Agency or In-House? Let’s Talk
You’ve got a marketing budget and a big decision to make, do you bring in the pros, a Facebook Ads agency, or build an internal team to scale your campaigns in-house?
There’s no cookie-cutter answer, but understanding the real-world pros, cons, and ROI of each approach can help you make the right call.
Whether you’re a startup looking to move fast or a growing brand building long-term muscle, this guide breaks it down with clarit
What Is a Facebook Ads Agency?
A Facebook Ads agency is a third-party team of experts that handles your advertising on Meta platforms. They manage everything from creative production to campaign execution, optimization, and performance tracking. Many agencies have deep experience in certain niches and use advanced tools you might not have access to in-house. They’re essentially a plug-and-play growth team that can jump in quickly and start driving results. If you’re looking for the best Facebook ad agency, make sure they understand your vertical and offer transparency in communication and reporting.
What Does an In-House Facebook Ads Team Look Like?
An in-house team is composed of employees or freelancers who work directly for your business. Depending on your scale, this team might include a media buyer, copywriter, designer, strategist, and even roles like CRO specialists or data analysts. Building internally means more control and direct alignment with your brand’s tone and vision but it also comes with hiring, training, and resource management challenges.
Agency vs. In-House
| Feature | Facebook Ads Agency | In-House Team |
| Expertise | Diverse, cross-industry experience | Focused expertise in your product and niche |
| Speed to Launch | Fast after onboarding | Slower due to recruitment and ramp-up |
| Creative Output | Broad variety from a larger creative team | Tailored, but limited by internal capacity |
| Control | Less day-to-day control | Full ownership of decisions and execution |
| Cost | Retainer or % of ad spend | Salaries, benefits, tools, and overhead |
| Scalability | Quick scaling possible | Slower scale, requires expanding team |
| Tools | Premium tools included | Need to purchase tools separately |
| Brand Familiarity | May take time to onboard brand voice | Deeply integrated with brand tone and messaging |
Benefits of Hiring a Facebook Ads Agency
Agencies come equipped with years of experience, access to premium tools, and systems that are already in place. You don’t need to train or manage them, which saves you time. They’re ideal for businesses that want to scale fast, test quickly, or don’t yet have an internal marketing team.
Many agencies specialize in rapid testing, trying multiple creatives, targeting variations, and funnel strategies in a short amount of time. If you’re running time-sensitive campaigns or launching a product, an agency might be your best bet.
Drawbacks of Working with an Agency
The main trade-off? Control. You’ll need to trust that your agency understands your brand, especially in the early phases. There may be communication delays or creative misalignment, especially if feedback loops aren’t streamlined. And while good agencies tailor their strategies, some may offer cookie-cutter playbooks if they’re overloaded.
Agencies can also be expensive, especially as your ad spend increases. That retainer or percentage cut might make sense early on but as you scale, those costs add up.
Why Some Brands Build In-House Teams
Building in-house gives you full ownership. Your team knows your product, your customers, your brand tone and they’re not juggling other clients. In-house setups are great for long-term consistency and deeper integration with your business goals.
You also benefit from speed in execution. Need to change an ad headline by EOD? Just ping your designer. Want to test a new offer tomorrow? You don’t have to wait for an agency’s bandwidth.
Challenges of an In-House Approach
The upfront costs can be steep. You’re hiring multiple people, paying for tools, and constantly training to keep up with platform changes. Plus, if one person leaves, that gap can hurt performance for weeks.
In-house teams can also get tunnel vision. Without exposure to other campaigns or fresh strategies, your team may fall behind current trends unless you’re actively investing in learning and development.
When to Go Hybrid
Plenty of businesses do both. For example:
- Use an agency to handle media buying and testing
- Keep branding, organic content, and customer research in-house
Or, vice versa:
- Build an internal growth team
- Bring in a creative agency just for fresh ad concepts every month
This model gives you the best of both worlds speed and scalability from the agency, and brand control and continuity from your team.
Making the Right Decision for Your Business
Still on the fence? Ask yourself:
- What’s your monthly ad budget?
- Do you have internal talent or the ability to hire?
- How quickly do you need results?
- Do you want to own your growth engine or outsource it for now?
If you’re a small business or startup looking for quick wins without the hiring hassle, go to an agency. If you’re a more mature brand investing in long-term marketing infrastructure, in-house is likely a better fit.
Also, think about your runway. If you can’t afford the time to hire, train, and experiment slowly, an agency gets you off the ground faster.
Scale Smart, Not Just Fast
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution but there is a best choice for where you are right now. If you’ve got the budget and want immediate scale, an agency is your growth lever. If you’re thinking long-term and have internal capabilities, building a team sets you up for lasting success.
Just remember: the goal isn’t to choose based on trends or what others are doing. Choose based on ROI, scalability, and your brand’s unique needs. And don’t be afraid to pivot as your business evolves. The best Facebook ad agency or in-house hire won’t matter unless the strategy is built around your goals.
Whatever you choose, test often, measure everything, and optimize ruthlessly. Because smart advertising doesn’t just spend money, it multiplies it.