Guide to Outsource Content Creation

Many midsize companies often feel overwhelmed by the constant demand for fresh, engaging content. They find themselves struggling to keep up with content creation while managing other critical aspects of the business, which is a common challenge. Fortunately, there is a solution that can transform any content strategy—outsourcing.

In today’s digital age, the demand for high-quality content is at an all-time high. Businesses across the globe recognize the importance of content in driving engagement, boosting brand visibility, and ultimately generating leads and sales. However, creating a consistent stream of compelling content can be a daunting task, especially for mid-sized businesses with limited resources. This is where outsourcing content creation comes into play. According to contentmarketinginstitute.com, around 75% of the businesses use external content creators.

An industry expert, Carl Seidman, CSP, CPA, is familiar with many prolific content creators who don’t actually do their own content and engagement but outsource it. He believes “outsourcing can help establish an ongoing digital presence and creates immense time savings, efficiency, reach, and scale.”

By partnering with an outsourcing firm, companies can ensure they have a steady flow of quality content that aligns with their brand voice and marketing goals. This approach offers numerous advantages, including increased efficiency, access to diverse skills, and the flexibility to scale content efforts as needed. Let’s have a look at those advantages below:

1. Access to a Wide Range of Expertise: The Content Marketing Institute found that 39% of managers find it tough to connect with talent with the skills they need (source:contentoo.com). Outsourcing provides access to a pool of talented professionals with diverse skill sets. This includes writers who specialize in various industries, SEO experts, graphic designers, and content strategists. Such a diverse team can create comprehensive content that resonates with one’s target audience and meets their business objectives. Besides access to expertise, there are cost benefits too.
2. Cost-Effective: Hiring in-house staff for content creation can be expensive. As per Jay Jackson, content writer (B2B, SaaS:Software as a Service, and Crypto)  Outsourcing eliminates the need for salaries, benefits, and other associated costs. It’s an affordable way for businesses to keep up a strong content marketing strategy because they just pay for the content they need.
3. Scalability: As a business grows, so do the content needs. Outsourcing allows a business to scale its content production up or down based on its current requirements without the hassle of hiring or laying off staff. These benefits allow the businesses to
4. Focus on Core Competencies: By outsourcing content creation, businesses can focus on their core competencies. This allows them to allocate more resources and time to what they do best while leaving content production to the experts.
5. Quick Turnaround: Professional content creation agencies are equipped to handle tight deadlines and deliver high-quality content promptly. As per a LinkedIn article by an industry expert, Michael Brenner, outsourcing is crucial, especially considering that a Hubspot study of 13,500 B2B and B2C companies found that companies with over 400 posts on their blog generate three times more leads through blogging than companies with just 0 to 100 posts. This ensures that marketing campaigns are timely and effective.

To achieve these benefits, it is essential to follow certain steps to outsource content creation effectively. They are as follows:

1. Defining Content Needs: Before outsourcing, a business should clearly outline their content needs. As highlighted in the blog by Semrush, determine the type of content you require (blog posts, articles, social media content, etc.), the volume, and the frequency of publication. There is another important aspect,
2. Choosing the Right Partner: Selecting the right outsourcing partner is crucial. Look for agencies with a proven track record, positive client testimonials, and expertise in your industry, says techavidus.com. Platforms like ClearVoice and Fiverr can be useful for finding reliable content creators.
3. Setting Clear Expectations: Establish clear guidelines and expectations with an outsourcing partner. This includes brand voice, style preferences, target audience, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for measuring success. However, if these goals are not communicated effectively, it can lead to misalignment and, ultimately, failure. Another aspect that can be useful in saving time is,
4. Creating a Content Calendar:  Content calendar should outline all your upcoming content. And designate what should be outsourced. It also allows the employees extra time to focus on core tasks.
5. Regular Communication: Maintaining regular communication with an outsourcing team. Schedule periodic check-ins to review progress, provide feedback, and make necessary adjustments. Lastly, it is equally important to set aside some time to
6. Review and Edit: While outsourcing partners strive for excellence, it’s essential to review and edit the content to ensure it aligns with one’s brand standards and messaging.

