No matter how you look at it, creating content takes up a lot of time. Even if you have chosen to use PLR (Private Label Right) content, if you want to make it brand reflective and personal, there’s still time involved in creating the content. See our previous post, PLR Content for Affiliate Marketing for more information on using PLR content. You may be a speedy writer or maybe someone on your team can crank out content like a super-machine, but it will still take up time. Maybe you’ve discovered that writing content is not your strong suit and that your time would be well spent elsewhere. Or maybe time is the problem, and you have realized that you just don’t have the time that it takes to create it. Either way, maybe it’s time to leave the content marketing to the experts.
It makes no difference if you are outsourcing your accounting, customer service, or your content marketing. Your objective doesn’t change. You need to find experts who will put original, thriving ideas that you haven’t thought of before to enhance your business.
The ideal solution to keep your content marketing strategy running smoothly is outsourcing. The drawback of outsourcing is the cost involved. However, like anything else, you have to be willing to invest in your success while not paying over-inflated fees. Here are some useful tips to help you outsource effectively.
Freelancers
Today there are numerous freelancing flatforms where you can find good writers such as Upwork. It’s commonly known as a get-what-you-pay-for service. So, if you are paying very little, odds are the quality of work is below standards. If you’re lucky enough to find quality written content at a low price, then you definitely want to value that connection.
Another important thing to keep in mind is what type of freelancer they are. Are they able to write quality content on a variety of topics or do they specialize in a particular niche?
Editorial Calendar
An editorial calendar will be your anchor to sanity. This is how you can manage and simplify your content marketing strategy. An editorial calendar allows you to organize which content has been published and which hasn’t. Without one, you will be unable to keep track of which content went to which freelancer and what status it is in. A real nightmare to have to figure out.
Clear Directions
You want to give clear directions to your freelancer. If you are vague and unclear when you give instructions, you’re going to receive a piece of work that’s not what you were expecting. By being specific with how you want something done it will help your freelancer meet your expectations.
Another point to touch on here is the importance of providing your freelancer with the materials and resources they need to deliver. Some examples would be a style guide, the tone you want to set, preferred link to be used, etc. Investing in the time early on to provide these items will save you time in the long run.
Being Respectful
Although you’re paying someone to help you, it doesn’t give you the ok to treat them disrespectfully. This means setting realistic deadlines and paying appropriate rates.
Timely Feedback
Freelancers depend on your feedback. However, be sure that you are giving them constructive criticism. You don’t want to tear apart their self-esteem. That’s not helpful to either of you. Your goal is to help your freelancer improve and create content that meets your expectations which will enhance your business.
Long-term Relationships
If you are able to find a good freelance content writer, hang onto them! Building a long-term relationship is good for you and your business. They will be more motivated to create top-quality content and be more loyal to your brand.
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