"We're gonna build a video content team in-house."
Good luck. (Being honest, it's probably not going to work.)
Three months in, you've burned cash, chased freelancers, missed deadlines, and still don't have consistent video output. Your marketing director is now moonlighting as a project manager for a team that can't seem to get on the same page. And you're stuck explaining to leadership why the ROI isn't there yet.
I've talked to a lot of companies, and I have some rough numbers on what it actually costs to bring everything in-house:
- YouTube strategist: $20k–$54k
- Scriptwriter: $15k–$40k
- Video editor: $20k–$36k
- Thumbnail designer: $10k–$28k
You may hire some freelancers who are individually pretty good at what they do. Their pricing might not be too bad, either. Still, it's really tough to get them all working together. Next thing you know, you've blown a 100 grand on video production, and now you're really in the red for the quarter.
Here's why it's not working:
1. Hiring Creators Is Difficult
Hiring creators is not the same as roles like project managers and account executives. Why? You can create easy-to-follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) for those roles.
Scriptwriters can have an SOP for submitting their work, but the work itself is not standard. Each project is different. If you don't have the right person in a creative spot, the whole shoot gets messed up.
Companies also usually lack the personnel to vet candidates for these positions. The typical evaluation process focuses on portfolio reviews and interview assessments. The wrong fit can get through with the right amount of charm. A couple of months in and you're rehiring.
2. You'll Spend More In-House (And It Will Take Longer)
Depending on where you're located and where the talent you hire is located, you'll easily invest 10 grand a month in your video production costs. You could hire a video production agency at a fraction of the cost. Plus, they can get a lot more assets (like photos, thumbnails, and copy) for you to use.
When you spend more, get less, and struggle to keep everything running on track, you attempt to build an in-house team. Here are some of the main advantages, besides cost and time, of getting outside help:
- A team that's been working together for years: not strangers figuring out how to collaborate on your dime
- Proven systems for strategy, production, and delivery: repeatable processes that actually work
- Equipment, software, and infrastructure already paid for: no surprise budget hits for cameras, licenses, or storage
- A portfolio of results across multiple industries: experience that translates to faster execution and better outcomes
- The ability to scale up or down based on your needs: flexibility without the commitment of full-time salaries
- Speed that comes from doing this all day, every day: your in-house team is learning; agencies already know
- More than just views and impressions: I wrote a complete video marketing guide that shares all the metrics of StoryVid
3. Managing These Teams Is A Tall Order
Your team is assembled. As individuals, they're great. But then you start trying to get them all to collaborate on a Zoom call (if you're having them work remotely, which most of these hires will be). Maybe you have some team members in the office and others abroad. Hybrid is a monster of a management task.
Video production companies can make it work because they have the structure to make it work. Companies don't have that flexibility.
And who's managing all of these people? Who's making sure they're all pulling in the same direction? Who's reviewing scripts? Who's approving edits? Who's handling revisions when the first cut misses the mark?
Your marketing director is already overworked.
So you hire another person to manage the video team, which blows your budget even more.
Creative teams need direction. They need feedback. They need someone who understands both the business goals and the creative process well enough to bridge the gap. Most companies don't have that person sitting around waiting for something to do.
4. Turnover Will Wreck You
Creative talent doesn't stick around forever.
Your star editor gets a better offer. Your scriptwriter moves to a different city. Your strategist decides to go freelance. And just like that, your "in-house team" has a massive gap that halts production while you scramble to replace them.
Recruiting takes time. Interviewing takes time. Onboarding takes time. And during all of it? Your video output drops to zero. Meanwhile, your competitors who partnered with agencies keep publishing content as if nothing happened.
(Sorry, I'm about to pile more on.)
Then they take their institutional knowledge with them. All those little details about your brand voice, your audience preferences, the shots that work best for your products, it's all gone. The new hire has to learn it all over again. You're paying for the same learning curve twice.
Agencies don't have this problem. When someone on their team moves on, they backfill internally so your projects don't skip a beat. The knowledge stays in the organization. The output remains consistent.
You're not just paying for people. You're paying for stability. And with in-house teams, that's the one thing you can't guarantee.
When In-House Actually Makes Sense
I'm not saying in-house never works. It can.
Suppose you're doing around $1 million a month in revenue and pumping out video content across every platform: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, paid ads, website, and sales enablement. Sure. You've got the volume to justify a full internal operation. You need that level of control and integration.
Not many companies are at that level.
Those of you doing $50k–$200k in recurring revenue can't justify the budget.
Most companies are better off partnering with a production company that already has the infrastructure, expertise, and track record. You get better output, faster timelines, and more flexibility while spending less.
We've Been Down This Road Before
At StoryVid, we've worked with plenty of companies that tried the in-house route first. They come to us after months of frustration, blown budgets, and video content that didn't move the needle.
If you're thinking about building an in-house video team, talk to us first. Not because we want to sell you, but because we can give you an honest assessment of whether it makes sense for your business.
Most of the time, the answer's simpler than you think: partner with people who've already figured this out.
