Outsourcing content marketing is not something new. However, we still see lots of confusion around.
That’s why we decided to start this how-to outsource content marketing guide. We will update it when needed.
Why do you need to outsource content marketing?
You have to understand what content marketing is to know why you need to outsource content marketing.
Here, we explained content marketing a bit deeper.
However, in a nutshell, it’s the marketing method applied through sharable, engaging online materials for various reasons. These materials can include:
blog articles,
infographics,
social media posts,
YouTube videos,
TikTok posts,
LinkedIn newsletters, and many more.
And a person can’t manage all these professionally.
Content producers specialize in certain formats of content. For example, a video producer may not be proficient at (or interested in) writing blog posts. These formats require different skills. Or a social media manager probably cannot design engaging infographics.
If you want to hire professionals to do all these tasks, you’ll need an army in your company. Yet, it’s not so smart to pay regular monthly salaries to each of them. Most of them won't even require a full-time commitment from you.
That’s why you need to outsource content marketing.
When you outsource, you’ll
pay as much as you need their service,
get the chance to work with the best content creators,
be able to post more often,
increase ROI,
leave your competitors in the dust.
Your competitors, choosing traditional content marketing methods, are trying to handle all these content pieces with one employee or two. When you have a massive team of content marketing professionals that you outsource, your digital reputation will catch the eyes of your target audience. Your content in various formats will be more creative and professional.
Tips for outsourcing content marketing
Well, if you’re new to the outsourcing world, you may get confused about how to get started. So here are a few things you’ll need to consider.
What do you need to outsource?
Does this question sound simple? No! It’s a complicated one.
Especially if you don’t know much about content marketing, it’s even difficult to find out what you need. However, a content marketing strategy will shed light on your path. You may need someone to show you how. So you can start by finding a content strategist.
Your strategy will reveal which platforms to use for content distribution.
So you will know what kind of content you’ll need: blog articles, videos, social media posts, etc.
If you have been producing content, you may need to optimize your existing content. Then you will need someone who understands optimization.
In some cases, companies have their own core marketing team to manage the processes. They only need people to create content. For example, many companies work with freelance content writers or video producers.
ROI of your in-house marketing team
If you have an in-house marketing team, discover the ROI of your employees. If they’re spending all their time creating content, they may fail to manage the overall picture. Then, you’ll lose a big chance to grow your business.
You can accelerate your content marketing efforts by eliminating time-consuming tasks. Just outsource these tasks and add value to your business.
By outsourcing, you help your marketing team work more efficiently and productively.
What about your budget for content marketing?
Your budget will guide you in taking steps towards outsourcing. It’s always better to focus on the most promising platform than trying to be active everywhere if your sources are limited.
In the content marketing world, you’ll always find affordable services. However, some people offer these services unprofessionally, and you may waste your time and money if you get low-quality content in the end.
It looks easy to write a blog, but there are many details to consider to rank higher. When you work with people who don't know anything about SEO, you will probably not achieve what you expect. This explains why quality content is more valuable than mechanical content creation. Also, Google agrees with us.
A freelancer or a content marketing agency
The difference between the two is somewhat ambiguous. Obviously, there are still freelancers focusing on just one single skill and not collaborating with others to work as a team. However, freelancing is very popular in today’s business world, and freelancers are working hard to be chosen.
We will focus more on this topic in this article as this is the most complicated part. I will try to make it as clear and honest as possible.
Who is a freelancer, and why choose a freelancer?
A freelancer is a person with a specific skill and works without a boss telling them what and how to do it. If this person is really skilled, hiring them full-time will cost a lot. So, the main advantage of working with a freelancer is to get their service for a more budget-friendly price.
They will cost cheaper for various reasons:
They ask for money just for their own service as they usually don’t pay for an office or expenses for employees.
You will pay only for the hours or pieces of work they provide you. You don’t pay for their food, coffee, or other employee expenses.
You can record your expenses when they can provide an invoice.
Also, they usually want to stay freelancers, and they will do their best to create loyal and happy customers.
What is a content marketing agency, and why choose an agency?
A content marketing agency can be huge or small. Sometimes, it’s nearly impossible to tell in today's digital world by looking at their website. They usually work with people skilled in various types of content and also hire a project manager to communicate with their clients.
If your business needs a lot of content marketing efforts across a myriad of channels, you may work with an agency. Especially if you don’t have a team that knows this stuff, they’re helpful. However, they usually issue high-volume invoices monthly as they have quite a lot of expenses.
Another option is agency-like freelancers.
I established PUN Content as an agency-like space. That’s the honest part of this blog article. I will share my reasons for working this way and explain to you how it works and why to choose PUN Content or other agency-like freelancers.
My niche is writing blog articles, website copy, e-books, newsletters, etc. So, I personally don’t create videos or infographics. Or I will not design good images to share on social media for you. But, I will deliver a good job when it comes to writing narratives for videos or infographics.
And I am experienced enough to understand how brand communication works.
I work with a team of amazing writers, and to make sure we deliver good work, I am always actively working with my team. And depending on the requirements of the projects, I also write articles, landing pages, newsletters, e-books, and such without asking for help from other writers.
PUN Content to outsource content marketing
We can create and manage content marketing strategies across channels and manage teams creating content in various formats. I know what people like - in most cases.
Also, our clients usually need more than blog articles, but they don’t have time to manage ten different content creators, or they just don’t prefer to. Due to our effective communication, they ask if I know other people who can deal with the technical SEO of their website or video creation, etc.
On the other hand, as a result of long years in the industry, I have a network of skilled freelancers. I enjoy working with them. I trust their self-discipline. So, here at PUN Content, we create a space where freelancers cooperate and act as an agency for clients. Our clients may choose to communicate with them personally or just leave all the communication to me to manage their processes.
They take advantage of working with freelancers while getting an agency-like service.
Last words
Once you know your needs and budget, you can start looking for people to outsource. Before deciding, you can always ask to see past work whether you contact a freelancer or an agency - or an agency-like freelancer.
State what you expect clearly so that they can determine if they are capable of providing you with high-quality service. Ask for all the details you want to know. Then evaluate their questions for you, too. Asking the right questions is a skill, and if they have it, you can probably trust them.
You can always contact us to cooperate or make your mind clear about outsourcing. We love communicating with people and helping them out.