When does it make sense to get external digital support?

Running a business means making constant decisions, often with limited time and headspace. Digital and ecommerce tend to sit somewhere between “important” and “I’ll deal with it later”, until things start to feel messy, unclear or stuck.

Getting external digital support is not about handing everything over or chasing growth at all costs. Most of the time, it’s about knowing when support would actually make things simpler, not more complicated.

Here are a few situations where bringing in external digital support can genuinely help.

When digital work keeps slipping down the list

If digital tasks are always postponed because more urgent things come up, that’s usually a sign something needs to change.

This can look like:

• a website that hasn’t been updated in months

• ideas noted down but never implemented

• tools set up “quickly” and never revisited

External support can help here by creating space for digital work to actually happen, without adding pressure on your team.

When things work, but no longer feel clear

Many businesses reach a point where their website and ecommerce setup still function, but no longer feel easy to manage or understand.

You might find yourself asking:

• Why was this set up this way?

• What should we change first?

• Are we spending time on the right things?

An external perspective can help bring clarity, so decisions feel more straightforward and grounded.

When you need support, not another full-time hire

Hiring someone full-time isn’t always the right move, especially if the workload varies or if you need a mix of strategic thinking and hands-on execution.

Flexible external support can work well when:

• You need help at different stages

• The scope changes over time

• You want continuity without long-term commitment

This approach allows you to access experience and capacity without restructuring your team.

When you want digital decisions to fit the business

Digital choices don’t exist in isolation. They affect how a business operates day to day, how teams work together, and how much time founders spend firefighting. External support can help make sure:

• Digital work aligns with how the business actually runs

• Decisions feel realistic rather than aspirational

• Effort is focused where it makes sense

This is especially valuable in founder-led businesses, where time and energy are finite.

When you need someone to work alongside you

Good external support doesn’t replace internal knowledge or ownership. It complements it.

Working with someone external can make sense when you want:

• An extra pair of hands without extra layers

• Someone who can integrate into your way of working

• Support that adapts as needs change

The goal is not to add complexity, but to reduce it.

A final thought

Getting external digital support is rarely about doing more. More often, it’s about doing what already exists more clearly and calmly.

If digital work feels heavy, confusing or endlessly postponed, that’s usually the right moment to step back and consider whether some support could help things move forward in a more manageable way.

If you’re unsure, starting with a conversation is often enough to work out whether external support makes sense or not.