Every business owner hits the same fork in the road eventually. You can’t keep doing social media yourself, so you either hire someone or outsource social media to a team that does it for a living.
Most people make that call on gut feel. They see a salary number, compare it to an agency quote, and pick whichever feels smaller. That’s how a lot of businesses end up paying more for less.
I’ve been on both sides of this. I’ve had clients leave to take their social media in-house, and I’ve seen what happened next. So here’s an honest breakdown of what each option really costs, and when each one actually makes sense.
What It Actually Costs to Hire Someone In-House
The salary is the number everyone looks at. It’s also the smallest part of the story.
The Salary Is Only the Starting Point
On top of pay, you’re covering employer contributions to CPP and EI, vacation pay, and benefits if you offer them. Add it all up and a full-time hire costs a lot more than the number in the job posting. By our estimate, a full in-house marketing hire lands somewhere between $60,000 and $120,000 a year once everything is counted.
Gear, Software and Space
Someone has to film, so you need a camera or a good phone, lighting, and microphones. Then there’s editing software, scheduling tools, music licensing, and a quiet place to record. None of that is huge on its own. Together, though, it adds up fast, and all of it needs replacing eventually.
The Ramp-Up Nobody Budgets For
A new hire doesn’t know your customers yet. It usually takes one to three months before they’re producing at full speed, and you’re paying the whole time. And if they leave after a year, that clock starts over again.
One Person, Six Jobs
Here’s the part that worries me most. Social media done properly means strategy, filming, on-camera coaching, editing, captions, and posting. That’s a lot of different skills to expect from one person. In my experience, most hires are great at two of those and quietly struggle with the rest.
What It Costs to Outsource Social Media
When you outsource social media, you’re paying a monthly fee for a team that already has the gear, the software, and the process. At All In Content, our done-for-you plans run from $1,800 to $3,500 a month plus HST. That works out to roughly $21,600 to $42,000 a year, with recording, editing, captions, and posting included.
The trade-off is real, though. An outside team isn’t in your building every day. You still have to show up for recording sessions, answer questions, and give feedback. If you disappear for two months, the content gets thinner. So outsourcing takes the work off your plate, but it doesn’t take you out of it.
You can see exactly what each plan includes on our Monthly Plans page.
When Hiring In-House Makes Sense
I’ll be straight with you. Sometimes hiring is the right call, and it usually is when all four of these are true:
- You need someone on site every day to capture moments as they happen.
- You have enough work for a full-time person across social, email, events, and website updates.
- Someone on your team has the time and know-how to manage them, set goals, and review their work.
- You can afford the full cost for at least a year without it hurting.
If all four are true, hiring can work well. If one or two are missing, that’s usually where it falls apart.
When It Makes Sense to Outsource Social Media
For most small businesses I meet, outsourcing is the better fit. Specifically, it makes sense when:
- You want consistent posting without managing another employee.
- You need video, not just graphics, and don’t want to buy the gear or learn to edit.
- Your budget is real but not big enough for a full salary plus everything around it.
- You’ve tried doing it yourself and it keeps falling to the bottom of the list.
That last one is the most common. Nobody fails at social media because they’re lazy. They fail because it’s the first thing to go when the real work gets busy.
The Hybrid Option Most People Miss
It doesn’t have to be one or the other. In fact, some of the setups I like best mix both.
For example, you might have someone in the office who grabs quick behind-the-scenes clips and replies to comments, while an outside team handles the recorded videos, the editing, and the posting schedule. Your person stays close to the day-to-day. Meanwhile, the heavy production work happens somewhere it’s done every single day.
That way you get the authenticity of someone inside the business and the consistency of a team that doesn’t take sick days.
Questions to Ask Before You Outsource Social Media
Whichever way you lean, get clear answers to these before you commit:
- Who is actually making the content, and will I be on camera?
- How many finished videos do I get each month, and how often do they post?
- What do I need to do each month, and how much of my time will it take?
- Who handles comments and messages?
- What happens if I want to stop?
If an agency can’t answer those clearly, keep looking. And if a candidate for an in-house role can’t show you work they’ve made and posted consistently, that’s your answer too.
Frequently Asked Questions: Should You Outsource Social Media?
Is it cheaper to outsource social media than to hire?
For most small businesses, yes. Once you add up salary, contributions, gear, software, and ramp-up time, a full-time hire usually costs well more than a done-for-you plan. The exception is a business with enough work to keep a person busy full time.
Will an outside team understand my business?
A good one will, but only if they ask the right questions. Before every session, we dig into who your customers are and what they keep asking you. Then you’re the one on camera, so the knowledge comes straight from you.
How much of my time does it take?
Expect one recording session a month plus a little time for feedback. On our plans, that session runs two to six hours depending on the plan, and we handle everything else.
Can I outsource social media now and bring it in-house later?
Absolutely. Some businesses outsource for a year or two to build consistency and a content library, then hire once they have a clear system to hand over.
Ready to Stop Doing It Yourself?
If you’re weighing this decision right now, let’s talk it through. There’s no reason for your business to feel invisible because social media keeps slipping down the list. Book a free consultation and we’ll look at what you’re spending, what you need, and which option actually fits. Sometimes the honest answer is to hire. Either way, you’ll walk away knowing.
