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Switch to a media in-house model efficiently

Recently, more and more businesses have begun to in-house their media buying function. The reasons are clear: business-owned platforms and operations provide better control of ad spend and the opportunity to optimise campaign performance. Indaru can help you strike the right balance between in-housing and outsourcing for optimal results.

Key drivers and benefits of media in-housing

There are a number of key drivers behind the trend of media in-housing. Firstly, due to the increasing complexity of the media landscape and with a proliferation of platforms and channels to choose from, brands are looking to take more control of their media buying and advertising operations. By bringing these functions in-house, you gain visibility and ownership into key data and insights that impact their business.

A second key driver is a need for speed and agility in today’s fast-paced world. In-housing allows you to be more responsive to changes in the market and quickly adapt your strategies accordingly. Making last minute changes will be faster and having an in-house team will enable you to test out new ideas and approaches more quickly and efficiently without the red tape.

Finally, cost savings are also a major factor driving media in-housing. With budgets under strain, businesses are looking for ways to cut back on overheads. By taking on the media buying function internally, you can save on agency fees and other associated costs.

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Advantages of media in-housing

One of the primary advantages of media in-housing is the increased control and transparency that you gain over your advertising campaigns. You can manage every aspect of media buying in-house – after all, your team understands your brand better than anyone else.

Media in-housing can help your organisation be more effective in its communication processes and marketing efforts. By having all of the necessary resources and personnel under one roof, you can more easily coordinate campaigns and brand messaging. This can result in a more streamlined and cohesive approach that is better able to resonate with consumers. Efficient communication also allows businesses to be more responsive to changes or issues that arise, as they can make decisions and take action faster.

Lastly, media in-housing can provide your brand with a competitive advantage by giving you access to data and insights. With a wealth of data at your fingertips, you can make informed decisions about where to allocate your resources for maximum impact.

Deciding whether media in-housing is right for you

There is a lot to consider when deciding whether media in-housing is the right move for your business. First, you should understand the various levels of in-housing:

Technical In-Housing

This kind of in-housing involves the creation and maintenance of your own ad server, DSP or ad accounts, allowing you to maintain control over the data and infrastructure processes while working with an external agency. External agencies are given a certain level of access to these platforms/accounts (e.g. added to a Facebook account as an advertiser).

Hybrid In-Housing

It is the most popular type of media in-housing. It is a mix of both full and technical in-housing – you still partner with an external agency, but to a lesser extent than with full outsourcing. With hybrid in-housing, you would typically bring some, but not all, of your media buying in-house. For example, you may bring your display advertising in-house, but continue to work with an external agency for your search engine marketing (SEM).

The advantages are that you still get the benefits of working with an external agency, but you also get the benefits of having more control over your data and media buying process.

Full In-Housing

The last level of in-housing is called full in-housing. As the name suggests, this is taking the media buying function entirely in-house and not engaging with an external agency at all.

We remain unbiased in our evaluation of your business and make our recommendations for an in-housing strategy based on your unique profile and goals.

Factors to consider when selecting an in-housing format

As experts in media buying and consulting, we can guide you in selecting the best media in-housing format for your business needs. To do this, we will look at a number of factors to determine what the best fit would be, which includes:

1. Your company's size

Full in-housing is most feasible for larger companies with generous marketing budgets. Small to mid-sized companies tend to do better with either a hybrid or technical in-housing model.

2. Your team's skill set

In-housing requires a dedicated team with specialised media buying skills, so you’ll need to consider whether your team is equipped to handle the job. If they’re not, is training them up feasible? Or is it more feasible to adopt a hybrid approach in this case? We will assist you in evaluating which option would make more sense for your business.

3. The cost of in-housing

In-housing can be expensive in terms of paying for expert talent and the adtech tools they will require to get the job done, so you’ll need to ensure your budget can accommodate for it. Instead of paying a set agency fee, you will often need to hire a team of experts and factor in their remuneration packages, benefits, and so forth. Indaru will help you run the numbers to determine what model is best suited for your budget.

4. Adtech analysis and selection

Once we have decided which model to use, we need to analyse the adtech tools you currently use (such as a DSP) and evaluate if there is a need for additional tools to achieve your marketing objectives. If there is a need for further adtech implementation, we will guide you in selecting the best tools for the job and aid fruitful negotiations with vendors. You will most likely require an Ad Server, DSP, CDP, and an analytics tool to measure campaign success.

5. Adtech implementation

Once we have assisted you in selecting the correct adtech for your chosen in-housing format, we will ensure your team is trained on how to use the tools and that all stakeholders are on the same page with the strategy going forward.

6. Risk analysis & mitigation

We take the various risks associated with in-housing into consideration when helping you decide which format would best suit your business. We will assess your data collection strategy, potential skill shortages and how you plan to keep your media team’s knowledge up to date with industry practices, among other details. By recognising potential challenges before they arise, we can help you mitigate the risks that in-housing can pose.

Get expert assistance with your in-housing project

At Indaru, we have been a part of several media in-housing processes and are equipped with the knowledge and skills to assist you in every step of the way. Bringing media buying in-house is a long, tedious process but we aim to make it a smooth transition for our clients.

We remain unbiased in our evaluation of your business and make our recommendations for an in-housing strategy based on your unique profile and goals.