Businesses looking for digital marketing support may choose between working with a digital marketing agency or hiring a consultant.

Both can help businesses plan and improve their online marketing, but the way they operate can be quite different.

An agency may provide a team covering several areas such as SEO, Google Ads, social media, content and web design.

A consultant may work more directly with the business, focusing on strategy, specialist advice, campaign reviews or selected marketing services.

Neither option is automatically better.

The right choice depends on your objectives, budget, internal resources, marketing channels and the amount of implementation support required.

If you are comparing professional providers, you can also explore our Digital Marketing Services page.

What Is a Digital Marketing Agency?

A digital marketing agency is a business that provides one or more digital marketing services to clients.

Depending on the agency, services may include:

• Digital marketing strategy
• SEO
• Google Ads
• Social media management
• Social media advertising
• Content marketing
• Email marketing
• Website design
• Landing pages
• Conversion optimisation
• Analytics
• Tracking
• Marketing automation
• Graphic design

Some agencies specialise in one particular area.

Others offer a broad range of digital marketing services.

The size of the team can also vary significantly.

A small agency may have only a few specialists, while a larger agency may have separate departments responsible for different marketing channels.

What Is a Digital Marketing Consultant?

A digital marketing consultant is generally an individual who provides specialist advice, strategy or marketing support directly to businesses.

Consultants may help with:

• Digital marketing strategy
• Marketing audits
• Channel selection
• Campaign planning
• SEO
• Google Ads
• Social media
• Analytics
• Conversion tracking
• Content strategy
• Marketing budgets
• Provider selection
• Campaign reviews
• Performance analysis

Some consultants focus mainly on strategic advice.

Others also implement campaigns themselves.

A consultant may also work alongside:

• Internal marketing teams
• Web developers
• Content writers
• Advertising specialists
• External agencies
• Freelancers

This means consultant services can range from high-level advisory work to hands-on campaign management.

Digital Marketing Agency vs Consultant: What Is the Main Difference?

The main difference is usually the structure of the service.

A digital marketing agency often provides access to several people with different specialist skills.

A consultant is more likely to provide direct involvement from one experienced individual.

However, this is not always the case.

Some consultants work with networks of specialists.

Some agencies are very small and operate almost like consultancy businesses.

The better approach is to compare the actual services, experience and working relationship rather than making assumptions based on the provider’s title.

Compare the Services Included

Start by looking at exactly what each provider offers.

A digital marketing agency may provide several services under one agreement.

For example:

• SEO
• Google Ads
• Social media
• Content
• Email marketing
• Website support
• Reporting

A consultant may focus on:

• Strategy
• Audits
• Advice
• Performance reviews
• Channel planning
• Specialist implementation

However, some consultants provide extensive hands-on services, while some agencies specialise in only one channel.

Ask each provider to clearly explain what is included.

For a broader breakdown of package inclusions, see What Should a Digital Marketing Package Include?

Strategy vs Implementation

One of the most important differences to clarify is whether you require strategy, implementation or both.

Strategy

Digital marketing strategy may include:

• Business analysis
• Customer research
• Competitor review
• Channel selection
• Budget planning
• Campaign planning
• Content strategy
• Measurement
• Performance reviews

Implementation

Implementation may include:

• Building campaigns
• Writing advertisements
• Creating content
• Optimising website pages
• Managing social media
• Running email campaigns
• Creating landing pages
• Configuring tracking
• Reporting

A consultant may be particularly suitable when a business already has people capable of implementing the strategy internally.

An agency may be more suitable when the business wants a provider to manage several marketing activities directly.

However, provider capabilities vary.

Always confirm the actual division of responsibilities.

Compare Team Structure

Agencies may provide access to several specialists.

A team could include:

• SEO specialists
• Google Ads specialists
• Social media managers
• Copywriters
• Graphic designers
• Web developers
• Data specialists
• Account managers

This can be useful when the business requires several services simultaneously.

A consultant may provide more direct access to one person with broader experience.

The consultant may then coordinate external specialists when necessary.

Neither approach is automatically better.

Consider whether your business needs specialist depth across several areas or direct access to one person coordinating the overall strategy.

Compare Direct Communication

Communication can differ significantly between agencies and consultants.

With a consultant, you may communicate directly with the person providing the strategy and completing much of the work.

With an agency, communication may be managed through an account manager.

The account manager may then coordinate work across internal specialists.

