Should You Outsource Content Creation

The foundation of a strong content marketing strategy is consistent and high-quality quality content. But how can you achieve this, and measure ROI, on a tight budget?

Mediocre content won’t drive engagement. It won’t endear your audience to your brand. It’s not going to offer much value to your customers nor can it distinguish your organization from your competitors. And, it’s definitely not going to generate noticeable leads or boost your conversion rates.

Which leads to the number one content problem for businesses and agencies – if your organization doesn’t already have in-house content creators, where does this quality, original, hyper-relevant, value-driven, expertly-crafted content come from?

(BTW - Check out my Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing)

For many companies, the answer is to look for a content marketing agency like mine to support their efforts. But how do you know which one is right for you?

56 percent of B2B content marketers and 62 percent of B2C content marketers outsource at least some of their content creation. By working with an agency (like ours) for content creation, you can leverage the skill, experience and specialized knowledge of content creators for:

• Videos
• Illustrations
• Apps
• Photos
• Infographics
• Blog posts
• eBooks and white papers
• Social media posts
• Case studies
• Newsletters
• Live events and brand experiences

And the data shows that increasing your content frequency will drive better traffic and leads.

This data from more than 3,000 corporate blogs shows that the "sweet spot" is getting to around 1-4 posts per week. Which means you probably need to increase your frequency without spending a lot of money.

Increasing from a few posts a month to a few posts per week provides a 100% increase in traffic (over time).

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OUTSOURCING TO AN AGENCY?

Working with an agency isn’t just about seeking a high level of content. There are a lot of practical reasons why you may want to hire out rather than in.

Cost-Effective Content Creation

Hiring a full-time content writer, video producer, marketing event planner or other role is always going to cost more than outsourcing.

When you work with a reputable agency, you pay only for the content you need for your organization without having to worry about the costs of onboarding and training, benefits and a full-time salary.

Resources to Cope with High Demand Projects

When your content needs spike for a new campaign or to fatten your overall strategy, a content agency will have the resources to cope with the extra work.

Expand Your Content Spectrum

Instead of limiting your strategy by the skills your in-house team has, by working with an agency – or agencies if you use a dedicated provider for content writing, video, event organizing, and other types of content – you can have all your content needs fulfilled by experts.

You may have someone in-house to develop well-researched white papers and blog posts and a talented digital illustrator to create infographics, but with a content creation agency, you can access the full spectrum of specialized skills that go into developing great content where your team falls short.

Ability to Stay on Top of Content Marketing Trends

We have delivered content marketing strategy for more than 70 companies. And I’ve been speaking and training marketing pros on the latest content marketing trends for more than 7 years.

When looking for a content marketing agency, make sure the people you are talking to have been in the industry, have led client-side content marketing projects, and have the ability to build the business case you need to succeed, to develop the content your audience wants, and to measure results your executives want to see.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CONTENT MARKETING AGENCY?

There are plenty of content creation agencies out there. But not all are ideal for your brand. Here are some of the factors you want to consider to make sure you connect with the right one.

Experience in Content Marketing

Does the agency have a face of a real person running the show? And does that person have real-world experience in content marketing?

After building the content marketing practice at SAP, I joined the world of consulting to bring this kind of insider-marketing experience to more brands. This may not be important to everyone but it helps to have somebody who has lived your pains and challenges.

Commitment to Measure Results

I have ranted many times here on LinkedIn about the challenge of marketing ROI and our tendency to focus on checking the box.

I start every engagement with a question around the business goals (reach, engagement, e-commerce, leads) and then I help my clients put together a measurement framework.

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No matter your goals are, there are real metrics that we can value and quantify for your boss.

Research, Ideation and Delivery

Some agencies will write content for you from a very detailed briefing document. And there are times when that is important such as when you are writing press releases and campaign content.

But for content marketing, you need to understand the keywords your audience uses, kinds of content they engage with, the topics that align with your brands expertise, and how to write a great headline!

Check with your agency to make sure they have the skills to do that research, asses the data, compile it into logical themes and topics, and create a list of engaging article ideas for you to approve.

You shouldn't have to do that hard work. I've done this for more than 75 brands and I have to admit, I totally love diving into the data!

Don’t settle for mediocrity with your content.

Content marketing is a powerful tool only when it is well-produced and strategically delivered. Your organization may have the strategy down. Just make sure you are using professionally-created content to make that strategy come alive.

Most brands I speak to need some level of consistent and affordable content on the keywords your audience uses, based on the content your customers actually want. I'd love to help you create content that converts!

If you are looking for content development services, please contact me today! We are offering 100 articles for a year (that’s 2 per week) plus a full content marketing strategy workshop for your company – all for just $35,000.