Strategic Decision-Making in Higher Ed Marketing: Insights from the UPCEA SOLAR Conference
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the UPCEA Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR) in Portland, Oregon. The conference brought together senior leaders, instructional designers, and digital strategists to explore innovation, leadership, and transformation in online education.
As part of the program, I hosted a roundtable discussion on one of the most pressing questions facing higher ed marketers today: How do we decide what marketing services to handle in-house and what to outsource?
The conversation confirmed what many of us know to be true—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Every institution has its own capacity, goals, constraints, and culture. But to help structure the decision-making process, I developed a guide we used during the discussion.
The Strategic Mix: In-sourcing, Outsourcing, and Unbundled Services for Peak Performance in Marketing, Enrollment Management & Student Success
1. Strategic Control vs. Specialized Expertise
In-house teams offer deep institutional knowledge and alignment with the university’s culture and mission.
Agencies bring specialized skills (SEO, media buying, branding) and access to cutting-edge tools and practices.
Key message: Control vs. expertise is not binary. Smart institutions leverage both strategically.
2. Cost Efficiency and Budget Predictability
In-house can be more cost-efficient for ongoing, high-frequency tasks like social media and email campaigns.
Agencies may seem costly but reduce long-term expenses by minimizing hiring, training, and tech investments.
Institutions must weigh fixed costs (staff) against variable costs (agency contracts) in their budgeting.
3. Agility and Speed to Market
Agencies can rapidly deploy resources for major campaigns or urgent projects.
Internal teams may face slower processes but can quickly respond to localized or time-sensitive needs.
Hybrid models help institutions stay responsive while maintaining institutional compliance.
4. Brand Consistency and Institutional Voice
In-house teams act as brand stewards and maintain tone, style, and values.
Agencies need onboarding to understand institutional nuances but can offer fresh perspective.
Clear brand guidelines and expectations are essential when working with external partners.
5. Data, Privacy, and Compliance
Internal teams may be better positioned to manage sensitive student data under regulations like FERPA and GDPR (if marketing in the EU).
Agencies must demonstrate strong security and compliance protocols.
Tasks involving protected data should typically remain in-house.
6. Innovation and Best Practices
Agencies bring broad insights and fresh thinking from across the sector.
Internal teams can translate those trends with authenticity and institutional relevance.
The best outcomes result from cross-pollination between external creativity and internal knowledge.
7. Talent Recruitment and Retention
Hiring and retaining digital marketing talent in higher ed is increasingly difficult.
Agencies provide access to a wider pool of expertise without individual hiring risk.
Consider outsourcing highly specialized tasks like analytics or video production.
8. Scalability and Flexibility
Agencies offer scalability during peak seasons or large initiatives.
Internal teams are well-suited for ongoing, steady-state operations.
External partners can handle surges, freeing staff to focus on long-term priorities.
✅ Pro Tip: The best strategy is a customized mix. Many institutions are unbundling OPM services and embracing modular solutions—this same approach can be applied to marketing, enrollment, and student success efforts.
This article originally appeared in the Kropp on Campus LinkedIn Newsletter on August 4, 2025.