of these is the major decision a business has to make when choosing a marketing assistant: whether to employ an in-house marketing expert to handle its campaigns or whether hiring a virtual marketing assistant is the more effective option. Each option has its advantages, but the choice can often be narrowed down to two major considerations: time and money.
Forbes reported that the global content marketing industry is expected to reach $600 billion in 2024, as people increasingly seek cost-effective marketing solutions.
This article offers an insight into the pros and cons of virtual marketing assistants and in-house marketers to assist you in deciding which of the options saves you the most time and money.
Understanding the Roles: Virtual Marketing Assistant vs. In-House Marketer
What Is a Virtual Marketing Assistant?
A virtual marketing assistant is a remote worker who offers marketing support services, including social media management, content, SEO, email marketing, and analytics tracking. VMAs operate as freelancers or agencies, providing flexibility and specialized skills at a lower cost compared to in-house marketers.
What Is an In-House Marketer?
An in-house marketer is a full-time or part-time employee who is entirely devoted to the marketing of your company. They work on-site or within your organisation, handling tasks related to strategy development and campaign implementation. Having in-house marketers allows access to company resources and incurs fixed costs such as salaries, benefits, and office space.
Cost Comparison: Virtual Marketing Assistant vs. In-House Marketer
Financial Costs of a Virtual Marketing Assistant
Hiring a virtual marketing assistant is a more affordable, flexible pricing model. According to Statista, 62% of companies outsource their content marketing activities, which encompass the functions traditionally performed by VMAs, to minimize cost.
VMAs charge hourly rates, between $20-$100 per hour, or by project, enabling the business to adjust services as required. For example, a VMA could cost a small business $600-$3,000 per month depending on the country you hire from, which covers social media management and blog writing, not including benefits, taxes, or office.
Financial Costs of an In-House Marketer
On the other hand, hiring an in-house marketer comes with significant fixed costs. Glassdoor reports that the average salary paid to a digital marketing manager in the U.S. is approximately $80,000 with supporting benefits, adding to 20%-30% of the overall expense.
For small or medium-sized businesses, it is $100,000 annually, not including training, software subscriptions, and any costs related to the office.
Hidden Costs to Consider
Beyond direct costs, hidden expenses play a role. In-house marketers require onboarding, ongoing training, and management, which consume time and resources. VMAs, on the other hand, are typically self-sufficient, bringing their tools and expertise.
However, coordinating with a remote VMA may involve communication challenges, especially across time zones, which could lead to minor delays if not managed effectively.
Want to see how much you could save? Try using this free cost calculator and compare the monthly cost of a VMA vs. an in-house hire for your exact requirements.
Time Efficiency: Which Option Saves More Time?
Time Savings with a Virtual Marketing Assistant
Virtual marketing assistants are highly effective in time savings through specialization and automation. VMAs engage on a short-term basis, performing a particular task or a campaign, which does not require a long-term contract and saves on time spent on potential recruitment and training.
Time Commitment for an In-House Marketer
In-house marketers are committed but perform multiple functions, and their commitment may be watered down. They sit in meetings, coordinate with other departments, and carry out administrative tasks, thereby limiting the amount of time they can spend on strategic marketing work.
Hiring an in-house marketer can be a weeks- or months-long process, particularly when they must acquaint themselves with processes and voice of your brand. This on-site presence can be cost-effective over time in those businesses with ongoing, complex marketing requirements.
Scalability and Flexibility
Scalability of Virtual Marketing Assistants
VMAs provide unmatched scalability. Require some extra help during product launch? You can take on more VAs or add hours temporarily. Want to reduce expenses during slow seasons? You can scale down without severance or layoffs. This versatility is best suited for companies whose marketing needs vary, like e-commerce stores or startups.
Scalability of In-House Marketers
In-house marketing is best for a steady flow of work, but it is not as flexible. Recruiting new employees is time-consuming and expensive, and laying off employees can be expensive and hectic. In-house teams are a better application for companies with predictable, high-volume marketing requirements; however, they lack the responsiveness of VMAs in a fast-moving environment.
With My360VA Talent Hub, scaling your team is as easy as adding a new VA to your account β no lengthy recruitment cycles, no HR headaches.
Quality and Expertise
Expertise of Virtual Marketing Assistants
VMAs usually are experts in niche fields such as SEO, PPC, or social media, and they bring advanced knowledge to the table. To use another example, a VMA with expertise in SEO works with the best tools and does not require extensive training for high-quality results because of this specialized knowledge.
VMAs, however, have a wide variance in quality. Companies have to screen candidates to recruit qualified professionals with demonstrable track records because inexperienced VMAs can yield poor outcomes.
Expertise of In-House Marketers
Over time, in-house marketers gain significant insight into your brand, industry, and audience. This enables them to make a highly customized campaign that appeals to your target market. They may not have the specialized skills of a VMA unless they receive regular training, which increases expenses.
Which Option Is Right for Your Business?
The decision of whether to hire a virtual marketing assistant or an in-house marketer depends on the size of your business, the budget, and the objectives. VMAs may be a good fit for small businesses and startups due to potential cost savings and flexibility, and the ability to leverage automation tools to maximize efficiency. Larger organizations with more complicated marketing demands may prefer in-house marketers for their brand conformity and long-term strategic contributions.
A hybrid approach, an intermediate strategy, where the skills of an in-house marketer are utilized, but specific tasks are performed by VMAs, can also be effective. The strategy has been observed to enable businesses to save time and money without compromising the quality of output of marketing activities.
If youβre exploring a flexible, budget-friendly way to grow your marketing without the overhead of an in-house team, My360VA connects you with pre-vetted virtual marketing assistants who can start delivering results in days, not weeks.
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