Buying services vs buying reach
As CEO, you need to understand the fundamental difference here. An agency is selling you their time and expertise. They are a professional services firm. A managed content network is selling you access to a massive distribution machine. One is a high-touch, human-centric partnership. The other is a low-touch, automated utility. If you need a partner to help steer your ship, hire an agency. If you need more traffic to your existing site, get the network. It is about matching the solution to the specific problem you are trying to solve.
The cost of scale
Scale is expensive with agencies because you pay for every hour they spend on your behalf. A managed content network is designed for scale from the ground up. You pay for the footprint you have, and you grow it as your budget allows. It is a much more predictable and cost-effective way to buy reach. If you want to expand your digital footprint across dozens of channels, an agency will charge you a premium for every new page. A network is built to handle that volume for you automatically.
The management burden
Managing an agency is a task in itself. You have to review their work, manage their strategy, and make sure they are meeting your firm's standards. That is time you aren't spending on the business. A managed content network is almost entirely passive. You provide the content, and they handle the distribution. It is a much lower management burden. If you want to save your executive time for other firm priorities, the network approach is far more appealing from an operational standpoint.
Complementary strategies
The most successful firms often combine both. They use the agency to make their brand look great, and they use the network to make sure that great brand is seen by as many people as possible. It is the best of both worlds. The agency creates the asset, and the network distributes it. It is a professional-grade strategy that covers every angle. It is an investment, but for a firm that is serious about dominating their market, it is often the right move.
CEOs should leverage agencies for strategy and content, and managed content networks for the high-volume distribution of those assets.
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Follow-up questions
How do I choose between them?
Look at your content. If you are struggling to produce it, get an agency. If you have great content that isn't reaching anyone, get a network.
Which one offers more risk?
The network has more platform policy risk. The agency has more creative risk, like failing to understand your brand or missing the mark on strategy.
Can I stop using an agency if I get a network?
Only if you can handle the production and strategy in-house. Otherwise, you'll still need their help to keep your content high-quality.