what is inhousing of media services?
Inhousing media services refers to the practice of bringing media planning, buying, and management activities internally within a company or brand, rather than outsourcing these functions to external agencies.
This trend has gained momentum among advertisers seeking greater control, transparency, and efficiency in their media operations. By inhousing media services, companies aim to achieve a more integrated approach to their advertising and marketing strategies, aligning closely with their business objectives and brand values.
While inhousing offers many benefits, it also comes with challenges, such as the need for significant investment in technology and talent, the risk of losing the external perspective that agencies can provide, and the potential for increased operational complexity.
Companies considering this move typically weigh the benefits of increased control and integration against the costs and challenges of building and maintaining a comprehensive in-house media capability.
What works best for you?
As you already might start to see, an advertiser typically has 2 choices when it comes to running digital media campaigns. Or you do it yourself with your own marketing team or you hire an agency partner to do it for you.
Either way the goal is to have get the best results taking into account your business goals while staying within a given media budget.
There are many reasons to chose an agency:
- Access to better and more advanced buying technology such as programmatic buying platforms
- DIrect line with media such as Google, Meta, TikTok …
- Consultants that are highly specialized in 1 or 2 skills.
- Aggregating budgets that lead to better commercial conditions.
- ….
However, there are also very valid reasons to take some or all media services inhouse.
- Keeping better track of budgets (and hidden costs).
- Full ownership of your media buying infrastructure.
- Total control of your data and how it’s being used.
- Cheaper internal resources if trained and guided properly.
Right-sourcing, the ideal solution?
We believe the best choice lies between inhousing and outsourcing all your media services.
Some things are better done by your own team, but they will always have the need to validate their decisions. This is why we strongly believe in the model that we call “right-sourcing”.
This is a flexible solution which allows your own marketing teams to grow into their new roles, but still keep a lifeline at hand with seasoned digital marketeers from your agency partner.
In this model you also have a back-up solution should one of your team members suddenly become unavailable for any reason thinkable. Your campaigns will be less likely to suffer a drop in performance as there is always someone watching along over your teams shoulder.