When considering digital marketing services for your business, one decision you will have to make on the way is choosing between a digital marketing agency and consultant (in fact, you most likely clicked on this article to help with that exact decision!).
While both agencies and consultants aim to grow your website’s traffic and revenue, their approach, structure, and relationship with clients differ significantly.
- Digital marketing agencies typically consist of multiple people skilled in different aspects of digital marketing, account managers, developers, admin staff and directors.
- Digital marketing consultants on the other hand are just the person skilled in digital marketing, covering admin duties themselves.
To help you decide between the two, I’ll compare both against seven key factors that are important to businesses deciding between choosing an agency or a consultant:
- Variety of Skills
- Cost-Effectiveness
- Resources
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Personalised Service
- Quality of Work
1. Variety of Skills
Winner: Agency
Digital marketing agencies are often composed of a multi-talented team, bringing together digital marketing technicians, coders, strategic planners and writers.
Their collective know-how is particularly useful for complex digital initiatives.
For firms looking to cover multiple bases with one partner, agencies are an attractive choice.
That said, for more focused projects centred solely on SEO or PPC, the full scope of agency resources may be unnecessary.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Winner: Consultant
Agencies can provide competitive rates, but it’s worth remembering they also carry the costs of office premises, management teams, and support staff.
Independent consultants generally avoid these overheads. You’re paying for their skills and experience, not the extra layers that come with an agency structure.
All things considered, digital marketing consultants often represent the more economical choice.
3. Resources
Winner: Agency
When it comes to large-scale digital marketing work, agencies often shine due to having a wider team available.
They can deploy several people to manage different parts of your campaign simultaneously.
If your business needs that kind of capacity, choosing an agency may be the best move.
4. Adaptability
Winner: Consultant
By design, agencies often depend on structured systems and standardised ways of working to coordinate their teams.
Although individual team members might be flexible, updates to your account setup or approach can be slower to roll out.
A consultant, in contrast, can personalise their service and shift direction rapidly when your priorities change.
That responsiveness can be a real asset in the constantly evolving digital space.
For instance, if a new opportunity arises mid-campaign, a consultant can usually respond immediately, while agencies may be delayed by processes and multiple layers of sign-off.
5. Communication
Winner: Consultant
A strong reason to work with a consultant is the continuity of dealing with one person throughout your digital marketing journey.
You sidestep the common agency pitfall of multiple handovers or changes in personnel.
Communication is typically quicker and more meaningful, as you’re speaking directly to the person doing the job.
This clarity can save time and strengthen your professional relationship.
6. Personal Service
Winner: Consultant
With digital marketing consultants, you often get a deeper level of commitment – their business thrives on results and happy clients.
Agencies, by contrast, typically work within larger structures where client focus can be diluted by internal priorities.
Consultants, working independently, are driven to deliver great outcomes.
For them, your success directly reflects on their own – which often leads to a more dedicated partnership.
7. Quality of Work
Winner: Equal
High-quality digital marketing can come from either an agency or a consultant.
Agencies might offer a wider skillset across teams, but this can sometimes result in work being passed to junior members for training.
Consultants typically do the work themselves, ensuring everything is handled with care and consistency.
Final Score
- Agency: 3
- Consultant: 5
Conclusion
Both Fintech digital marketing agencies and consultants have their strengths.
While agencies bring extensive resources and a variety of skills, consultants may offer a more cost-effective, adaptable, and personalised approach.
If you’re ready to experience the benefits of working with a Fintech digital marketing consultant…read more