Content is the fuel behind any successful internet marketing strategy. But not just any content. It must be relevant, fresh, and original. If you work with content at your agency or business, you know writing good material can be time-consuming, and sometimes impossible if you juggle other responsibilities, which is most likely the case. Blogs, newsletters, webpage content, eBooks, white papers, and social media messages must all have a purpose. Just pulling them out of your you-know-what isn’t going to help you achieve your content goals.
If you are short on time or are suffering from writer’s block, you may be considering outsourcing some of your organization’s content. When choosing how to produce your content, be sure to ask yourself the following questions in order to come up with the best solution for you and your business.
Can You Write Online Content?
Writing for an online audience is completely different than writing an essay for your college English professor. While your professor will appreciate cryptic allusions, critical analyses, and scholarly language, your online audience won’t be so keen to give you an A+.
Remember that online readers don’t necessarily read content — they scan it. They want easy-to-read, captivating content that answers their questions and solves their problems. Key thoughts should be highlighted. Keywords should be incorporated. Bulleted lists rather than long paragraphs should be used. The message should be clear, simple, and straight to the point. Think Goodnight, Moon, not Ulysses.
If you or your content team are not comfortable writing web-friendly content, outsourcing some of your material may be wise.
You’re A One-Man Team
Sometimes, it’s unfeasible for a business, especially a new one, to hire talent in-house. Your company may be on a tight budget or may not have room in the office for more employees.
When your content creation team consists of just you, you know all too well there aren’t enough hours in the day. Your services are in high demand, but you are unable to deliver due to time (and energy) restraints. Turning to freelance writers may be essential.
Managing a team of remote writers can be a challenge, so it is imperative you establish your business’ content strategies and writing guidelines from the beginning. Provide clear directions and devote enough time to checking ALL submitted content. You want to ensure the content aligns with your organization’s goals, delivers the right message and, of course, meets your writing standards. There are several reputable online content creation platforms that offer writing and editing services, such as Zerys, WriterAccess, and ContentLaunch, to name a few.
Do You Actually Enjoy Writing Online Content?
This is an odd question but seriously think about it. You may also be better at delegating than doing. Or you may prefer writing print material, such as press releases and magazine articles, and editing. For some writers, especially hardcore ones with a journalistic background, it can be tough to adapt to online writing. If you haven’t been able to let go of the stringent writing guidelines that were ingrained in you for years, that’s fine. Just keep practicing. In the meantime, outsource some of your content to a team of capable web-based writers. Be sure to study their styles and techniques.
You don’t have to outsource all of your content or write it all in-house, either. Do a little bit of both. Commit to writing at least one blog a week, but outsource that great idea you had for an eBook that you benched a while back. That way, you can still contribute your voice to your content but concurrently have more time for other important tasks.
