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Should you hire an ads agency? Five questions that settle it

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2026.05.10Updated 2026.10.06
  • SEO and digital marketing

Summary

On a small budget and a thin team, a familiar question for smaller companies: run the ads yourself, or hand them to an agency?

With limited marketing budgets and resources, many small and medium-sized businesses face a key question: should you run ads yourself, or hand them over to an ad management agency?

Ad platform tools are getting easier to use, but truly maximizing ad results still takes strategy, data analysis, and ongoing optimization. So can an agency actually help? And is it worth the cost?

In this article, we look at the decision of whether to hire an agency from five angles, so you can clearly assess your situation and make the choice that best fits your needs. Whether you're an entrepreneur who's still on the fence or a brand owner looking to improve ad performance, this article will help you find your direction.

Ad agency vs doing it yourself: which is right for you?

Ad agency vs doing it yourself: which is right for you?

Before starting to advertise, many business owners face their first choice: “Should I run ads myself, or hand them over to an agency?” The choice looks simple, but it involves more than just budget. It also comes down to your time, staffing, expertise, and what you expect from your marketing.

Do agencies really get better results than doing it yourself?

An agency usually has a complete team, including specialists in copywriting, design, media buying, and data analysis. They can quickly build a strategy around your goals, design creatives, and keep optimizing results. Running ads yourself saves the agency fee, but without the expertise, it's easy to end up “spending money on ads with nothing to show for it.”

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  • Ad agency vs doing it yourself: which is right for you?
  • Do agencies really get better results than doing it yourself?
  • What are the hidden costs of running ads yourself?
  • What professional resources can an agency bring?
  • Why is an agency team better than doing everything on your own?
  • What tools do they have that you usually don't?
  • How do you evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an ad agency?
  • Is an agency cheaper in the long run?
  • How do agency quotes compare with in-house costs?
  • What kinds of businesses are agencies best suited for?
  • Should small companies with limited budgets consider one?
  • Does it make sense to use an agency to fill skill gaps in an existing team?
  • How do you choose the right ad agency?
  • 5 questions to ask yourself before choosing an agency
  • Which collaboration models bring an agency closer to your brand?
  • Conclusion: should you hire an agency? Our recommendations at a glance

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What are the hidden costs of running ads yourself?

Many people think that saving the agency fee means coming out ahead, but that isn't necessarily true. Running ads yourself may look cheaper, but you need to invest a lot of time learning targeting logic, ad policies, and data analysis, and even handle graphic design and layout testing. The opportunity cost of that time, and of trial and error, is often the most overlooked part.

📖 Further reading: Digital Marketing Agency vs In-House: Cost Breakdown & How to Choose – HubSpot

What professional resources can an agency bring?

What professional resources can an agency bring?

Hiring an agency isn't just paying someone to run your ads; it means entrusting your marketing to a team with a full range of resources. These resources save you the time of building in-house capabilities and help your ads reach the results you want faster.

Why is an agency team better than doing everything on your own?

An established agency usually has the following kinds of talent:

  • Ad strategy planning: helps you set clear goals and decide on targeting direction
  • Copywriting and creative design: writes compelling ad copy and designs conversion-focused visuals
  • Technology and tracking: sets up conversion tracking codes and integrates tools such as GA4 and Meta Pixel
  • Data analysis and optimization: continually adjusts bids and creatives based on performance reports

This kind of teamwork and professional division of labor is something most small and medium-sized businesses can't build in-house in a short time.

What tools do they have that you usually don't?

Agencies invest in many advanced tools and software, such as:

  • Keyword research tools (such as Semrush and Ahrefs)
  • Ad audience analysis tools (such as Meta Audience Insights)
  • Automated performance tracking systems and A/B testing platforms

These tools are not only expensive but also take experience and expertise to use correctly, which makes the barrier extremely high for beginners.

📖 Further reading: Agency vs. In-House: What’s Right for Your Business? – ImpactPlus

How do you evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an ad agency?

