Business owners and content managers working in industries that require technically difficult content (like basket weaving) often think they have no choice but to hire in-house writers to meet their content needs. The price of an in-house writer, however, rings in much higher than the cost of a salary; they also come with the added expense of benefits, paid time off, training and managing, not to mention, the resources required to pay a full-time writer when you don’t have a full-time stream of content needs. This extravagant price tag often makes in-house writers unaffordable and impractical.
With outsourced content marketing, you not only save money by paying writers as you require their services, but you also benefit from lots of additional advantages, such as:
- time saved to focus on your business
- higher quality content
- increased reliability with access to an entire team of writers
With a large pool of writers to choose from, businesses in industries such as finance, technology, science, government, law and many more can outsource savvy writers with plenty of experience, talent and technical knowledge.
Consider the following advice on finding, communicating with and keeping the best writers on your winning outsourced content marketing team.
Herringbone, Houndstooth or Twill: How to Find Your Ideal Writer
Before you begin the search for your newest outsourced writer, take a moment to imagine your ideal content marketing relationship and consider:
- What skills, experience and training you want your writer to have (search engine optimization, journalism, comedy, grant writing or proposals).
- How much you can afford to pay for content.
- How much content you want and how frequently you will need it.
- The type of content you need (blog posts, articles, web content, white papers or press releases)
- How long you want to work with the same writer.
When looking for a writer with knowledge in a specific industry, it’s best to begin searching for a writer who has experience in your industry. This type of search guarantees you will find a writer with an adequate background. Though, if you find someone whose writing style tickles your fancy, don’t immediately discredit a writer without direct industry experience; highly skilled writers also possess exceptional research skills.
The Art of Breathless Basketry: How to Communicate with Your Writer
The foundation of any great relationship – even those between writers and clients – is communication. Consistent communication will help you and your new, outsourced writer build a satisfying working relationship.
Ask your new writer about their knowledge in your niche and talk about your expectations. Discuss the type of research and resources you want them to use. If possible, provide examples of your desired writing style, instructions regarding your brand identity and direction with respect to sales language (such as calls to action) within the content.
Don’t be afraid to fill out an entire creative brief with instructions for your content order. The more time spent on communication and directions up-front, means less time spent on revision requests later.
The Perfect Plait: How to Cultivate a Lasting Relationship with Your Writer
When you find a writer who has the experience and expertise you need, you can develop an ongoing, mutually beneficial relationship (kind of like clownfish and sea anemones).
Don’t give up on your writer after a first draft. In a perfect world, every writer would provide ideal content – exactly as the client had hoped – on the first try. Sometimes, however, finding exactly the right voice and style can take a draft or two. When a client and writer continue to collaborate, they improve the relationship’s chances of success.
To take care of your writer-client relationship, you can also try not to disappear on your writer (unless, of course, you’re a magician). If you don’t require consistent content orders, don’t worry. Regardless of quantity and frequency of orders, most writers will be flexible with your schedule, whether that means writing once-in-a-while content or working with you on an ongoing basis.
Although it’s not required, writers do appreciate when clients help them anticipate how content schedules (or lack of schedules) will fit into their work calendars. Whenever possible, communicating your needs to writers will help them better accommodate your content publishing schedule.
Whether You Weave Underwater or Do Taxes in Timbuktu, There’s a Writer for You
You don’t have to hire an in-house writer to get the quality content that makes your marketing efforts stand out. With the right search tools and a willingness to communicate, you can secure an outsourced content provider (or several) with the know-how and writerly chops to craft the perfect content for your business.
No matter how outlandish, industry-specific or technically difficult your niche content requirements might be, ask the WriterAccess content team to help you find a great writer. Then, you can watch your return on investment skyrocket.
Jennifer G is a full-time freelance writer and editor with a B.A. in creative writing from the University of Montana. She enjoys researching and writing creative content to engage readers and developing professional voices for clients across all industries. She specializes in medical, health, veterinary, and financial writing. Having worked nearly thirteen years in finance, Jennifer applies her experience in the banking industry (marketing, social media management, consumer and commercial lending, customer service, accounts, and bookkeeping) to her writing work within the industry.
