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The 2012 Digital Content Marketing Survey conducted by Brafton found that businesses were most concerned about finding quality content writers for 2013. A whopping 87 percent of marketers said they planned to improve their online content in the coming years, and many planned to outsource the job to a third-party content agency. Marketing Land says that 25 percent of companies outsource content to another company currently, but trends suggest this number is on the rise. Many businesses resist hiring professional bloggers as long as possible, fearing the cost, but we’ve got 8 reasons why it’s time to turn this aspect of your business over to the pros.
1. Get another opinion on your company.
It can be easy to get caught up in a bubble. Sure, all your products and services sound nifty to YOU. But what does the average consumer think? A brilliant writer may be able to get to the real value your business offers in a way that more people can relate to. Many companies opt to outsource to tap into business skills or knowledge they lack — like search engine optimization or the ability to tie content to larger business objectives. In the Brafton study, nearly a third of respondents said they’d also like the company they hire to have knowledge of SEO and the ability to develop a larger content strategy.
2. Improve your traffic, leads and sales.
If your blog is not performing how you’d like, then it’s probably time to reconsider your content strategy. Outsourcing allows you to publish more content than you could possibly create in your spare time. Experienced copywriters are usually trained in marketing, so they are able to deliver powerful copy that converts visitors into sales with compelling calls to action.
3. Save money.
Bloggers have charged everything from bottom-of-the-barrel $5/post to $100/post. You may wonder, “At $100 a post, how could anyone possibly make a return on that?” Yet, consider that hiring a professional freelance blogger doesn’t require you to pay human resources to scout the talent. It doesn’t require you to provide health insurance, salary, vacation pay or training. Keep in mind that time is money — and professional bloggers can churn out quality copy much faster than your staff members. The time you save can then go toward converting leads into sales, thus bringing you a return on your investment.
4. Sound like an expert.
Professional bloggers know just where to look to find industry-specific information. Trained in journalism, they have a knack for pulling pertinent statistics, newsworthy headlines and relevant studies from their hiding spots. Content created by a professional — with all its research, perfect spelling, and compelling narrative style — helps you appear on the cutting edge of your industry. Remember, credibility = more sales!
5. Access better promotional channels and resources.
You’ve been missing out on a lot of traffic if blogs are only posted on your site and nowhere else. Professional bloggers can share your content across social media channels and on third party websites where it’s more likely to be seen by the masses. Tools like Hootsuite can help bloggers advance-schedule your posts on Facebook and Twitter to create a consistent posting schedule. They can also research and schedule your posts at times when people are most likely to be using social media. Publishing with consistency builds momentum that will keep your brand front and center with your audience.
6. Measure effectiveness.
A whole world of data awaits when you’re creating new content. Few business owners have time or patience for analytics, but an online marketing company is usually more than happy to deliver the information you need most. Which blog topics are most popular? What keywords are driving your traffic and sales? Are people clicking from post to post, or bouncing off the site as quickly as they arrived? Are readers sharing your blogs?
7. Avoid trouble.
Often times, businesses fail to realize that it’s simply NOT OKAY to cut and paste content from other websites and re-use it. Google punishes sites for plagiarism and some sites have found themselves buried in searches for competitive terms as a result. Likewise, using copyrighted photos without permission has landed many a business in hot water. When you hire a blog and marketing agency, the company takes on much of the responsibility to deal with these matters for you. Businesses have added peace of mind that they are producing quality, original content that does not break any internet rules or infringe upon anyone’s intellectual property.
8. Overcome challenges.
Businesses often say that creating quality content and driving consumer engagement is a challenge. Hiring the right writer can turn your branding around. Producing targeted, relevant content is a struggle for 66 percent of businesses, according to Marketing Land’s study. It’s not always easy to find a writer that truly “gets” your business and the core of what you want to say, but when you find that person, you’re likely to cling on for dear life! Our writers have been working with many of the same clients for more than five years.
Need a blogger? Our team of writers have been carefully vetted to offer you the very best! At minimum, every writer we employ has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and at least five years of professional writing experience. Our more senior writers boast more than a decade of professional blogging experience and have had works published in USA Today, the Houston Chronicle, and print magazines.
By :Mandy McEwen