Where Your Marketing Budget Really Goes — And How to Get More Value


Ever wonder where your digital marketing budget really goes when you hire an agency? Sure, you’re promised a full team of experts, sleek reports, and strategy calls with creative directors — but peel back the curtain and you’ll find a bloated structure full of overheads. You’re not just paying for design or development; you’re funding office rent, account managers, pointless meetings, and sometimes even someone’s third holiday this year.

The truth is, hiring a skilled designer or developer directly is often faster, more effective, and far more affordable — because you’re paying for the work, not the extras.

Let’s break it down. When you sign a contract with a digital agency, here’s what your invoice is *actually* covering:

• Directors and Executives: You’re helping pay for leadership salaries, even if they never touch your project.
• Account Managers: Often a go-between who relays messages but doesn’t add technical value.
• Office Space and Overheads: That office with trendy furniture? Guess who’s covering that rent.
• Holiday Time and Bonuses: Agencies need to stay profitable. That means your fees contribute to perks that don’t benefit you.
• Pointless Meetings: Regular calls that could be emails. Weekly check-ins that drag with no progress.

None of this helps your website run faster, your ad spend convert better, or your brand communicate more clearly.

Most businesses don’t need a 10-person team to build a website, design branding, or run a campaign. What you do need:

• A designer who understands your brand and can translate it into clear, engaging visuals.
• A  developer who can build a smooth, responsive site or app that does what your business needs.
• A copywriter or SEO expert if you’re scaling — not someone to “oversee the strategy” while others do the work.

When you go direct, you’re working with the actual talent — the people doing the hands-on work, not managing it from a distance.

Here’s why working with a designer or developer directly almost always gives you better value:

• Lower Costs: No agency markup. You pay only for the actual work.
• More Personal: Direct communication leads to better understanding and outcomes.
• Faster Turnaround: No waiting for internal approval chains.
• More Agile: Need to pivot? A solo creative can adapt faster than a rigid agency structure.

Plus, freelancers and small teams live and die by reputation — meaning they’re often more invested in your success than a salaried employee in a large agency.

Let’s address the common objections:

“Agencies bring strategy.”

Maybe — but so do many experienced freelancers. Often, they’ve worked in agencies themselves before going solo. You’re still getting strategic thinking — without the padding.

“Agencies are more reliable.”

Not necessarily. Freelancers rely on repeat business and referrals. That means your project is their priority. Drop the idea that size equals reliability — it’s focus and communication that really matter.

“Freelancers could vanish overnight.”

It’s a common fear — but one that doesn’t hold water when you work with professionals who value transparency. At Carggo.net, we make sure you retain full control of your website: your domain, your hosting, and your files. That means you’re never locked into a service. If you ever decide to change designers or developers, you can — no hostage situations, no messy transitions. Real reliability isn’t about having a big agency’s name on your invoice. It’s about having ownership, clarity, and freedom.

One client I worked with switched from a digital agency that charged them £5,000/month for design, dev, and basic content. By hiring a freelance designer and developer directly, they cut that bill in half — *with better results*. Faster feedback loops, less red tape, and no wasted hours in meetings.

Agencies love to present themselves as one-stop shops. But too often, they’re bloated with overheads, inefficiencies, and people who aren’t actually doing the work.

If you want clear communication, faster results, and more value for your money, consider working directly with a designer or developer. Skip the middle layers, the office politics, and the agency bloat — and get back to what matters: great work that grows your business.