How to Choose Between DIY, Agency, and a Social Media Marketing Course

You're at a crossroads.

Your business needs a strong social media presence. But you're not sure which route to take. Do you DIY it? Hire an expensive agency? Or invest in a social media marketing course?

Each option has pros and cons. But the right choice depends on YOUR specific situation, not what works for everyone else.

Let's break down each option so you can make an informed decision.

Option #1: DIY (Do It Yourself)

How It Works: You manage everything yourself. YouTube tutorials, free tools, your own time.

Pros:

• Zero financial investment (besides ad spend)
• Complete control over strategy and execution
• You own all the knowledge forever
• No dependency on anyone else
• Can pivot quickly without waiting for approvals

Cons:

• Massive time investment (40+ hours/month minimum)
• Steep learning curve with lots of costly mistakes
• Wasted ad spend while you figure it out ($500-$2,000 typical)
• Inconsistent results because you're learning as you go
• No expert guidance when you get stuck
• Takes 6-12 months to see real results
• Gets overwhelming fast

Best For:

• Businesses with spare time (rare for busy owners)
• People who genuinely enjoy learning marketing
• Those with zero budget and maximum flexibility
• Businesses with low urgency for results

Real Cost: $7,250-$14,850 in year one (your time + wasted ad spend)

See our full breakdown: https://www.20minutemarketing.com.au/blog/diy-social-media-vs-marketing-course-real-cost

Option #2: Hire a Digital Agency

How It Works: You pay an agency to handle everything. Strategy, content creation, ads, reporting. They do it all.

Pros:

• You don't have to do anything (completely hands-off)
• Professional execution from day one
• Expert team with years of experience
• Faster results (typically 3-6 months to see impact)
• They manage all the details
• You can focus on your actual business
• Less risk of costly mistakes

Cons:

• Expensive ($2,000-$5,000+/month minimum)
• You own none of the knowledge or strategy
• Lock-in contracts and long commitments
• Slow decision-making (waiting for approvals, meetings)
• Account manager turnover = strategy changes
• No guarantee of results
• Hard to switch agencies if unhappy
• Dependency on external team
• You never actually learn how to do it yourself

Best For:

• Businesses with large budgets ($24,000+/year)
• Owners who want completely hands-off management
• Companies needing immediate results
• Businesses that don't care about learning

Real Cost: $24,000-$60,000+ per year (ongoing, forever)

Option #3: Invest in a Social Media Marketing Course

How It Works: You invest in a quality course that teaches you everything. Then you execute it yourself (or hire someone to execute while you supervise).

Pros:

• One-time investment ($495, not monthly recurring)
• You own all the knowledge forever
• Complete control over execution
• Lifetime access to materials and updates
• Expert support when you need it
• Faster learning curve (6-12 hours vs 6-12 months)
• Results in 3-6 months (faster than DIY, because you have a system)
• No dependency on external team
• Can scale without increasing costs
• Expert community of other students
• Money-back guarantee (good courses have this)

Cons:

• Requires time to learn and implement (20-30 hours initial)
• You're responsible for execution
• No done-for-you service
• Requires some self-discipline
• Slower than agency for immediate results
• Only works if you actually complete the course

Best For:

• Busy small business owners with limited budgets
• Entrepreneurs who want to own their knowledge
• Businesses wanting sustainable, long-term growth
• People willing to invest time now for control later
• Those who want expert guidance without ongoing fees

Real Cost: $495 (year one) + $0 (year two onwards)

The Decision Framework

Here's a simple way to figure out which is right for you:

Choose DIY if:

• You have 5-10 hours per week to dedicate to learning
• You're willing to make mistakes and learn from them
• You genuinely enjoy marketing
• You have a low budget and maximum flexibility
• Timing isn't critical (you can wait 6-12 months for results)

Choose Agency if:

• You have a budget of $2,000+/month
• You want everything done for you
• You need results in 3-6 months
• You don't care about learning how to do it
• You can handle ongoing monthly costs forever
• You're comfortable with limited control

