New Chart: Outsourcing for Key Marketing Functions

By Jen Doyle, Senior Analyst

Outsourcing Plans for Key Marketing Functions


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Perhaps more important than the percentage of organizations already outsourcing each tactic are those not yet outsourcing but planning to. This factor indicates that marketers think specialized tactics, such as SEO and social media, may be performed more effectively by outside experts than by internal staff.

The primary difference between the two tactics with the lowest outsourcing percentages -- email newsletter copywriting and social media -- is that email copywriting is an established tactic that will unlikely see outsourcing significantly increase in the future. Social media is a new and rapidly emerging category that will likely be highly outsourced, like PR, in the foreseeable future. This identifies a growth opportunity for agencies and consultants specializing in the social media space.

The practice of public relations is going through a change of revolutionary proportion. Often referred to as PR 2.0, this revolution is being driven by the rapid emergence of social media where your brand is no longer what you say it is, it’s what "they" -- your customers, prospects, the press and other influencers -- say it is. They are sharing information and opinions about your brand, and you need to be part of the conversation. This is creating demand for PR services that, in many cases, need to be outsourced for lack of knowledgeable internal resources, especially at medium and large organizations.

For additional research data and insights about B2B marketing, download and read the free Executive Summary from MarketingSherpa’s 2009-2010 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report.