One of the more interesting trends in Internet marketing today is the idea of outsourcing content creation and copywriting. Here’s how it works: you run a small business, you become too busy with work, and on top of that – as though your calendar wasn’t crazy enough, as though you actually had time – you find yourself having to refresh your website or company blog with new, engaging content. You have to meet the demand for new, diverse information about your product, your brand, your industry. And you’re not even a writer by profession.
One can only do so much, right? If only you can leave the writing to those who do it for a living. Enter your team of freelance writers, eager to develop content and copy for your site. They may be regular readers of your blog, looking to contribute their own content; they may be freelancing neighbors from just around the corner; or they may come from offshore, as far as countries like, say, the Philippines and India.
Should you outsource content creation and copywriting for your website or blog?
Here’s the case for that: according to a recent Stanford study, multitasking can have a significant effect on your performance. Do loads of things at once and you’ll probably find yourself doing each of them worse than if you just focused on a single task. You might be tempted to cut corners, forego all research, and tolerate sloppy copy. Even if you’re a serious blogger, feeding readers with an insatiable appetite for information can be crazier than a fulltime job.
That’s why, instead of juggling regular work stuff and writing duties, it would probably be a lot more convenient if you outsourced professionals to write your content. That way, you and your sales staff get to do the things you’re good at – that is, spending time on your overall business strategy. It’s also certainly more affordable than hiring an in-house writer, and if you do find qualified writers who know enough about the subject matter, you won’t worry any longer about having to regularly deliver compelling – not to mention, “search-engine-friendly” – content.
With a talent pool so deep it covers basically candidates from every corner of the world, the search for writers can be daunting, but there are a number of ways to find freelance writers who understand your message.
The recommended way is via outsourcing agencies. Guest bloggers are great, too, but without proper compensation they’d be hard-pressed to keep on contributing quality content to your site for free. Plenty of agencies, meanwhile, will have dedicated teams of writers who write regularly for clients, and who can deliver content in your preferred style, in your given timetable, and within your budget requirements – in a new voice.
Before you take on offshore writers for large-scale content development projects, however, make sure you follow these important tips:
1. Define your communication objectives
Let the writers know what exactly you aim to accomplish. Is it to deliver informative content? Target search traffic? Sell products using effective buzzwords and catchphrases? Write a clearly defined job description that gives the writers a good idea of what their deliverables are.
2. Screen applicants or candidates
Outsourcing basically entails getting someone to do a job for you. You want that candidate or applicant to have the experience required to do the job well. Ask for a resume and request writing samples or published works. That way, you can judge each writer based on the strength of their writing, and then determine which one fits the position well enough.
3. Don’t just focus on rates – look at quality, too
Once you set out on searching for content providers, you’ll find plenty of them eager to please you with promises of low rates, quick turnaround times, and huge volumes of content. A tip: don’t always be impressed. Look first at the quality of their work and see if they meet your standards. An experienced writer will know how to please his or client not by sheer word count, but by sound writing, good research, and engaging storytelling.
4. Review and recommend
Whoever said that writers cannot take criticism must not have known the world of online content creation. Freelance writers are more than happy to receive comments, suggestions, and recommendations on how to improve their work and align their writing style to the communication strategy of your website or blog. So don’t be shy in providing constructive criticism. It’s your site, and you above all should know the kind of articles and submissions that will make your readers happy.