How to Outsource Content the Right Way: Tips for Success

To outsource writing may be challenging because you want your blog to represent your brand. A random writer is unlikely to immediately grasp your strategy, goals, and tone of voice. However, not every business — especially not every small business — can afford to have a writer on their team. And if you consider the recommendations we provide, it might be easier for you to outsource content creation for your blog. 

Why Outsource Content Creation?

The most common reason for outsourcing content creation (in particular, writing) is money. However, there are other benefits. 

• When your content is created by someone else, you are saving time. After all, someone else is busy creating while you can dedicate your efforts to something else.
• You gain access to a professional’s expertise. True, the level of expertise depends on how much you pay and some other factors we will describe later. But still, having a professional do the job is generally a good idea.
• Outsourcing comes with flexibility and scalability. You can determine how much content you need and request just that. And as your needs grow and you require more content, you can easily request more, possibly from different experts.
• Money does matter. Having a content creator on the team is going to be more expensive than outsourcing.

Note that many businesses outsource these days. It is partially because scalability is an issue; internal resources are simply not enough sometimes. Additionally, there is the problem of competition. Every business now leverages the power of copywriting. Not joining this race is more and more often not an option.

The Disadvantages of Outsourcing Content Creation

Thus, it is entirely possible to outsource content creation and get all the benefits of this decision. But what are the pitfalls?

• Reduced control. When you outsource it, you usually do not control the process of content creation very well. A lot of decisions are up to the creator. However, you can still direct their efforts and request revisions. Some of those revisions can even be free, although you need to discuss that beforehand.
• Less familiarity with your tone of voice. A random contractor or freelancer does not know a lot about your brand. Fortunately, you can educate them and provide them with materials you already have (if you have them).
• Freelancer quality varies. It may be difficult to find a creator who fits your needs. Check their portfolios and ask questions beforehand, though. You definitely can find someone suitable! You just need to put in the effort.
• Confidentiality issues. You need to look into protecting the confidentiality of your information if you are outsourcing materials.
• Communication challenges. It is especially true if you are hiring someone from another country. However, the issue can be solved as long as you are willing to dedicate a little extra time to communicating well.
• A freelancer is generally less invested in the future of your company. You can change that by offering better compensation or becoming a permanent customer.

In other words, there are disadvantages to content creation outsourcing, but they can generally be mitigated. 

Common Questions on How to Outsource Content Creation

There are a few issues which generally worry a businessperson who wants to outsource content creation and, in particular, blog posts. Here are the most important ones of them.

Is It Even Possible for an Outsource Writer to Capture Our Tone of Voice?

The answer is yes, of course! A professional is capable of writing in diverse tones of voice. However, here are a few tips on what you can do to improve your chances of getting content with the right tone of voice.

• You need to explain the main aspects of your business to the writer. Talk about your aims, mission, and vision. Naturally, describe the tone of voice. Include examples if you have any. It may take some time, but that time will pay off, especially if you continue collaborating with the writer.
• Retain some control over the process. Do not just take and post the content the writer has created. Look through it and make sure that it fits your brand. You can request revisions or hire another writer if what the current writer is doing does not work. 
• Be smart about hiring your writer. See more information on that below.

With these key approaches, you should be able to outsource content creation without worrying about the tone of voice too much.

How to Outsource Content Creation?

The first step to outsourcing your writing is to understand what you want written and how. What is your blog about, and how do you want the topic approached? Can one writer deal with the workload or do you need multiple specialists? These are the key questions to ask before starting the hiring process.

Then, determine the budget. Research how much professionals charge for your type of work in your industry. 

After that, find your writer. This process is a little complicated. You have a few options.

• Freelancing platforms. These usually have many freelancers for you to choose from. Each platform has its own benefits and drawbacks. Fiverr, for example, is usually very cheap, but the quality is rarely high. Take a look at a few platforms to figure out which one suits you. Maybe it’s Insolvo?
• Job boards. You can post your ad on a job board and let writers contact you. A lot of job boards allow for freelancing gigs to be posted together with job advertisements.
• Individual freelancers. You can try to find a writer using Google or LinkedIn. It will take a long time to look through even a fraction of the options on those platforms, but you can find someone special that way.
• Agencies. These exist to connect you to writers. They are usually pricier than freelancing platforms as you pay for more than just the writer’s work and expertise. Their managers also want to be paid. However, agencies usually care about their reputation, and they facilitate your communication with the writer. The extra cost might be worth it.

