Want to Outsource Your Blog Writing? Here Are Your Options

On average, it can take an experienced writer at least 6 hours to write a high-quality blog post of 2,000 words or more, according to?research from Orbit Media .?

But what about someone who is less experienced in the art and science of crafting an effective blog post? Or someone who may be a skilled writer but who is also responsible for a multitude of other marketing tasks, such as campaign planning and management, content promotion, analytics, PR and more??

The fact of the matter is that writing takes time. And good writing—writing that’s clear and compelling, is effectively optimized, connects to a purpose, and is written for a human and not just a search engine—takes even longer.?

These are just some of the reasons why many marketers look to outsource their blog writing.?

However, as there are so many options for outsourcing blog writing, it can be overwhelming to know where to start, how to evaluate the different options, and how to choose the best option for your needs and budget.?

To help make the process easier, we’ve outlined four common blog writing outsourcing options and evaluated them by type, pros/cons, and the average cost for their services.

Common Blog Writing Outsourcing Options

“Independent” Freelance Writers

An independent freelance writer is a self-employed contractor, rather than a full-time employee, who offers their writing services directly to their clients.?

For comparison purposes, in this section we’re referring to freelance writers who have built a strong personal brand and writing reputation. As such, they are less likely to be found on content platform sites or through “content farms.”?

Most independent freelance writers can deliver a variety of content types and may work across different industries or verticals. However, some writers may niche themselves in specific types of content (e.g. emails or white papers) or work only within a specific industry (e.g. medical or automotive).

Most independent freelance writers today will have their own website where prospective clients can find samples of their writing (on their personal blog, for example), their bio, reviews, rates and instructions on how to start working with them.

Pros

• An independent freelance writer’s success often depends on the reputation they’ve built with their clients (referrals or online reviews). As such, they tend to be highly motivated to not just write well, but to deliver an outcome that aligns with your goals.?
• It’s possible to find writers who are focused on your particular industry or specific content need.?
• You can communicate with the writer directly, providing them with all the relevant information for the blog post.?
• As the writers are being paid on a per-project basis, outsourcing your blog post to a freelancer is likely to be a more cost-effective option compared to hiring a full-time writer in-house.?

Cons

• Popular writers might have limited availability as they are catering to the needs of their regular clients, so it may take some time to get on their wait list. Alternatively, you’ll have to give them several weeks' notice if there are multiple blog posts you want written.?
• Each freelancer has their own pricing system. Some charge per word or per hour, others may charge per project or offer a “service package” (e.g. keyword research, expert quotes, infographics design, etc.). This personalized pricing can make it difficult to compare rates.
• If you’re dissatisfied with the content quality, you’ll need to work directly with the writer to try to resolve it.
• Optimizing the blog post for organic search can be an additional expense.?
• Without a recommendation, finding a high-value freelance writer on your own can take time. Even ones with a well-optimized blog and website are still easily outranked by large content aggregators, especially for high-volume keywords like “blog writing services.”

Cost to Outsource Blog Writing

As noted above, the price ranges for freelance writing services can vary significantly, from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on how a writer charges for their services.?

Freelancers On Gig-Based Sites

In the section above, we focused on “independent” freelancers who have essentially built their own branded business around their writing abilities.?

However, those independent freelancers may have first built the foundation of their writing business by taking on projects via “gig-based” sites, where the priority for the person looking for content is often on quantity at a low cost rather than on quality.?

As with most self-employed work structures, building up a consistent client base can be challenging when just starting out. Therefore, many individuals wanting to move into freelance writing—either part-time or full-time—may get their footing on platforms that connect freelancers with companies looking to hire them, and then start growing and refining their skill set and client base from there.?

Pros

• There are many writers with various areas of expertise, so even in a very specific field, you have high chances of finding an author with enough knowledge.?
• You may come across a highly skilled writer who is new to freelancing and is offering their services via the gig-based site to build up their portfolio—allowing you to obtain quality blog content.
• Due to rather strict platform rules, the writer will be interested in fulfilling your task in time.
• If you are dissatisfied with content quality, the team running the gig-based site can help resolve disputes between you and the writer.

Cons

• Due to the nature of these gig-based sites, some writers' focus may be on content volume over content quality.
• You may find writers who are learning on the job and lack the level of writing skills that you need.
• As rates tend to be lower on gig-based sites, writers may prioritize orders by price, not by their area of expertise.
• The writers mostly provide the services listed in the ‘gig.’ Extra revision, proofreading, or editing your post can be an additional expense.
• The quality and the authenticity of the content isn’t checked unless a dispute is open.

