Social media consultants and agencies are two very different services, but they both offer their own advantages. An agency is made up of a team of people that can help you with your social media strategy and implementation. The benefits of working with an agency include: More resources than one person could ever have on hand, including many different skill sets that can be brought in as needed. A larger pool of experience with different platforms (and their quirks) so they know what works best for your brand and how to use them strategically (even if this means not using them at all). Faster turnaround times because several people are working on the project at once versus just one person working solo. Consultants work individually and offer personalized service tailored specifically to your needs. They typically charge less than agencies, but still provide quality work that's backed by years of experience in online marketing strategy.