Ask:

• Who will be my main contact?
• Who develops the strategy?
• Who completes the work?
• Can I speak directly with specialists?
• How often will we communicate?
• Are meetings included?
• How quickly are questions normally answered?

A clear communication structure can make ongoing marketing much easier to manage.

Compare Capacity

A larger agency may have more people available to handle substantial volumes of ongoing work.

This can be useful when a business requires:

• Several marketing channels
• Large content volumes
• Multiple advertising campaigns
• Several websites
• Multiple locations
• Ecommerce
• Frequent reporting
• Graphic design
• Video
• Development support

A consultant may have less individual capacity but may provide more focused strategic involvement.

However, experienced consultants can also manage substantial projects through specialist partners or internal client teams.

Ask how the provider intends to resource your particular account.

Compare Specialist Expertise

Digital marketing covers many disciplines.

It is uncommon for one person to be equally specialised in every area.

For example, a business may require expertise in:

• Technical SEO
• Google Ads
• Social advertising
• Email automation
• Analytics
• Website development
• Content
• Conversion optimisation

An agency may have separate specialists for each area.

A consultant may have deep expertise in selected areas and bring in external specialists for others.

The important question is whether the necessary expertise is available when required.

Compare Digital Marketing Strategy

A provider should ideally understand the business before recommending marketing channels.

Strategy may consider:

• Business objectives
• Customers
• Services
• Products
• Competition
• Marketing budget
• Existing website
• Previous campaigns
• Sales process
• Customer value
• Internal resources

Be cautious if a provider immediately recommends every available marketing channel without first understanding the business.

A smaller number of well-chosen services may be more appropriate than attempting to use every channel simultaneously.

Compare SEO Capabilities

If SEO is important, ask whether the provider can handle areas such as:

• Keyword research
• Technical SEO
• On-page optimisation
• Content
• Internal linking
• Local SEO
• Link building
• Reporting

An agency may have specialist SEO staff.

A consultant may also have deep SEO experience.

Do not assume one provider type automatically offers stronger SEO.

Compare the actual experience and proposed work.

Compare Google Ads Capabilities

If Google Ads forms part of the strategy, ask about:

• Campaign setup
• Keyword research
• Search-term analysis
• Negative keywords
• Ad creation
• Conversion tracking
• Budget management
• Bidding
• Landing pages
• Reporting

Also determine who will manage the campaigns.

Some digital marketing agencies outsource paid advertising.

Some consultants specialise heavily in Google Ads.

The provider’s title does not tell you how strong their advertising capabilities are.

Compare Social Media Capabilities

Social media services may include:

• Strategy
• Content planning
• Copywriting
• Graphic design
• Video
• Scheduling
• Publishing
• Community management
• Paid social advertising
• Reporting

Ask whether these services are handled internally.

Also determine how much content is included.

A provider offering social media management may simply schedule client-supplied content, while another may create the entire content strategy and production process.

Compare Website Capabilities

Digital marketing often involves changes to the website.

These might include:

• Landing pages
• Service pages
• Forms
• Tracking
• SEO improvements
• Conversion optimisation
• Website redesign
• Ecommerce improvements

Some agencies have internal designers and developers.

A consultant may work with your existing web provider or recommend external specialists.

If website changes will be required regularly, consider how those changes will actually be implemented.

Compare Content Capabilities

Content may be required across several marketing channels.

This could include:

• Website pages
• Blog posts
• Advertisements
• Social media
• Email
• Landing pages
• Case studies
• Guides

Ask:

• Who creates the content?
• Is copywriting included?
• How much content is included?
• Who approves it?
• Are revisions included?
• Is specialist industry research included?

Content responsibilities can create major differences between digital marketing proposals.

Compare Analytics and Tracking

A provider should ideally be able to explain how marketing performance will be measured.

Tracking may involve:

• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Google Ads
• Google Tag Manager
• Meta tracking
• Call tracking
• CRM systems
• Ecommerce tracking

Conversions may include:

• Leads
• Calls
• Quote requests
• Bookings
• Sales
• Registrations

Ask whether tracking setup is included or charged separately.

Good marketing decisions depend on having useful data available.

Compare Reporting

Reports can vary substantially.

A provider may report on:

• Website traffic
• SEO
• Google Ads
• Social media
• Leads
• Sales
• Advertising spend
• Cost per conversion
• Email
• Campaign performance
• Work completed
• Planned work

The best reporting structure depends on the business.

A report containing dozens of metrics is not necessarily more useful than a simpler report explaining what happened and what should happen next.