Choose a Social Media Marketing Course if:

• You have 3-4 hours per week to invest in learning
• You want expert guidance without ongoing fees
• You value owning your knowledge and strategy
• You want results in 3-6 months (faster than pure DIY)
• You have a limited budget ($500 vs $24,000/year)
• You want long-term sustainability
• You want a hybrid: some learning + some guidance

The Hidden Factor: Time vs Money Trade-off

Here's what most people don't realize:

DIY = Lots of Time + Little Money

• 40+ hours/month of your time
• But very low financial cost
• Problem: Your time is your scarcest resource

Agency = Little Time + Lots of Money

• 2-5 hours/month of your time (coordination)
• But $24,000-$60,000/year cost
• Problem: Ongoing financial drain

Course = Medium Time + Little Money

• 3-4 hours/week for 2-3 months to learn + implement
• $495 investment
• Then 5-10 hours/week to execute ongoing
• Problem: You're still doing the work, but you know what you're doing

The Math You Need to See

Option #1: DIY

• Year 1: $7,250-$14,850 (your time + mistakes)
• Year 2: $24,000 (your time continuing)
• Year 3: $24,000
• 5-year total: $103,250

Option #2: Agency

• Year 1: $36,000
• Year 2: $36,000
• Year 3: $36,000
• 5-year total: $180,000

Option #3: Course

• Year 1: $495 + your time (about $1,000)
• Year 2: $0 + your time to execute
• Year 3: $0 + your time to execute
• 5-year total: $5,000-$10,000

Even if you value your time at $50/hour, the course approach is 10-20x cheaper over 5 years.

What About a Hybrid Approach?

Some businesses combine strategies:

DIY + Course (Most Popular)

• Take a course ($495)
• Execute yourself with expert guidance
• Hire freelance help for execution only if needed
• Total: $495 + your time + optional freelance support

Course + Agency Partnership

• Take a course to understand social media
• Hire agency to execute for you (now you can supervise effectively)
• Better results because you know what good looks like
• More control at lower cost

DIY + Mentorship

• Learn from YouTube and blogs
• Hire a consultant for specific questions ($100-$300/hour as-needed)
• Very targeted, efficient help
• Total: minimal cost + strategic guidance

My Honest Recommendation

For most small business owners, a social media marketing course is the sweet spot.

Here's why:

1. You own the knowledge forever (unlike agency dependency)
2. Cost is one-time (unlike ongoing $2,000-$5,000/month fees)
3. You get expert guidance (unlike DIY trial-and-error)
4. You see results in 3-6 months (faster than pure DIY)
5. You control execution (unlike agency limitations)
6. You can scale without more cost (unlike paying more for growth)

The DIY approach wastes your most valuable resource: time.

The agency approach locks you into expensive recurring costs.

A quality course gives you the best of both worlds: expert knowledge without the ongoing dependency or cost.

How to Choose a Quality Course

If you decide a course is right for you, here's what to look for:

• Strategic foundation before tactics
• Multi-platform coverage (not just Instagram)
• Substantial paid advertising training
• AI and automation included
• Expert support included
• Real business examples (not vanity metrics)
• Lifetime access with updates
• Money-back guarantee
• Created by someone with 10+ years real experience

For a complete breakdown, read: https://www.20minutemarketing.com.au/blog/what-should-social-media-marketing-course-include

The Bottom Line

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. But here's the reality:

DIY works if you have unlimited time and don't mind expensive mistakes.

Agencies work if you have unlimited budget and don't care about learning.

Courses work if you want expertise, affordability, and ownership.

For most busy small business owners? A social media marketing course wins.

You get expert guidance without the ongoing fees. You own your knowledge forever. And you see results in 3-6 months.

Ready to invest in yourself? Our social media marketing course at https://www.20minutemarketing.com.au/social-media-marketing-course includes everything you need, built on 25+ years of real business experience. Start today with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The best decision is usually the one that gives you control, affordability, and expertise. That's a course.