How to Determine Who Should Write Marketing Content

In-house? Freelancer? Agency? Outsourcing?

These are some of the options that come up when you’re considering who should write marketing content for your business.

Some companies feel that in-house is best, because no one knows your business better than your own team. But an outsider’s perspective also can be invaluable, especially if your company is in a field in which the writer specializes.

Here are some things to consider when it comes to choosing who should do your writing.

Pros and Cons of In-House Content Creation

Your marketing team is doing the work every single day. They’re familiar with the company’s brand, the company’s goals and how to attract customers. On paper, they are the most qualified, knowledgeable, and appropriate people to write your marketing content.

But there are both upsides and downsides to developing content in-house.

Pros:

• Your team knows your business inside and out
• Maintaining consistency and coherency across your content is easy
• Everyone is on the same page and can coordinate publishing dates and content workflow responsibilities

Cons:

• You may not have anyone to take over content development if and when a key staff member leaves
• One person often isn’t enough; you need several people working on content creation to eliminate bottlenecks
• Most businesses underestimate the ongoing cost and resources necessary to maintain a content development program

Pros and Cons of Working with a Freelancer

Freelancers can be skilled at what they do, and can learn to meet your specific requirements if they are provided with instructions, style guides, checklists and the like. The more familiar they become with your business, the easier it is for them to develop the kind of content you want.

Here are several pros and cons to working with a freelancer.

Pros:

• You can delegate content development and not have to worry about placing additional burdens on existing team members
• Freelancers often specialize in specific areas of content creation and are experienced in their field
• The cost of working with a freelancer is often less than hiring a full-time employee

Cons:

• Finding the right freelancer can take time
• Regular communication on style, tone, guidelines and other aspects of content creation will be necessary
• As content development ramps up, you’ll need to hire more freelancers because keeping up with your publishing schedule can be difficult without specialists, and you don’t want to become too dependent on any one person

Pros and Cons of Working with an Agency

An agency can become one of your most valued assists in creating content, assuming you’re willing to communicate with them regularly, and partner with them. They often have a variety of different people on staff that are very capable in their respective fields. But they probably don’t know the ins and outs of your company.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of working with an agency.

Pros:

• Agencies are equipped to scale content production
• Agencies are well-staffed, and they tend to have a good mix of different skills among their personnel
• Agencies will partner and cooperate to achieve your goals so long as you’re willing to reciprocate

Cons:

• Agencies may need more time to get to know your brand
• You’ll need to remain in good communication with your agency content team to discuss edits and approvals
• You may need to find any agency that specializes in your industry

Keep These Factors In Mind When Determining Who Should Write Your Content

Whether you’re going to handle the work in-house or outsource, here are some important factors that need to be a part of your overall calculus:

• Skill. Do you have experienced writers on your team? Do they understand psychological triggers for selling to and influencing customers? Do they enjoy writing? Do they have the bandwidth to handle another task?
• Volume. How much content do you need developed? Is it a one-off assignment, or ongoing work? Do you have the people and resources necessary to keep up with the volume of content you’re looking to create?
• Resources. Do you have a budget for content creation? Do you have the right people in place to make it happen? If you plan to outsource, do you have the right tools, style guides, checklists and other documentation in place?
• Plan. Do you have a proper strategy in place? Are you realistic about your goals? Are your objectives measurable? Do you have all the information necessary to know when your plan is working, and when it isn’t?

Any of the Above Models Can Work For Your Business

There isn’t a catch-all solution. Whether you get your marketing department to write your materials or you choose to outsource to a freelancer, given the right infrastructure, the ROI on your content development efforts can be fruitful.

One of the most common challenges associated with content creation is a lack of resources. You must budget and designate properly, or your marketing will suffer. Your well-maintained blog will suddenly drop off. Your ads will fail to yield results that were previously attainable.

Also note: Some of the most successful content development plans often employ more than one strategy. In other words, a mix of in-house and outsourcing plans can help you keep up with ongoing content creation and get the best results possible. Freelancers typically bring a great deal of experience to the table, and agencies can offer strategic direction for your marketing.

But no matter what direction you choose, it will take work. Outsourcers will require ongoing communication and direction. In-house teams need to be developed over time, no matter how well they already know the business.