When you should – and shouldn’t – outsource your marketing writing (pros and cons)
At some point in a tech company’s evolution, marketing growth can no longer depend on formulaic SEO blog posts and web copy derived from product documentation.
This is usually the point when the company recognizes the power of branding to boost web traffic. After all, it’s much, much easier to rank for your company and product names than it is to rank for the generic term that describes your offering, especially in a crowded market.
And if you’re beginning the journey toward world-class (or at least industry-class) brand presence, you’re going to need a foundation of compelling marketing copy.
Now, If you’re not ready to build an A-Z content team just yet, you have the option of outsourcing your marketing copywriting. But should you?
Pros of hiring in-house copywriters
Pro #1: Faster ramp-up
When a dedicated copywriter is embedded in your team, the learning process is accelerated, which is often a critical consideration for fast-paced high-tech B2B companies. If you need to start producing content immediately, this is one way to go.
Counterpoint
Freelance copywriters are used to learning fast — it’s a key attribute that makes it much easier for them to make their living as writers. While it’s true that it may take them longer to ramp up, if you’ve got a steady relationship with the contractor, they will eventuallty be as knowledgeable about your offering as your internal team.
The key word here is steady. You will not build the same working relationship if you are simply turning to freelancer hiring services such as Upwork, Toptal, Fiverr, and the like, on an ad hoc basis.
Bonus counterpoint
In my experience, having an reliable external point of view to challenge prevailing internal dogma is absolutely invaluable. Your mileage may vary.
Pro #2: It’s easier to manage
Internal workflows related to content creation, revision, and publication can often be easier to manage with an in-house writer who is essentially available during all hours of the work week. Contrast this with a contracting copywriter, who may not be as readily available.
On this point, if extensive back-and-forthing is part of your ideation or content creation processes, you should not outsource the work. It’s simply going to cost too much for what you’re getting.
Counterpoint
Much depends on the skill level of the copywriter. Their bread and butter is producing material that does not need extensive edits or rework.
Pro #3: Easier collaboration with internal stakeholders
If your in-house writer has questions, or needs clarification, it is almost certainly easier for them to track down and communicate with internal subject-matter experts (SMEs). When you hire a freelance writer or external communications firm, they will not have the same degree of access.
Counterpoint
An experienced copywriter is the Private Eye of the content world. They have excellent research skills and are skillled at formulating the right questions. They will also not be shy about asking for face time with your SMEs. If you already have a good working relationship with your contractor, this is generally a non-issue.
Cons of hiring in-house copywriters
There are not many cons to hiring internally, and as a long-time copywriter myself, I encourage you to go this route.
However, the important truth is that you may not be ready for it. Here’s what you should know before you commit to the overhead of employee insurance, taxes, benefits, and the like.
Con #1: You’re putting the cart before the horse
Companies that rely on SEO to bring in traffic sometimes hire a writer to support their digital marketing efforts, quite early in their marketing journey. While this may be viable, an expert copywriter is generally not an entry-level position. You should build out a marketing team first to be able to take best strategic advantage of your writer’s skills.
For instance, you’ll get a huge bang for your copywriting buck if the writer is attached at the respective hips of well established PMM and demand generation teams.
Con #2: You don’t necessarily know what you’re going to get
If you’re new to hiring a copywriter, you may not have the available skill set internally to evaluate the copywriter’s abilities. In the best-case scenario, you luck out. In the worst-case scenario, you now have to go into damage-control mode. Bad copy is far, far more expensive than good copy, 100% of the time.
By the same token, it may be difficult for you to evaluate an external copywriter. However, in a worst-case scenario, it is easier to end the relationship. That said, a worst-case scenario is less likely, as experienced freelancers typically come with an extensive body of work, as well as references.
Final verdict
There is no absolute right or wrong approach to hiring a writer. A strong working relationship with an experienced copywriter will almost always pay dividends in one form or another.
However, the best practice is to bring on an in-house writer if a) you have a well established marketing team that enables you to take full advantage of the copywriter’s skills, or b) your marketing and content creation process typically involve extensive iterations and fine-tuning (by extensive, I mean more than 2 rounds of revisions).
Otherwise: you’ll get the best value for your investment by outsourcing inititially. If, at some point, it makes sense to transition to an in-house position, you will already have a valuable contact who can assist you in assessing candidates, thanks to their in-depth knowledge of your organization.
Need to evaluate your copywriter candidates? I can help. Get in touch.