Cost to Outsource Blog Writing

Similar to independent freelance writers, writers found on gig-based sites also have wide-ranging fee structures. Some who are starting out may charge as low as $5 a post. Others with more experience—and the reviews and ratings to back it up—may charge a higher fee of a few hundred dollars for a post.?

Agencies

There are different types of agencies that offer content services to companies. These include digital marketing agencies, PR agencies, and even content marketing agencies. While their overall service coverage areas may vary, most offer some type of writing element as a part of their portfolio of services.?

These agencies may have in-house writers on their team, or they may outsource the writing to independent freelance writers or those on gig-based sites.?

Pros

• Agencies may be able to assign a full-time writer (or multiple full-time writers) to a client’s content project to ensure it gets done quickly.?
• As many agencies offer a breadth of services (e.g. SEO, social media, PR, PPC, etc.), they can often help their clients address other factors that influence the blog’s performance, such as the user experience of the page, the SEO “friendliness” of the content, the visual aspects of the post, promotion strategy via social, etc.
• Typically, writers working on behalf of the agency are carefully vetted and properly trained.
• Reputable agencies work with many businesses and industries, so it’s possible that they are already familiar with your business and content specifics.?
• Agencies work on a contract basis, so it can be possible to negotiate and adjust all terms and conditions, including payment.
• Sensitive data protection is guaranteed by the terms of contract.

Cons

• The cost of blog post writing may include additional costs for project management, etc.
• Communication with writer(s) tends to be be less direct; you may have to go through the project manager overseeing your account.?
• Some agencies outsource writing without informing their clients.?

Cost to Outsource Blog Writing

Where freelancers tend to charge by the hour or by project, most agencies charge a monthly retainer fee for their services. However, that fee is likely to include services above and beyond writing, such as strategy, planning, optimization, promotion, and analytics.?

According to pricing on Clutch.co, fees for blog post writing average $1,000 to$1,500 per post.?

Content Marketplaces

Content marketplaces are the relative “new kid” on the content outsourcing block. While the moniker “marketplace” is nuanced and may be interpreted or defined slightly differently from one company to the next, the essence is that content marketplaces connect proficient writers with individuals and companies looking to leverage their skill sets and unique perspectives—and they do so with greater transparency than most other content outsourcing options out there.?

Content marketplaces are essentially the “matchmakers” of the writing world. If this description sounds similar to gig-based sites or even content agencies, that’s because it is. However, there are important differences, which we’ve detailed in the pros/cons/cost sections below.?

Pros

• There’s a fixed rate for each content piece, so the writers tend to treat all tasks equally.
• Most content marketplaces carefully select and vet writers who have expertise in different niches and domains.
• The project completion speed is usually rather high and you’re not charged any extras for getting a piece delivered with urgency.
• Most marketplaces are eager to take on extra responsibility, such as project management, to ease your outline.

Cons

• Sometimes the gap between different writers’ skills is significant, so you may receive copy of very different quality at the same price.
• Most writers are native English speakers, so if you need your blog posts in a different language it may turn out to be a little more difficult or time consuming.
• Marketplaces require monthly subscriptions, so ad-hoc projects might not be a good fit.?
• You may want supporting content for your blog article that some marketplaces don’t provide, e.g. an email newsletter or a social media post.

Cost to Outsource Blog Writing

The prices vary from $94 to $224+ per 1,500-word article, in addition to the subscription fee.

Bridging the Blog Writing Outsourcing Gap

As you can see, every outsourcing option has its pros and cons; there’s no “right way” to outsource your blog writing.?

To recap:

• Independent freelancers are likely to cost more but may be more professional and reliable to work with and deliver a higher-quality post.?
• Freelance writers on gig-based sites tend to be more affordable and versatile, though it may take a lot of back-and-forth before you receive a blog post draft that you’re happy with.?
• Content agencies are likely to charge higher rates for services above and beyond your blog writing needs. While that can certainly help elevate the quality and performance of your post, if budget is a concern, it might be more than you need at the moment.?
• Marketplaces invest in maintaining diverse databases of available writers, so they are quite comfortable to work with.

CONLUSIVELY

The solution you choose doesn't need to be singular. Many businesses are known to use a combination of two or even three options to best meet their needs, so you need to carefully weigh your time and financial assets and choose your own golden mean option. To help you do so, we’ve made a brief comparison of all the alternatives listed above.