Many businesses assume that “hiring an agency just means spending more,” but in reality, a professional agency can often deliver better results with a smaller budget. The key is that they know how to optimize, how to focus, and how to avoid the common mistakes you might make.

Is an agency cheaper in the long run?

Running ads yourself may seem to save on service fees, but incorrect settings, weak copy, or not tracking results can send every ad dollar down the drain. An agency can help you avoid waste from the very start:

  • Precisely setting ad audiences and conversion goals
  • Continually optimizing creatives and targeting strategies
  • Adjusting direction for your market and products to keep improving ROI

These professional methods are what make sure your budget is spent where it counts.

How do agency quotes compare with in-house costs?

You may wonder: “An agency costs tens of thousands a month. Isn't that too expensive?” But if you want to build your own team in-house, you may need to:

  • Hire a full-time marketer, with a monthly salary starting at NT$35,000~NT$60,000
  • Also find a designer, an engineer, a content writer, and other staff
  • Absorb the costs of tools and training yourself

By comparison, an agency provides “the capabilities of an entire team” for a single monthly fee, and you don't have to deal with personnel costs.

📖 Further reading: Why an Ad Agency Offers Better Value Than an In-House Hire – Ignite Visibility

What kinds of businesses are agencies best suited for?

Not every company is a good fit for an agency, but there are a few situations where we especially recommend using one. If any of them applies to you, an agency may well save you effort and work better than doing it yourself.

Should small companies with limited budgets consider one?

Small and medium-sized businesses without large budgets actually need to use every ad dollar more precisely. Rather than spending time on trial and failure, it's better to have an agency find the right direction in the shortest time. Many agency plans have low-budget entry options, and with the right strategy, they can still produce steady conversions.

Does it make sense to use an agency to fill skill gaps in an existing team?

Some companies already have marketing staff, but the team isn't familiar with ad platform dashboards or lacks data analysis skills. In that case, an agency and the in-house team can split the work: the agency handles the technical side, while the in-house team owns the brand and content. This model is flexible and effective, and it reduces the cost of getting used to working together.

Further reading: When to Hire a Marketing Agency vs Build an In-House Team – RBOA

How do you choose the right ad agency?

How do you choose the right ad agency?

Choosing an agency is like choosing a partner: picking the right one matters more than picking the cheapest. The wrong agency not only wastes your budget but may also cause you to miss the best window for exposure and conversions. The following key questions and collaboration model suggestions can help you decide with more confidence.

5 questions to ask yourself before choosing an agency

  1. Does my product already have a stable conversion process?
  2. Do I need help with strategy, or just technical execution?
  3. Am I looking for a short-term surge or steady long-term results?
  4. Is my budget enough to support more than 3 months of testing?
  5. Am I willing to provide in-house resources to support the agency's work?

These questions help you find partners who truly understand your needs.

Which collaboration models bring an agency closer to your brand?

Some agencies offer full-service management (from strategy to execution), while others lean toward technical support (running your ad accounts for you). Some also offer a “co-creation” model: you own the brand and content, they own the ad technology and optimization, and both sides keep working together and improving.

Which collaboration model to choose depends on your company's in-house resources and how involved you want to be.

📖 Further reading: In-House Marketing vs Agency: What Are The Differences? – WeAreAmnet

Conclusion: should you hire an agency? Our recommendations at a glance

Whether to hire an ad agency isn't a black-and-white question. It's about finding the marketing model that best fits your current resources, goals, and timeline. If you're in any of the following situations, working with an agency may be the more efficient choice:

  • Your company is just starting out and lacks in-house advertising expertise
  • Your team is busy growing the business and has no time to keep optimizing ads
  • You want data and results quickly to test the market
  • You want to avoid trial and error and wasted budget, and need help planning precisely

On the other hand, if you already have a stable in-house marketing team that is very familiar with data analysis and targeting strategy, running ads yourself may give you more flexibility and control.

🎯 Summary: Not every company is a good fit for an agency, but for most small and medium-sized businesses that lack specialist staff or need to move quickly, an ad agency can genuinely help you move forward faster.

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