Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to the question. Every firm is unique in the sense that it has its own digital challenges as well as business objectives, marketing budgets, and a host of other factors. By all means, you may consider doing in-house and outsourced content marketing to an SEO company Philippines at the same time. In fact, according to Content Marketing Institute, about 72% of big businesses and 33% of small businesses are already doing this.
If there is one aspect of digital marketing that opponents frown upon is outsourcing itself. It is as if outsourcing had attracted a group of critics that never seizes to find fault in it. Nonetheless, some arguments against outsourcing content marketing are valid, but this doesn’t mean that they are always agreeable.
Outsourcing does not capture and convey the brand’s voice effectively.
Provided. Capturing and conveying the voice that makes your brand unique is quite a challenge. However, this dilemma can be solved by hiring talented writers. These writers seemed to have the capability of adapting their tone and style based on the requirements of a particular brand.
The good news is, some of the best writers in the Philippines are working within the SEO agency environment. Not to mention, the standards of hiring talents in agencies are often very high. There are instances when applicants are already writing freelance, and yet the agency still doesn’t hire him or her because of the evident lack of ‘fit.’
Further, this only means that you need not stress out yourself in recruiting an in-house content writer. Consider this as an advantage to your company. In-house writers are emotionally attached to your brand. There is nothing wrong with it, however, since the writer can relate what the brand is all about and what it embodies in the most effective manner.
However, a common pitfall in this scenario is the leniency towards the brand. On the other hand, a writer working for an agency will be emotionally distant, pouring only the freshest ideas and insights into letting the world know that your brand exists. That being said, outsourced writers can always write contents that are objective and valuable.
Outsourcing cannot provide a sense of control over quality.
Not really. While the grammatical integrity of the content must be always upheld, the main goal is to connect to the readers, convince and then convert. The concern over the quality of the content written and published online, especially those that include the brand name and those linking to the main site, is understandable. It is your responsibility to establish the proficiency of the writer before commissioning the agency to do SEO works for you.
Further, focus your energy on whether the writer and, thus, the agency can produce the results from the content that they publish online. This is non-negotiable. After all, what do you have to pay them for? Make sure that the agency understands your business requirements and goals. End the professional relationship if the agency and the works they produce prove to be unreliable.
The right time to outsource content marketing
There are instances, however, that leave you with no choice but to outsource. Some of these instances are below.
1) When hiring an in-house writer is financially impossible at the moment.
We have all been there; racking up a marketing budget is kind of a challenge. What more when it comes to adding another organizational member? This is mostly true for startups and small to medium-sized companies. Their only choice is to acquire services from either a freelancer or an agency.
Freelancers are okay for as long as they can zealously create and publish optimized articles for you. Don’t rely on this too much, though, unless the freelancer can prioritize you. Writers hired by an agency will not abandon you. Even if another writer resigns from the company, there is always someone who will take over the task for sure.
2) When it is physically impossible to add another team member.
Let’s face it. Your staff is already crowding the office with little space left to accommodate guests. What will happen to it if you add another cubicle on the corner? Surely, your current staff will curse you behind your back because they will assume that you are not thinking about their welfare whatsoever. Again, if your funds are not enough, perhaps you should devote them first to renting a much bigger space than hiring an in-house content writer.
Another practical tip is to ask which among your employees can write a blog. Anyhow, it will only take one blog per week to keep your corporate site up and running. However, the contents will only be limited to your owned resources, such as your corporate blog. If no one knows how to, start by letting an agency handle content marketing for you.
Other situations wherein outsourcing is a much better option is when:
- You or no one in your team has the skills to manage content marketing, and
- You or no one in the team has the time to devote to observing marketing trends.
Still not sure whether to outsource or not?
Test the waters. Let’s say you have an adequate fund. What you can do is shortlist and choose among the shortlisted agencies. Next, partner with your chosen SEO provider for a definite time (say, six months). Start small, wherein you can outsource specific parts of the content marketing plan. Monitor the performance of the campaign. Are you satisfied with the outcomes? Do you think you could have done better if it had been done in-house?
Analyze the performance of the campaign based on which is effective and which is not. Retain the effective ones to the same agency, and consider doing the ineffective ones in-house. You may also choose to change your content marketing provider. Again, whichever you choose, make sure that the decision is still cost-effective on your part. Whatever decision you make, just make sure that you are not making any of these content marketing mistakes!
