Small businesses face an increasingly complex set of demands just to meet customer expectations. Businesses must maintain a robust online presence and often shopping mechanism, which means a fairly sophisticated IT infrastructure. Beyond that, they must create and sustain marketing campaigns that demand a lot of content.
That may help explain why around 80 percent of US small businesses plan on outsourcing at least some functions. One of the simpler things they can outsource is their writing needs. Of course, that means understanding the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing writers.
If you’re thinking of outsourcing some of your writing needs, keep reading for five advantages and disadvantages of writer outsourcing.
1. Advantage – Quality
One of the big advantages of outsourcing writers is that you typically get a higher quality of writing. Writers spend all of their working time considering issues like tone, rhythm, and structure. They’re better equipped to deliver the message you want conveyed in the way you want it conveyed.
2. Disadvantage – Expertise
Your typical freelance writer often lacks expertise in your business or industry. While they can develop expertise, it takes time for them to understand the nuances and technicalities of your specific business.
You can look for writers in specialize in specific industries or types of business. Although, you’ll typically pay a premium for their services.
3. Advantage – Speed
Another advantage for a business outsourcing its writing needs is speed. Unless you keep an in-house writer on the payroll, all of your written content sits as a to-do on someone’s list alongside all of their other responsibilities.
When you outsource it, that content is a main priority for the writer. You can also set deadlines that your in-house employees likely couldn’t meet.
It’s a bit like outsourcing manufacturing. You hire them because they can do it faster.
4. Disadvantage – Communication
There is always the possibility of a communication breakdown when you outsource. The writer might not pick up the phone or answer emails promptly.
If you hire writers in a different time zone, it can compound those problems. Since your email may hit their inbox well before or well after business hours in their location.
5. Advantage – Frees Up Time
Writing a good blog post, report, or white paper takes time. The longer or more in-depth it is, the longer it takes. Outsourcing lets you put all those working hours on the writer’s plate and take them back for yourself or your employees for business-critical work.
Dealing with the Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing Writers
As a business owner, you must evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing writers. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Can your budget sustain it?
If you only need a few blog posts a month and it’s not impeding your other activities, outsourcing may not make sense. Businesses embarking on a content marketing campaign often find the advantages strongly outweigh the disadvantages. The volume of content and time involved make it practical.
Looking for more insights into outsourcing or content creation? Check out the posts in our Digital Marketing and Business sections.