Negotiate with the freelancer or agency to determine if you are a good fit. Then, carry out the first task together. After some feedback, you might have found the writer to outsource blog writing to.

How to Outsource Content Creation: The Selection Process

So you have found freelancers or other writing specialists. How do you choose one? Here are a few recommendations.

• The price is important, but it is not the most important thing. Of course, you are on a budget, especially if you are a small business. You need to make the writers aware of that budget. But a reasonable price is only a part of what you need, so unless your budget is very restrictive, consider other factors first.
• Check the writer’s past work. This is crucial! A good creator has a portfolio ready to show to a potential client. Check the niche the writer has been working with and assess their style. You do not need to be a specialist for that. Just see if you like what they are doing or not.
• If possible, ask for some testimonials of previous clients. They can offer insights into what it is like to work with this writer.
• Discuss your own project with the writer. Explain what you want from them and be ready to answer questions. If a writer has no questions, that might be a red flag!

You need someone who is (ideally) familiar with your industry and has good writing skills while also showing interest in your business and writing for you. 

Outsource everything but your core business.

Arthur Laffer, economist

Does Outsourcing Lead to Worse Quality?

If you outsource content creation, you generally can expect what you paid for. Higher quality costs more, and low prices are likely to be associated with lower quality. Of course, there are exceptions. In addition, the global reach of online writer search means that you can hire someone from a country with lower wages. However, there are issues with outsourcing overseas.

Is Outsourcing Writing Overseas a Good Idea?

That is a difficult question. Writers overseas are as talented and skilled as those in your country. However, their knowledge of English might be worse than that of a native speaker. In addition, there is the ethical issue of denying jobs to people in English-speaking countries and exploiting people from poorer countries. However, it is an option, especially for smaller businesses that do not have a lot of funds.

Does Outsourcing Mean I Own the Texts?

You should absolutely retain the rights to the texts produced by your writer. You need to make it clear to them straight away and ensure that your contract guarantees that. Most outsource writers expect that as a rule, but lower-priced writers might try to sell one text twice (or more times). That is a big problem because duplicate content is an issue, especially for search engine optimization. That is why it may be worth it to pay a little extra for your writer.

What Are the Costs?

The costs of blog content are incredibly varied. They often depend on which route you choose when hiring the writer.

• Freelancing platforms typically offer the most affordable services. Depending on how small your post is, you can get it for as cheap as USD 3–5. However, bigger posts related to niche subjects will cost more.
• On job boards, you specify the price, although you can describe it as negotiable. Then, you will be discussing the prices with individual writers.
• Individual writers usually demand greater prices than freelancers from special platforms. That is because they have to search for customers, which takes time. And time is money.
• Agencies probably cost the most because they have to support the whole system of managers and writers. Note that here, the writer is unlikely to be entitled to the majority of the funds you spend.

Overall, the price depends on the task and the writer you have chosen. It varies quite a lot depending on what you want.

Additional Recommendations

• Approach the task strategically. Ask yourself why you want this content and use the response to that as the measure of your success. Make sure to communicate the strategy to the writer as well!
• Provide the writer with some support. It can come in the form of knowledge or recommendations, but either way, please communicate with the writer. Help them make your content awesome!
• Experiment! Ask your writer for different text lengths, calls to action, and metadata. Then, test which ones work the best and adjust your recommendations to the writer accordingly.
• Make sure to repurpose content. You are here for a blog, but nothing stops you from asking your writer to create Facebook and Instagram posts from the blog texts they have already written. This way, you will work with multiple channels, promoting your business.
• New ideas. A writer is likely to bring in new ideas that you would not have thought of. If you encourage their creativity, they can provide the topic for your next post. Just support them, and they will help your blog thrive.

In Conclusion

A lot of things deserve to be discussed when considering whether to outsource content creation. You need to know what you want, and the writer will help you get there. Selecting a writer who can truly capture your tone of voice is always challenging. But if you find the right person and provide them with support and information, your blog posts can become truly great!