Don’t Outsource Your Content Writing. Do It Yourself

Great content requires the expertise and product knowledge only you have. Besides, average content brings average results, and average is what you are most likely to get with content outsourcing.

In this article, I will dive into why you shouldn’t outsource your content and how to manage content creation internally.

You are the expert on your business.

No one knows your business better than you do. This means that you and your team, who are actually working in the business, are the best people to write about your products or services. When you outsource content creation, you are relying on an unrelated party to be an expert on your business. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Quality control is more difficult.

When you outsource content creation, it can be difficult to maintain quality control. After all, you are not the one writing the content, and may not be familiar with the writer’s style or methods. This can lead to subpar content being published in your name–which can reflect poorly on your business (and on your personal brand, as well).

It can be costly.

It’s not as affordable as you think, because you always get what you pay for. Outsourcing content creation can be just as costly as having the writers’ team in-house, especially when working with a professional writer or agency. In addition, there may be hidden costs associated with outsourcing, such as project management fees or overhead.

It takes time to develop a relationship.

Building a relationship with a professional writer or agency takes time–time that could be spent creating great content yourself. In addition, it may take a while to develop a working knowledge of the outsourced company’s systems and procedures. This learning curve can further delay the production of high-quality content.

So how do you create great content internally?

1. Write it yourself.

The best way to ensure that your content is of the highest quality is to write it yourself. This way, you can ensure that the information is accurate and relevant and that it conforms to your company’s style guide (if one exists). Writing your own content also lets you infuse your brand’s voice into the piece–something that is difficult to do when outsourcing.

2. Hire an internal writer.

If writing is not your strong suit, or you simply don’t have the time to write blog posts, articles, or web copy yourself, consider hiring an internal writer. This person should work closely with you and other members of your team to produce high-quality content that reflects your brand’s voice and message.

3. Leverage user-generated content.

Another great way to create quality content without breaking the bank is to leverage user-generated content (UGC). UGC refers to any type of content–including videos, reviews, and social media posts–that has been created by users of your product or service. Utilizing UGC is a great way to add fresh perspectives and new voices to your brand’s story while saving money on professional services.

4. Repurpose existing content.

If all else fails and you simply can’t find the time or resources necessary to produce original content, consider repurposing existing content. For example, if you have an ebook, you could break it up into individual blog posts or create an infographic based on its contents. Alternatively, if you have a series of blog posts on a similar topic, you could combine them into an ebook or create an online course.