If someone fails to follow these steps, there could be some challenges that they might have to face. They can look like the following:

1. Communication

Effective communication is crucial for successful outsourcing. Using instant messaging and video calling capabilities may solve communication problems like those related to expectations. The client might have a certain idea of how they want the product/services to be delivered, but the final product might not match those expectations.
Utilize remote working technologies like Basecamp and Jira to avoid such circumstances. Choose outsourcing partners in English-speaking nations like India where workers can fluently speak in English.

1. Cultural Differences

If the outsourcing partner is in a different country, cultural differences can impact content relevance. The best solution for this challenge is, when outsourcing a project, establish a training program to educate its staff about the outsourced service provider’s organizational and regional cultures. An outsourced service provider might run similar training for its personnel that focuses on the clients’ organizational and geographical cultures.

Understanding these cultural nuances is particularly important when deciding on the types of content to outsource. By being aware of cultural differences, one can better determine which content areas are best suited for outsourcing and ensure they align with both the brand and the audience. To get a head start, businesses can choose to

Types of Content to Outsource

1. Blog Posts and Articles: Informative and engaging blog posts and articles can drive organic traffic to a website and establish a brand as an industry authority. Businesses that blog have 126% higher lead growth than those that don’t, HubSpot reports. Next is,
2. Social Media Content: Regular and engaging social media posts on platforms like Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Reddit, and YouTube can boost a business’s online presence and foster a community around your brand.
3. Infographics: Infographics are the fourth most-used type of content, according to mymarketing.io. They are also excellent choices to outsource, especially if one lacks strong creative and design skills. Some businesses also prefer to use,
4. Email Newsletters: Regular newsletters keep the audience informed about a business’s products, services, and industry news. It is also a way for businesses to stay connected with their customers and build a personal relationship with them over time.
5. Video: 84% of consumers have made a purchase after watching a brand video, Wyzowl reports, because videos help consumers to connect better with the brand or a product. Lower-tech, quickie social media content can be created by anyone with the capability to go live, but for packaged, lasting video content, a professional content creator is needed.

To ensure that such high-impact content meets its potential, measuring its success is crucial. Effective evaluation of outsourced content involves tracking key performance indicators and assessing how well the content aligns with your business objectives. Wondering how to do that? Here are some methods of checking one’s performance:

• Traffic and Engagement Metrics

• Website Traffic: Monitor website traffic to gauge how well the content is attracting visitors. Use tools like Google Analytics to track page views, unique visitors, and time spent on your site.
• Social Media Engagement: Measure likes, shares, comments, and other interactions on your social media platforms to see how well the content is resonating with the audience.

• Lead Generation

• Track the number of leads generated through content marketing efforts. Use forms, call-to-actions (CTAs), and landing pages to capture lead information. Analyze which content pieces are driving the most leads and optimize accordingly.

• SEO Performance

• Keyword Rankings: Monitor keyword rankings to see how the content is performing in search engine results. Higher rankings typically lead to increased organic traffic.
• Organic Search Traffic: Analyze the amount of traffic coming from search engines to assess the effectiveness of an SEO strategy.
• Backlinks: Track the number and quality of backlinks to the content. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites can significantly boost your SEO performance.

• Conversion Rates

• Measure the conversion rates of landing pages and other content-driven campaigns. This includes tracking how many visitors take a desired action, such as filling out a form, downloading a resource, or making a purchase. Use A/B testing to optimize conversion rates by experimenting with different headlines, CTAs, and design elements.

After going through the above mentioned points, it has become clear why outsourcing content creation is a strategic move that can significantly benefit mid-sized businesses in the USA. By leveraging the expertise of professionals and focusing on their core competencies, businesses can ensure a steady stream of high-quality content that drives engagement and growth.

Menal Partners has structured their content creation services to be accessible and hassle-free for mid-sized businesses. The model is designed to provide top-notch content that aligns with one’s brand voice and marketing goals, ensuring they stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape. Contact us today to learn how we can help you elevate your content marketing strategy.