What to Choose: Marketing-as-a-Service vs Freelancers

There’ll always be a need for marketing. That hasn’t changed. 

What has changed over recent years, though, is how you go about it. Building your own in-house marketing team from the ground up or hiring a traditional digital marketing agency is no longer the only option. 

Remote work options and layoffs have seen more marketing professionals switching from corporate life to freelancing. Plus, a number of agencies are following the example of SaaS companies by starting to offer Marketing-as-a-Subscription service. 

To help you choose how you outsource your marketing, here’s how freelancers compare to Marketing-as-a-Service companies. 

Freelancers

Between 2022 and 2023, the number of freelancers in the United States grew by 4%. It might not sound like a lot, but it’s the highest increase since 2014. 

The Statista Research Department anticipates that this number will continue to grow. If it follows the anticipated trajectory, by 2027 more than half of the US workforce will be freelancers. 

It’s projected that there will be 79.6 million freelancers in the US by 2025.

With freelancing becoming more common practice, it’s a good idea to know the pros and cons of hiring one.

Advantages of Hiring Freelancers

Freelancers are invested in their work because their reputation and future job prospects depend on delivering high-quality results. This personal investment often translates into a higher level of care and attention to detail.

Cost-Effective for Short-Term Projects

Freelancers have fewer overhead costs. They usually work remotely and use their own resources, and as such they can afford to charge lower rates.

They’re also more open to the idea of taking on a short-term project which means you’re not bound by monthly commitments.

Access to Specialized Skills

Freelancers typically deliver only one or two services. The benefit of this approach is that they’ve had more time to hone this skill.

If you want to outsource content writing for your website, for example, you’ll be able to find a freelancer that does this for his/her bread and butter. On the other hand, if you work with an agency, there’s a chance that you’ll be assigned a general writer who writes everything from website content to video scripts to social media posts.

On a related side note, freelancers often decide to focus on a specific skill because that’s what they’re most passionate about. So, there’s the added benefit of working with professionals who really care about their trade.

Direct Communication

There are no account managers who have to juggle several clients when you hire a freelancer. You work directly with the actual person executing the work.

The advantage of this is that it can speed up the process. It’s much easier to find a time that you and your freelancer are both available than what it is to sync multiple team members’ calendars.

This direct line of communication can also eliminate misunderstanding. You can share your feedback directly with the person who’ll implement the changes.

Disadvantages of Hiring Freelancers

It’s not necessarily the quality of work that’s the drawback of working with a freelancer. As mentioned, they’re personally invested in their work. That said, the fact that they’re only a team of one can also lead to challenges.

Inconsistent Availability

Let’s say you hired a freelancer to write content for your website at the beginning of the year. You plan to start an email newsletter once your new website has generated a sizable number of email subscribers. Without a date set in stone for your next project, there’s no way to guarantee that the same freelancer will be available to help you with the next project.

The reality is that freelancers don’t have the luxury of committing themselves to a potential project. They sign up for work on a case-by-case basis which means that when you need them again they might be busy with another project.

As they operate as a one-person show, it means that they have only X number of hours that they can work per day. Even though they would love to work with you again, it could be that they’ll have to decline because of availability, unless your timeline is flexible.

Limited Commitment and Reliability

Freelancers are essentially their own boss. Most are self-disciplined and realize that delivering high-quality work on time is essential for running a sustainable business.

However, as they only need to “report” to themselves, there’s a risk that you can encounter issues with commitment and dependability.

Even if the freelancer has a “strict boss,” the reality is that if they’re forced to take time off work because of a personal emergency, there are no team members to step in. When this happens, the freelancer might suggest another professional in their network, but it could mean that you’ll have to find another service provider midcampaign.

Searching Takes a Lot of Time

While there are millions of freelancers available, finding one isn’t necessarily a quick exercise. For example, if you’re using Upwork, one of the top marketplaces for finding freelancers, you’ll need to browse through more than 10,000 skills across a long list of specialties. You’ll also need to compete against other job listings.

Over 10,000 freelance jobs in sales and marketing are posted on Upwork weekly.

Marketing-as-a-Service

Marketing-as-a-Service companies are similar to traditional marketing agencies. However, it offers more flexibility.

Instead of entering into a long-term contract, you have the option of signing a rolling contract ensuring continuity across projects. It can work out more cost-effectively as you can save on agency fees and free up time.

Advantages of Marketing-as-a-Service

MaaS companies can offer the best of both worlds. You can get access to more skills without having to invest more resources. 

Comprehensive Service Offerings

As you’ll have a team at your disposal instead of a single freelancer, there will be more services that you can get. More hands on deck not only translates to more time but also more areas of expertise. 

For example, Ninja Promo can help you across all stages of your marketing project. Whether you’re still in the planning or development phase or need actual design work, our services mix strategy with practical.  

Reliable Experts with Relevant Experience

The marketing professionals who’ll be assigned to your project will have been vetted by the MaaS company. While you’ll still need to do your checks and read customer testimonials, the сontractor double-checked each marketer’s background and skill set. 

For instance, at Ninja Promo we leverage remote work. This enables us to hire the best of the best as we’re not restricted to a specific location. 

No Hiring Costs

Though you’re not a freelancer’s employer and as such responsible for paying his/her salary, you’re still essentially paying an hourly rate which is their source of income. However, with the Marketing-as-a-Service option you pay only for the services that you need. The cost to your company is limited to the service and not linked to what a freelancer needs to earn to break even. 

Disadvantages of Marketing-as-a-Service

The only real con to hiring a MaaS company is the cost. However, when you take into account the fact that they can offer more services than a freelancer, it becomes a small price to pay for the opportunity to scale faster.

Potential Higher Costs Compared to Freelancers

While the Marketing-as-a-Service route will work out less expensive than hiring your own in-house department, it will cost more than hiring a freelancer. As mentioned earlier, freelancers have fewer expenses. They might also be more open to negotiating their rates and adjust it to the scope of the project.

Comparing MaaS and Freelancers

Choosing the Right Solution for Your Business Needs

As you would’ve picked up, your business needs will ultimately determine which marketing solution to choose. Freelancers can offer great value to businesses with specific needs. If you’re dead set on a service but not necessarily a deadline, see if you can find a freelancer with that skill set who’s available to take on more work at the moment. 

However, if you know that you’ll need a range of services on an ongoing basis, the smarter move will be to work with a MaaS provider from the start. They’ll be able to deliver all the services. Plus, should your needs change (whether that’s adding another service to the mix or you have the same type of work but just more workload) you’ll know that they’ll be available.