Compare Decision-Making

Businesses should understand who makes strategic marketing decisions.

With a consultant, strategy may be closely tied to one individual’s experience and direct involvement.

An agency may involve several specialists contributing to decisions.

Ask:

• Who determines priorities?
• Who approves budget changes?
• Who decides which campaigns to expand?
• Who reviews performance?
• Who coordinates different marketing channels?

This becomes increasingly important when several providers or internal staff are involved.

Compare Flexibility

Consultants may sometimes offer flexible engagement structures.

These could include:

• Hourly consulting
• Monthly advisory support
• Marketing audits
• Strategy projects
• Campaign reviews

Agencies may offer:

• Monthly retainers
• Defined service packages
• Project work
• Multi-channel agreements

However, both agencies and consultants may use any of these pricing models.

Compare the actual terms rather than assuming one provider type will automatically be more flexible.

Compare Digital Marketing Pricing

Pricing can vary widely for both agencies and consultants.

Factors may include:

• Experience
• Service scope
• Team size
• Number of channels
• Content requirements
• Advertising management
• Website work
• Reporting
• Meetings
• Campaign complexity

A consultant may charge:

• Hourly
• Daily
• Per project
• Monthly

An agency may charge:

• Monthly retainers
• Service packages
• Project fees
• Advertising management fees
• Percentage-of-spend fees

Neither pricing method is inherently better.

Compare what is actually included.

For more detail, see What Affects Digital Marketing Pricing?

Agency Overheads vs Consultant Pricing

Agencies may have higher operating costs due to:

• Staff
• Office infrastructure
• Software
• Account management
• Administration

Consultants may operate with lower overheads.

However, this does not automatically mean consultants are cheaper.

Highly experienced consultants may charge premium rates for specialist expertise.

Pricing should be assessed according to the value and scope of the service rather than provider structure alone.

Compare Account Management

Agencies may assign an account manager to coordinate your work.

This person may:

• Organise meetings
• Coordinate specialists
• Discuss reports
• Manage approvals
• Communicate campaign changes

A consultant may handle these responsibilities directly.

Some businesses prefer having one central account manager.

Others prefer communicating directly with the person completing the marketing work.

Consider which arrangement best suits your working style.

Compare Availability

Businesses should understand what happens when their primary contact is unavailable.

An agency may have other team members able to provide support.

A consultant may have their own contingency arrangements.

Ask:

• Who handles urgent matters?
• What happens during holidays?
• Who has access to the accounts?
• How is campaign continuity maintained?

This may be particularly important for businesses running substantial advertising campaigns or time-sensitive promotions.

Compare Industry Experience

Relevant industry experience can be helpful.

A provider may already understand:

• Customer behaviour
• Industry terminology
• Competitive challenges
• Marketing channels
• Typical sales cycles
• Seasonal patterns

However, industry experience should not be the only factor.

A capable provider should also be able to research and understand unfamiliar markets.

Evaluate both previous experience and how the provider approaches your specific business.

Compare Case Studies

Ask to see relevant examples of previous work where available.

These may demonstrate:

• SEO improvements
• Advertising campaigns
• Lead generation
• Website projects
• Social media
• Ecommerce
• Content
• Marketing strategy

Case studies can provide useful context.

However, previous results do not guarantee identical outcomes.

Every business operates under different market conditions.

Compare Contracts

Before agreeing to ongoing marketing services, understand:

• Minimum contract term
• Monthly commitment
• Notice period
• Cancellation conditions
• Setup fees
• Additional charges
• Renewal arrangements
• Ownership of work

Agencies and consultants can both use contracts.

Do not assume one provider type automatically offers shorter or longer commitments.

Compare Account Ownership

Businesses should understand who owns and controls their digital assets.

These can include:

• Google Ads
• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Meta Business Manager
• Social profiles
• Website
• Domain
• Email platform
• CRM
• Tracking accounts

Ask whether the business will retain access if the relationship ends.

This is important regardless of whether you choose an agency or consultant.

Digital Marketing Agency vs Consultant for Small Businesses

Small businesses may not require a large marketing team.

A consultant may suit businesses that need:

• Strategic guidance
• Help prioritising channels
• Campaign reviews
• Specialist advice
• Direct communication

An agency may suit businesses that need:

• Several services managed together
• Content production
• Advertising
• SEO
• Social media
• Website support

However, these are general examples rather than fixed rules.

The actual requirements of the business should determine the decision.

