For most South African small businesses, outsourcing marketing costs less than half of hiring a full-time marketer, and gives access to more skills. In-house hiring starts to make sense when you need someone on site every day and have enough work for a full team.
I’ve worked on both sides, as an in-house marketing manager running marketing for a group of companies and now as an outsourced specialist, so this comparison comes from experience rather than theory.
What an in-house digital marketer really costs
The average digital marketing manager in South Africa earns around R30,000 a month, with most falling between R25,000 and R35,000 for an experienced hire. But salary is only part of the cost:
- Employer contributions such as UIF and, for larger payrolls, the Skills Development Levy.
- Leave and sick days, when no marketing gets done.
- Equipment and software: a laptop, design tools, scheduling and SEO tools can easily add R2,000 to R3,500 a month.
- Recruitment and onboarding time, and the cost of starting again if the hire doesn’t work out.
- Management time: someone in your business needs to brief, guide and review their work.
A worked example
| Cost | Approximate monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Salary | R30,000 |
| Employer contributions (UIF and similar) | R300 – R600 |
| Software and tools | R2,000 – R3,500 |
| Laptop and equipment (spread over 3 years) | R600 – R900 |
| Recruitment cost (spread over the first year) | R1,000 – R2,500 |
| Total | About R34,000 – R37,500 |
That’s before you account for leave, training, or the months it takes a new hire to fully understand your business.
The skills gap
A modern marketing function needs a surprising range of skills. A typical small business needs some of all of these:
- Marketing strategy and planning
- Paid advertising (Google, Meta, LinkedIn)
- SEO, both technical and on-page
- Social media management and community
- Copywriting and content
- Graphic design
- Website management
- Analytics and reporting
It’s rare to find one employee who’s strong in all of them. Many businesses hire a great social media person and then discover their Google Ads or website needs a different expert entirely.
What outsourcing costs
An outsourced specialist or small studio typically charges a monthly retainer for a set number of hours. In South Africa, full-service retainers usually start around R10,000 to R12,000 a month for a lean package and go up to R30,000 or more for something close to a part-time marketing manager.
| In-house marketer | Outsourced specialist | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | R30,000 – R40,000 all in | From about R11,000 |
| Skills | Usually strong in one or two areas | Strategy, ads, SEO, content and design |
| Tools and software | Paid by you | Included |
| Leave cover | None | Built in |
| Commitment | Employment contract | Usually a 3-month minimum |
| Scaling up or down | Slow | Change the package monthly |
For a wider look at pricing, see How much does digital marketing cost in South Africa?.
When hiring in-house makes sense
- You need someone at your premises every day, for events, photography or internal communications.
- You have enough work for a full-time role, and ideally for a small team.
- Marketing needs deep, daily knowledge of a complex product.
- You have someone senior who can manage and develop a marketing hire.
When outsourcing makes more sense
- You need several skills (ads, SEO, social, design) but not a full-time person for each.
- Your budget is under about R30,000 a month.
- You want experienced, management-level thinking without a management-level salary.
- You want the flexibility to scale up for a launch and down again afterwards.
A typical scenario
Picture a 15-person professional services firm. They hire a junior marketer for R18,000 a month to “do social media”. Within a few months they also want Google Ads, a refreshed website and better SEO, none of which the junior has done before. The owner ends up managing marketing personally, and results stall.
For a similar total cost, that firm could pay an outsourced specialist for strategy, ads and SEO, and keep a part-time coordinator or an existing staff member for day-to-day posts and photos. The work gets done by people who’ve done it many times before, and the owner gets their time back.
Signs it’s time to hire in-house
- You’re consistently paying for more outsourced hours than a full-time salary would cost.
- You need marketing support every day across several departments or brands.
- You have a clear marketing strategy and someone senior to manage a hire.
- Much of the work needs to happen on site, such as events, content shoots or retail activations.
The hybrid option
Many growing businesses do both. A junior in-house coordinator handles day-to-day posting, photos and customer messages, while an outsourced specialist provides strategy, runs paid ads and handles SEO. You get someone on the ground plus senior expertise, often for less than one senior hire.
How to make outsourcing work
- Start with a proper briefing on your goals, customers, competitors and what’s worked before.
- Agree on measurable goals, such as enquiries, bookings or sales, not just likes or reach.
- Give access to your website, ad accounts and analytics, while keeping ownership in your business’s name.
- Meet monthly to review results and plan the next month.
- Give it three months before judging results.
What the first 90 days should look like
- Month one: discovery, a marketing plan, fixing tracking and the basics (Google Business Profile, website messaging, ad accounts), and launching the first campaigns or content.
- Month two: consistent delivery, early testing and the first proper report against your goals.
- Month three: doubling down on what’s working, cutting what isn’t, and agreeing on priorities for the next quarter.
By the end of three months you should be able to see clear trends in enquiries or sales, even if SEO is still building.
Questions to ask an outsourced marketer
- Who will actually do the work?
- What exactly is included each month?
- How will results be measured and reported?
- Who owns the ad accounts, website and content?
- What’s the minimum term, and how do I cancel?
Frequently asked questions
Is outsourcing marketing cheaper than hiring?
Usually, yes. A full-service retainer typically costs less than half of an in-house marketer once salary, tools and employer costs are included.
Will an outsourced marketer understand my business?
A good one starts with a proper discovery session about your goals, customers and competitors, and checks in regularly. Ask how they get to know a new client.
What happens to my accounts if I stop outsourcing?
If everything is set up in your business’s name, as it should be, you keep your ad accounts, website, social profiles and content. Confirm this before you sign.
Should I choose a freelancer or an agency?
A freelancer or solo specialist usually costs less and you work directly with the expert. An agency gives you more capacity and a team behind you. For most small businesses, an experienced specialist offers the best balance of cost and expertise.
Can I start small and grow?
Yes. Many businesses start with one service, such as Google Ads or social media, and add more as results come in. See The Menu for options.
Wondering which makes sense for you? Book a free coffee chat and we’ll work it out together.
Keegan Jordaan is the founder of Crema Digital, a Johannesburg digital marketing studio. He has more than 10 years of hands-on experience and most recently ran the full digital marketing function for a group of 18 companies. Book a free coffee chat.