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Digital marketing agencies: why full-service models are replacing specialists
Digital marketing agencies are changing, much like how the construction industry moved away from single-trade contractors on complex builds. You would not expect one person to handle foundations, electrics, glazing, and finishes on a commercial project. Marketing now works the same way. Channels have multiplied. Skills have deepened. Running everything in-house or splitting work across several small agencies is harder than it used to be.
Why digital marketing agencies now need broader capability
The short answer is simple. Marketing today involves more moving parts than most businesses can manage through one or two specialists.
A typical growth plan now touches:
- Website performance and structure
- Search visibility and content
- Paid media and lead tracking
- PR, brand, and reputation
- Video, social, and follow-up activity
Each area affects the others. When they sit in separate silos, progress slows, and results weaken.
What goes wrong when you use multiple agencies
Using several agencies often looks sensible at first. Each one claims to specialise. In practice, it creates friction.
Common issues include:
- Delays caused by handovers and approvals
- Conflicting advice between suppliers
- Repeated setup costs and duplicated work
- No single view of performance or accountability
For manufacturers and suppliers selling into construction, this can be costly. Missed timing around exhibitions, seasonal demand, or buying cycles directly affects lead flow.
Why smaller agencies struggle to cover the full picture
Smaller agencies often promise a personal service. That can be appealing. The challenge is capacity. Modern marketing requires people who focus on one discipline full time. SEO alone is no longer a single skill. Neither is paid media, PR, or content. When a small agency tries to cover everything, one of two things happens. Work gets stretched thin, or it gets passed to third parties with little coordination. Neither approach suits businesses that rely on steady, qualified enquiries.
A practical shift towards full-service marketing
Many growing companies now choose a different route. They work with a full-service digital marketing agency that brings core skills together under one plan. This does not mean removing specialist thinking. It means aligning it.
| Specialist approach | Full-service approach |
|---|---|
| Separate goals per channel | One shared growth plan |
| Multiple contacts and briefs | Single point of coordination |
| Limited visibility across the activity | Clear reporting across channels |
For businesses supplying windows, doors, roofline, glass, or building systems, this structure mirrors how projects already run on site. Planning first. Execution second. Measurement throughout.
When a full-service agency makes sense
A full-service digital marketing agency is most effective when your business:
- Sells high-value or considered products
- Relies on repeat and referral trade customers
- Works to seasonal or project-led demand
- Needs consistent lead quality, not volume alone
In these cases, joined-up marketing reduces wasted spend and shortens decision cycles.
What to look for when choosing an agency model
The question is not whether specialists still exist. They do. The question is who holds responsibility for the full picture.
When reviewing digital marketing agencies, you should be clear on:
- Who owns strategy, not just delivery
- How performance is measured across channels
- Whether teams work together day to day
- How activity supports real sales outcomes
Without that clarity, growth becomes unpredictable.
Next steps to keep growth moving
Think of marketing like a site build. You can bring in individual trades, but someone still needs to manage the job. As channels multiply, coordination matters more than ever.
Digital marketing agencies that bring planning, execution, and measurement together are becoming the default choice for businesses that want steady growth rather than short bursts of activity.
Want a joined-up marketing plan you can actually run?
If you are reviewing digital marketing agencies, start by checking one thing: can the team join up your website, content, PR, paid ads and social without gaps? If you want a straight conversation about what to fix first, speak to Purplex. Use our contact page, email grow@purplexmarketing.com, or call 01934 808132.
You can also see how our teams support growth across: SEO, PPC, Web Design, E-commerce, Social Media, Filming & Video Production, and LeadTracker.
You might like to read
If you are weighing up agencies and channels, these articles give you simple, practical next steps.
- 5 Marketing Agencies Under One Roof – A plain-English look at why joined-up delivery beats splitting work across multiple suppliers.
- What to Look for in a Construction Marketing Agency – A checklist-style guide to picking a partner that understands construction and building products.
- The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media – A simple way to plan content, pick channels, and stay consistent without wasting time.
- What is Link Building and Why Do You Need It – A clear explanation of links, authority, and what “good” looks like in practice.
About the Author – Martyn East
I’m Martyn East, SEO Executive at Purplex. I help businesses compare digital marketing agencies by looking at what actually drives leads: clear positioning, strong content, and search visibility that matches real buying intent. I work across audits, on-page fixes, technical SEO, and reporting, so you can see what’s working and what needs changing.
If you want practical support, view our SEO services. Connect on LinkedIn or read more articles by Martyn East.
This entry was posted in Marketing Strategy
