Outsourcing Software Development vs. Digital Marketing: Which Pays More?
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In 2017, more businesses are outsourcing software development and digital marketing projects than ever before.
But with so many options available, it can be hard to know which provider to trust—especially when your budget is on the line.
When you’re deciding between outsourcing digital marketing and software development, here are some of the most important things to consider when trying to decide how much you should pay for each service.
How much does a software developer make?
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2012 Occupational Employment and Wages estimates that software developers make a mean annual wage of $93,360, with a range from $70,440 to $115,040.
- In other words, salaries vary by industry; it's common for web and computer software developers to make $80,000-$100,000 per year.
- In fact, many digital marketers get paid less than that as full-time employees—but as consultants or freelancers, they could probably earn more on their own projects than if they worked for someone else.
How much does a digital marketer make?
- On average, a social media manager in Atlanta earns $68,000 per year. In San Francisco and New York City, though, a digital marketer can make between $78,000 and $89,000 per year on average.
- That’s more than content writers in both cities (who earn between $50,000 and $65,000) but less than web developers ($100k-plus).
- The nationwide average for all digital marketing salaries—social media managers are included here—is around $84k per year. A pretty great salary! But it doesn’t stop there!
How can I increase my income from $___ to $____ ?
- A digital marketer is typically paid per project, not per hour, which is why it’s difficult to say how long a particular project will take you to complete.
- And since projects vary in size and scope, salary can also vary greatly from employee to employee.
- While some digital marketers are able to charge higher rates for SEO or content marketing projects—and rake in anywhere from $100 to $250 an hour—it’s important to remember that these individuals likely have years of experience and are well-known within their communities (they’re often called thought leaders).
- If you don't have an extensive network yet or years of experience under your belt, it may be harder for you to command top dollar.
Where can I get started on raising my income?
- Building a digital marketing business isn’t easy and your results will vary; however, there are tried-and-true ways to get started quickly and begin enjoying financial rewards almost immediately.
- Start by outsourcing software development projects to freelance sites like oDesk or Freelancer to create your first prototype for a specific part of your business.
- There are hundreds of individual tasks you can pay contractors to do for you, including programming in languages like PHP, Python and Java as well as design work using platforms like WordPress or Squarespace, which will help grow your following organically at no additional cost.