Freelancer or agency?
OK, I'm a freelancer content and copywriter, so this post is mainly about the pros and cons of choosing a freelance writer versus a marketing agency. But I reckon most of this applies to other types of freelancers too.
Obviously, I've also got an inherent bias. But I am going to try - really try - to keep it as neutral as possible so that you can choose what's right for you.
So, let's get to it. If you need written content or copy, which is the better choice and what's the difference that you're going to get? Well, it seems to me that there are only 3 main areas that you need to think about.
- Cost
Yup, let's start by tackling the elephant in the room, price. I'm not going to use the word "cheaper" because that does professional freelancers a disservice but a freelance will probably cost less. It's a simple matter of professional overheads.
That said, beware freelancers who sell low. There are lots out there. I know, I've been there and there are many reasons why they may be selling cheap. There are also a lot of people out there who seem to have woken up one day and decided to become a content writer. Hmmm.
So before you're tempted by low prices, make sure you check what you're paying for. Look for experience and qualifications both generally and in your specific field. For example, I have diplomas in copywriting and journalism. I update my qualifications and learning every 6 months. I've written for the professional services and in the past, I was a professional service provider (a different one to now).
In short, choosing the cheapest is often the wrong choice.
Agencies, on the other hand, may charge more. But apart from their overheads, that may be because they can provide more. So, I'll cover that next.
2. Scope
I'm the first to admit, I'm just a cog in the wheel of marketing. I am not a marketer. I do have experience of marketing and have informally studied marketing. But it is not my specialism and I don't pretend it is.
If you come to me, you get specialist writing services, with all the trimmings (on page SEO, Meta data, content planning etc.) but you don't get more generic marketing services.
Don't get me wrong. I have a trusted network of professionals whom I can refer you to. They will also provide you with specialist services. But it's not a one stop shop.
An agency can offer you much more, often under one roof, making it super convenient. But once more a word of caution (and I'm at risk here of upsetting all my marketing friends) - check to what degree your one stop shop specialise as compared to generalise. Most agencies I've worked with don't hold themselves out as professional writers. So they either outsource it ...or just have a go!
I'm not saying that that approach is wrong. It depends on what is important to you. But it means that before you sign on the dotted line, you need to lift the veil and see what degree of specialism your agency provides ( as compared to what you need).
3. Experience
Experience is clearly going to differ from agency to agency and freelancer to freelancer. But from my experience (and I'm sure there are plenty who may disagree) one important part of the experience you'll get, is the level of control you retain over your copy and content.
If you want to just hand it all over, with little to no input or control, then an agency may be the better choice for you. But, if you want to have a hand or a say in your content, then equally, I'd suggest a freelancer.
When I work with a client, one of the first tasks is to gauge what level of control and how much input they want (from planning, drafting, editing etc.) and then put a system in place that meets that need.
This does need some careful management - your freelancer may have to tell you that your suggestions or your edits are rubbish (if they are, they'd be failing in their job if they didn't, so you need to be prepared for that). But working together as a team has the advantage of easing the burden on you but allowing you to keep some measure of control.
Agencies differ in their approach to control - check with them first if this is important!
I'm going to mention quality only briefly. It should always be a given of course. But it isn't.
Obviously, you want quality of service and quality of writing. You want emails answered quickly, you want deadlines met - always. If it's legal writing, then you want someone who knows the difference between government guidelines, statutes and case law (I'm not kidding - I came across a freelancer recently who had written a legal blog and clearly didn't). Do a little research into either your freelancer or your agency. That's all I'm saying.
Another aspect of experience is the ability to monitor your content. Easily available and affordable technology is making massive inroads here but it is worth checking to what extent your freelancer can or does monitor the performance of your content. Equally, check with any agency - they may have the technology but does it actually measure what you need it to measure?
And finally, of course, beware the upsell. Both camps can be guilty of this but an agency may have more to upsell than your freelancer. It's just worth having at least an understanding of what you need and want, so you don't buy into some all singing and dancing campaign that actually...you didn't want, can't afford and don't need. Enough said.
Over to you. Both an agency and a freelancer should offer you a stellar service. You just have to choose what's right. I hope this helps.