Let’s face it – businesses are constantly vying for attention and engagement on social media platforms, so the question of how to effectively manage content creation arises again, and again. Given that’s the case, the real question is should you outsource your social media marketing to specialist agencies like us, or just rely on AI (artificial intelligence) to create content? Obviously, I have an opinion; but let’s try and take a look at this without bias.

Outsourcing Social Media Marketing to an Agency

The Pros:

1. Expertise and Experience: Social media marketing agencies have a wealth of experience and expertise in navigating the intricacies of various platforms. Our day job is, quite literally, to create and craft content that resonates with target audiences while aligning with a brand’s overall marketing objectives – across a number of industries and sectors.
2. Personalised Strategy: One of the key advantages of working with a social media agency is the personalised approach we offer. By understanding the unique needs and goals of both you and your business as a client, social media marketing agencies tailor strategies to maximise effectiveness and achieve real results.
3. Human Touch: Agencies bring a human element to content creation, infusing posts with creativity, emotion, and storytelling. This human touch can create deeper connections with audiences and increase brand loyalty over time.
4. Comprehensive Services: Beyond content creation, social media marketing agencies often provide a suite of services including community management, analytics, and strategy refinement. This holistic approach ensures that all aspects of the social media presence are optimised for success. In short, you’re investing in the management of your social media presence which is far more than simply content creation.

Cons:

1. Cost: While the expertise and comprehensive services offered by social media agencies are valuable, it requires investment. For small businesses or startups with limited marketing budgets, this may seem prohibitive. However, since I started doing this work in 2011, I can tell you first-hand that more often than not that belief is based on the assumption that the investment is much higher than it is in reality. Conversations cost nothing so I would encourage you to make enquiries in terms of investment before writing it off as an impossibility for your business.
2. Communication Challenges: Effective collaboration between a client and an agency relies on clear communication and mutual understanding. Misalignment in expectations or delays in feedback can hinder the success of social media campaigns. Or at least that’s the fear! So ask your agency how they counteract this and, more specifically, ask what they need from you to avoid this happening. Again, experience has shown that the biggest cause for this is a lack of response or action from client-side. The outcomes of this issue will still be intact if you don’t outsource.
3. Dependency on External Factors: Businesses that outsource their social media marketing are inherently reliant on the performance and availability of the agency. Any fluctuations in performance, changes in personnel, or shifts in strategy can impact the outcomes of marketing efforts. This is probably the only con that I would struggle to answer. It’s a thing. However there is always a protocol in place to deal with this. For us, it’s the way we handover and control our internal communications, and the way we ensure multiple people have knowledge of our accounts.

Using AI Content Creation Instead Of A specialist Marketing agency

Pros:

1. Efficiency and Scalability: AI-powered tools excel in generating content quickly and at scale, enabling businesses to maintain a consistent presence across multiple platforms. This efficiency frees up time and resources that can be allocated to other aspects of the business.
2. Data-Driven Insights: AI algorithms have the capability to analyse vast amounts of data to uncover trends, preferences, and engagement patterns. Armed with actionable insights, businesses can fine-tune their content strategy for optimal performance.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to the ongoing costs associated with outsourcing social media marketing, investing in AI content creation tools can be cost-effective. This is particularly appealing for budget-conscious businesses seeking to maximise their return on investment.
4. Consistency: AI-generated content maintains a consistent tone and style, ensuring coherence across all social media channels. This consistency reinforces brand identity and messaging, familiarity and trust among followers.

Cons:

1. Lack of Creativity: While AI algorithms give you efficiency and scalability, they fall short when it comes to creativity and originality. Automated content runs the risk of feeling robotic or impersonal, reducing engagement and authenticity. You want people to buy into you. Not a filtered, soulless, robotic version of you.
2. Limited Adaptability: AI relies on existing data to generate content, this limits its ability to respond to real-time events and adapt to changing trends. Human intuition and creativity need to be applied to ensure you send the right message at the right time.
3. Quality Concerns: Despite advancements in AI tech, there is still a risk of producing low-quality or irrelevant content. You need to ensure you are reading and reviewing the content created by AI so that you are confident it meets your standards, your tone, and speaks to your audience.

So what’s the answer – Marketing Agency or Ai?

The decision to outsource social media marketing to an agency or leverage AI for content creation is a complex one that depends on a variety of factors including budget, goals, and the resources you have available. While social media agencies like us offer expertise, strategies personalised to your business, and a human touch, they also come with a commitment to invest. On the other hand, AI content creation tools offer efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, but lacks the creativity and adaptability of human-driven approaches.

Here’s something you probably haven’t considered when it comes to outsourcing to a marketing agency vs using AI

Since the likes of ChatGPT became mainstream, in order to survive, social media marketing agencies have had to continuously adapt and innovate. By honing their expertise and leveraging the latest AI tools, agencies are uniquely positioned to optimise the benefits while minimising the drawbacks. With an understanding of both human creativity and technological efficiency, agencies support businesses in harnessing the best of both worlds. By partnering with an agency, you can streamline your social media efforts, reduce the investment required to achieve success and capitalise on all the opportunities without the burden of excessive time and resources.

Ultimately, finding the right balance between human creativity and technological innovation is key to achieving success in social media marketing. And today,  in what has become a competitive landscape, I can assure you that it’s marketing agencies that have this in hand.