Digital Marketing Agency vs Consultant for Larger Businesses

Larger businesses may have internal marketing teams but require external expertise.

A consultant may help with:

• Strategy
• Audits
• Specialist projects
• Team training
• Performance reviews

An agency may provide additional execution capacity across:

• Advertising
• Content
• SEO
• Social media
• Development

Some larger businesses use both.

For example, a consultant may advise the internal team while specialist agencies manage individual channels.

Do You Need an Agency if You Already Have an Internal Marketing Team?

Not necessarily.

Internal teams may already handle much of the ongoing marketing.

External support may only be required for:

• Specialist skills
• Extra capacity
• Technical SEO
• Paid advertising
• Web development
• Content production
• Strategy

A consultant may also help internal teams identify priorities or review existing campaigns.

The most appropriate arrangement depends on which capabilities already exist internally.

Can You Use Both an Agency and Consultant?

Yes.

Some businesses use consultants and agencies simultaneously.

For example:

• A consultant develops the overall strategy.
• An SEO agency manages search optimisation.
• A Google Ads specialist manages paid search.
• An internal team manages social media.

This can provide access to specialist expertise.

However, coordination becomes important.

Responsibilities should be clearly defined so that several providers are not duplicating work or working toward conflicting objectives.

Questions To Ask a Digital Marketing Agency or Consultant

Before choosing a provider, consider asking:

1. What services do you recommend?
2. Why are those services appropriate?
3. Who will develop the strategy?
4. Who will complete the work?
5. Who will be my main contact?
6. Is any work outsourced?
7. Is content included?
8. Is advertising management included?
9. Is advertising spend separate?
10. Is website work included?
11. Is analytics setup included?
12. How will performance be measured?
13. What reporting will I receive?
14. How often will we communicate?
15. Are there setup fees?
16. Are there additional costs?
17. Is there a minimum contract?
18. Who owns the accounts?
19. Who owns content created?
20. What happens if we change providers?

Clear answers can make proposals considerably easier to compare.

Digital Marketing Agency or Consultant: Which Should You Choose?

There is no universal answer.

A digital marketing consultant may suit businesses wanting:

• Direct access to a specialist
• Strategic advice
• Audits
• Specific expertise
• Support for an internal team
• Flexible advisory work

A digital marketing agency may suit businesses wanting:

• Several marketing services
• Larger implementation capacity
• Multiple specialists
• Ongoing content
• Advertising management
• Website support

But these are not strict rules.

Some consultants provide extensive implementation.

Some agencies focus heavily on consulting and strategy.

Compare the individual provider rather than the label.

Compare Digital Marketing Providers Before Deciding

The most important consideration is whether the provider’s approach matches your actual business requirements.

Compare:

• Strategy
• Experience
• Services
• Resources
• Communication
• Implementation
• Reporting
• Pricing
• Contract terms
• Account ownership
• Understanding of your business

Compare Digital Services helps Australian businesses explore professional digital marketing providers and request quotes based on their project requirements.

COMPARE DIGITAL MARKETING SERVICES & GET FREE QUOTES

Frequently Asked Questions About Digital Marketing Agencies and Consultants

What Is the Difference Between a Digital Marketing Agency and Consultant?

A consultant generally provides direct specialist advice or support, while an agency may provide a team covering several digital marketing services. However, individual providers can operate very differently.

Is a Digital Marketing Agency Better Than a Consultant?

Not automatically. The more suitable option depends on the services, resources, expertise, communication and implementation support your business requires.

Is a Digital Marketing Consultant Cheaper Than an Agency?

Not always. Consultants may have lower overheads, but experienced specialists can charge premium rates. Compare the actual scope and expertise rather than provider type alone.

Can a Digital Marketing Consultant Manage Campaigns?

Yes. Some consultants provide strategy only, while others directly manage SEO, advertising, social media or other marketing channels.

Does a Digital Marketing Agency Provide Strategy?

Many do, although the depth of strategic support varies. Ask who develops the strategy and how it relates to your business objectives.

Should Small Businesses Use an Agency or Consultant?

Either may be suitable. Small businesses should compare their required services, available budget, internal resources and preferred working relationship.

Can I Use a Consultant and Agency Together?

Yes. A consultant may provide strategy while agencies or specialists implement particular marketing channels. Clear responsibilities are important when several providers are involved.

What Should I Compare Between Digital Marketing Providers?

Compare services, strategy, experience, team structure, communication, reporting, pricing, contract terms, account ownership and who will actually perform the work.