Online marketing is now an essential piece of every business. The internet is where most of today's consumers are on a daily basis. They are more likely to shop online because of convenience.
As an SME, you may think that managing your own social media campaign is better. There's probably someone in your office who wouldn't mind spending hours on Facebook. True, but there is a key difference between knowledge and delivery.
It's not just about knowing how to use Facebook or Twitter, but also utilising this knowledge to deliver results. Online marketing is not limited to social media, too. It covers other disciplines such as content marketing, SEO, and SEM. It may need online creative services such as web design and graphic design. Consumer behaviour changes over time, so online marketing trends come and go.
Handling all these tasks on your own may end up leaving your business on autopilot, which is not a good way to grow an SME. So, when should you outsource your online marketing strategy?
Outsourcing Online Marketing
These are the key factors and questions to consider when outsourcing your online marketing strategy:
- Results - Are your online marketing campaigns attracting unique visitors (new non-recurring visitors) to the site?
- Inquiries - Are your visitors filling out contact forms or calling your company?
- Conversion - Are these inquiries profitable? Does your staff convert these inquiries into sales?
If you answered no to any of these questions, then you need a service provider to help you create effective campaigns.
Benefits of Outsourcing Your Online Marketing Strategy
Outsourcing and offshoring provide a flexible staffing solution for SMEs. You can lease a small team and expand as your business grows. For example, to get started, you can hire an offshore web designer to spruce up your website, then hire an SEO specialist and content writer to update and add fresh content. Have a social media marketer promote your website and build your online presence. SMEs can hire these specialists on an on-demand basis for a cost-efficient project.
SMEs have more time to sell their product or service while their outsourcing partner builds their client base. You can leverage your service provider's expertise to create and execute an online marketing campaign, measure its success, and find out how that can translate to a return on investment.
How to Find Your Outsourcing Partner
Assess your finances and determine how much you can spend. Find a service provider that has experience in working with SMEs in your industry. You can choose a niche service provider or assemble your own team through offshore staffing. Either way, you need a partner that will focus on your main goal.
Businesses that are willing to invest and develop talent can gain options beyond labour arbitrage. It's not just about offloading work, but adding capabilities to grow a business.
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