What to Consider When Outsourcing Content Creation

A solid content marketing strategy is important for any business that wants to market online, but the thought of spending the time that’s needed to operate it effectively can leave many company owners feeling overwhelmed. You already have to manage your website and build strong relationships with your customers on social media — all while keeping track of your business’s finances. So, how are you going to find the time to write and publish content on a regular basis?

The solution to this problem may be to outsource this process. There are many freelancers online who could write articles, design infographics, and even record videos that you can use in your content marketing campaigns. But you don’t want to think of outsourcing as a “hands off” approach to creating content. There are several advantages to handing this process to someone else, but there are some other things you have to consider as well.

The Advantages of Outsourcing Content Creation

 There are many advantages to outsourcing content creation. Some of these include but may not be limited to:

• It can save you time — Hiring someone to create content can save you a great deal of time. You'll have to find the right person for the task. But once you have, you’ll get more results because he or she will be able do it faster. This is an important consideration if you don’t have enough time to do it yourself.
• You’ll have access to a broader range of skills — You may need to outsource content creation, especially if you’re not able to do it yourself. Not everyone can write a compelling article, but you may also need an infographic or video publication -- things that you may not be able to do on your own.
• You’ll have more control over the completed product — By outsourcing content creation, you’ll have a better chance of getting a product that resembles your specific vision because you’ll be working with someone who has the skills to make it happen. Eve if you’re able to do certain types of content creation, hiring a professional can take your content marketing to a different level.

Outsourcing content creation could increase your chances of getting a better product because you’ll have access to someone who is more skilled in this area, and many freelancers will give you a certain number of free revisions. You’ll be able to get a better product than if you were to do it all yourself. But like any other business decision, it does have its down sides.

The Drawbacks to Outsourcing Content Creation

Before you decide to work with a freelancer, there are some things you’ll have to consider. While outsourcing content creation has its benefits, it’s not without its disadvantages. Some of them include but may not be limited to:

• It will cost money up front — Outsourcing content creation will require some up-front investment, because freelancers aren’t going to wait until your content marketing campaigns get any results. They’ll want to get paid after they have finished their work, so you’ll have to spend money before you can determine the ROI of your content marketing strategy.
• It can backfire if you work with the wrong freelancer — Finding the right freelancer can be challenging. It’s not as simple as hiring someone who can do the job, sending them the details of the project, and waiting for the finished product. The level of competition on freelancing sites can be overwhelming, which can make the process even more difficult. And if you hire the wrong person, your efforts could backfire.
• It will require your participation in the editing process — Even if you outsource this process to someone else, you will still need to make sure that the content meets your standards. It’s not a “set it and forget it” process. And while there are times where clients and freelancers have long-standing relationships that require less supervision, it can take a while to build that level of trust. You should go into it with the expectation of having to check and correct the freelancer’s work for at least the first few months.

There’s no easy answer to the question of whether you should outsource content creation, but there are some things that you have to think about before you make a decision.

Final Thoughts

After weighing both the positives and the negatives of outsourcing content creation, you probably realize that it’s hardly simple matter. While you’ll have to spend money up front and will need to take a more active role in the beginning, it can have a great deal of benefits. Not only could it save you a great deal of time, but you’ll also have a greater chance of getting a better product.