Right-Sizing Your Hire: When To Hire Internal Content Producer vs. A Production Company
“We could either hire a video production company for one video campaign, or we could just hire a full-time content producer.”
This is a debate we hear from marketing leaders all the time.
On the surface, the debate makes sense. You’re could find yourself spending $50,000 on one invoice or you could dedicate the resources to owning the content creation in-house by paying a team member a salary.
It almost looks like a no-brainer, when you compare them on paper.
But when you’re mapping out which strategy makes the most sense for you, there’s a lot more to consider than meets the eye.
You’re not comparing equal resources. You’re comparing the bandwidth of one person to a team of people whose resources and specialized expertise are more extensive.
Neither choice is better than the other. They just solve different problems. As you’re building your content strategy, it’s best to identify which scenario requires which solution.
There will be times where it makes all the sense in the world to have a dedicated team member in-house, and there will be times when it makes sense to bring in outside experts to place fresh eyes to your content strategy.
In fact, the vast majority of the clients we work with have their own internal content creators. Those are people who are more equipped for “rapid-response” projects - social first videos, C-suite addresses, minor b-roll captures, and more.
Our team still gets brought in to handle higher stakes initiatives, where the audience is a more defined, the strategy is more tightly developed, and the risk for the organization is a little larger.
Let’s go through the pros and cons of hiring an internal content producer vs. an outsourced production company.
Internal Content Producer
An internal content creator is the right fit for internal or social-focus projects that require quick and frequent turnaround.
The Pros:
This person will live and breathe your brand.
They will keep your social media feeds current and relevant.
They will provide the quantity that an external company likely cannot.
They can jump on quick, reactionary needs.
More volume for the money.
The Cons:
The limits of a one-person operation. No one person can expertly do the job of ten specialists.
You have to carry overhead of salary and benefits.
You now have to purchase and store major equipment like cameras, lighting, microphones, tripods, and computers.
You need to maintain hard drive storage and manage a content library.
Member(s) of your team now have to manage the production department’s day-to-day output.
Investment:
Between $60,000-80,000 inclusive of annual salary and benefits, plus roughly $25,000 in startup costs (equipment and storage) that will require semi-annual maintenance.
External Production Team
An external video production company is the right fit when your project requires strategy, complex execution, or equipment and personnel that you can’t carry the overhead for.
The Pros:
Complete end-to-end strategy and execution of market-ready campaigns.
They will own and carry the overhead on all equipment, insurance, and personnel, and manage logistics, permits, locations, and talent direction.
They will provide the quality that an internal content producer cannot.
They will bring a team of specialists to the table who are experts in Producing, Directing, Cinematography, Audio, Art Direction, and Editing.
More equipped for high-stakes, revenue-driving projects that come with risk, giving you peace of mind.
The Cons:
They are built for major campaigns, which comes with a higher price tag per engagement.
Production often has longer turnaround times.
Generally a production company is not the right fit for capturing and turning around a quick update.
You need a project manager to consistently communicate with the production company.
Your internal marketing teams need to plan out departmental needs well in advance of hiring an external partner.
Investment:
Between $15,000-50,000 per engagement, depending on the length and level of complexity of the projects.
The Takeaway
There is no wrong choice, and in all likelihood, your organization may find itself needing both solutions for different reasons.
An Internal Content Producer gives you consistent volume. An External Production Company helps you create high-impact assets. When you’re mapping out your video content strategy, remember is no wrong answer. Just different solutions to different problems.
If you need something filmed quickly and cheap, and it doesn’t require much instruction, it’s probably best to go with an internal team member. This is a great option for event coverage, C-Suite addresses, or those things that pop up at the last minute.
On the other hand, you’re going to want to hire a company like ours on videos or campaigns that require time and strategy. Remember, if you’re marketing a high-value product or service to your potential customers, you can’t sell it with a low value ad.
The right production partner for those projects won’t just come in and film. They will help you strategize how best to communicate to your audience, be your partner in developing the creative, and make sure your message resonates.