Managing search marketing, blog posts, and social media pages in-house for a small to medium-sized business can be both time-intensive and resource-heavy. Here’s a realistic breakdown:
Weekly Time Estimate (Conservative)
- Search Marketing (Google Ads/SEO): 6–10 hours/week
(Keyword research, writing ads, A/B testing, monitoring bids, tracking conversions) - Blog Writing & SEO Optimization: 4–8 hours/week (Topic research, writing, editing, optimizing for SEO, posting, image sourcing)
- Social Media Management: 5–8 hours/week
(Planning content, designing graphics, scheduling posts, responding to comments, analytics)
Total Weekly Time
15–26 hours/week – That’s 2 to 3 full working days per week—just for marketing execution.
Internal Resources & Employees
Typical Roles Required:
- Marketing Coordinator / Specialist: For overall management and content planning
- Writer/Content Creator: For blogs, ads, and post captions
- Graphic Designer: For branded social media creatives and ad visuals
- Digital Ads Manager: For running and optimizing paid campaigns
- SEO Specialist (optional but recommended): For long-term organic ranking growth
In most cases, these roles are either handled by 2–3 employees, or split across multiple part-time contractors or freelancers.
Estimated In-House Cost
Monthly Cost Range (U.S. Based)
- 1–2 Full-Time Employees (salaries + benefits): $3,000–$7,000/month
- Freelancers/Contractors (hourly or retainer): $1,000–$2,000/month
- Software Tools (SEO, scheduling, analytics, design): $200–$500/month
Total Monthly Cost Estimate: $2,000–$7,500/month (depending on approach and experience level). This is a fairly accurate side-by-side cost and resource comparison between managing digital marketing in-house vs. partnering with Focused Local for search marketing, blog content, and social media management:
DIY (In-House) Marketing vs. Focused Local
| Category | DIY / In-House Team | Focused Local |
|---|---|---|
| Time Commitment (Per Week) | 15–26 hours (owner/team time) | 1–2 hours (review + communication only) |
| Employees / Roles Needed | 2–3 staff (or freelancers): content writer, ads manager, designer | Fully managed by experts: SEO, Ads, Social, Copywriting |
| Typical Monthly Payroll | $2,000–$6,500 (salaries, benefits, freelance retainers) | Starting at ~ $750–$2,000 (depending on scope) |
| Software Costs | $200–$500 (SEO tools, social schedulers, analytics) | Included in Focused Local’s service |
| Training & Oversight | Ongoing (owner or manager must stay current with best practices) | Not required—Focused Local uses proven, updated strategies |
| Performance Tracking | DIY setup with limited reporting | Real-time dashboards, monthly reports, KPI analysis |
| Consistency & Results | Depends on internal bandwidth and expertise | Professionally optimized for growth and ROI |
Summation
In-house management can work, but it’s costly, time-consuming, and often inconsistent without a skilled marketing team. Focused Local offers a cost-effective, full-service SEO solutions with measurable results, lower overhead, and professional-grade execution.
For most SMBs, managing digital marketing internally requires a serious time investment, a multi-skilled team, and significant costs. That’s why many turn to agencies like Focused Local, where expert teams handle everything, from Google Ads to blog writing and social posting, at a fraction of the in-house cost and without the overhead of hiring.