The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Your Content Marketing

Creating quality content is easier said than done. Though content writing is primarily for marketing a business, it also fosters good relationships with customers and clients. Content writing also goes beyond blog posts. It encompasses various ways a brand can promote itself; blog content, social media posts, ad and sales copy, case studies, and PR writing are all examples of content writing.

Since each type consists of several smaller tasks, it will be incredibly challenging for only one person to handle all aspects of content writing and marketing for a brand. If you are a startup or part of an SME, creating a marketing strategy takes you away from product or service development. 

There are workarounds to this situation. For instance, hiring contractors is one way to ensure you devote the time you need to your business and building its online presence. Many companies hire agencies or marketing companies to help them grow their brand—here are things you should consider when you're thinking of outsourcing your content.

What Are the Disadvantages of Outsourcing Your Content?

The most significant downside to outsourcing your content is it will cost money. It takes time to see results from marketing strategies, especially ones like search engine optimization. Often, you need to put in consistent effort to see results, which means regular blog or social media posts. Not everyone has the budget to stay in a long-term contract with a marketing agency, however. You might end up in a situation where you only implement campaigns when you can afford them, defeating the purpose of content marketing.

If you hire a freelancer, you won't know much about their work process. Unless you've collaborated previously, you are betting on their consistency and skills. It is why getting a signed contract before you begin is essential. You might also feel safer handing off your marketing to writing service providers since they have a pool of experienced writers who won't renege on agreements abruptly.

Another disadvantage of hiring a freelancer is that they might not understand your brand voice as well as an in-house writer. Freelancers have various clients with varying brand personalities, and if you hire a newcomer, the style they use for other companies might bleed into what they write for you. Prevent this from happening by hiring someone with industry experience, someone who can take your style guide and embody you through the articles and posts they create.

Finally, a writer from outside your company might not be knowledgeable or interested enough in your industry. Highly technical topics might be inaccessible to writers, and you need to get someone who can write like you or an expert in your field. Fortunately, a content writing agency will have a diverse enough talent pool to cover most niches and industries. 

What Are the Advantages of Outsourcing Your Content?

Fewer businesses are opting for in-house marketing teams these days, preferring to hire agencies or freelance writers for their content. There are several reasons for this, the first being it allows them to focus on high-level strategy. When you leave the content writing to someone else, you don't need to spend hours researching keywords, gathering sources, composing articles, or creating social media posts.

Also, it is cost-effective to outsource instead of hiring a staff member. If you hire a staffer to handle marketing, you need to spend on taxes, training, and benefits, just as you would with all regular employees. In contrast, outsourcing allows you to get the services of an expert without you needing to hire them long-term.

You can also scale your output up or down as necessary. For instance, you could have five blog posts per month now and only three in the next. The number of posts you produce depends on your marketing goals and strategies. Furthermore, you can choose to work with an agency with a pay structure that suits your needs. Some companies work better with project-based payment methods, while others prefer the convenience of monthly fixed payments.

Finally, freelancers or third-party writers have diverse perspectives and experiences. Even if an outsourced writer knows how to write about your industry, they can write about others, bringing multiple disciplines and influences into their output. Freelancers and agency writers have "fresh eyes" since they are approaching your business from the outside. Ultimately, this means your customers will have a richer reading experience.

Note that freelance writing is competitive. There are plenty of solid and creative agency writers, but there are also independent ones. Before signing with anyone, make sure you understand the pros and cons of choosing them over other options.

Conclusion

When you leave content creation to contractors, you can focus on mission-critical aspects of running your business. Hiring a freelancer or an agency writer means having access to their expertise and resources. If you get someone who uses keyword research and analytics tools, for example, you can be more confident in the strategies he proposes for your content. You won't have to choose between developing your products and cultivating client or customer relationships—you'll have time for both!

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