“Content is king!” It’s a phrase that’s thrown around all the time – and we’re here to tell you why it shouldn’t be falling on deaf ears. Content is the brains behind your brand’s personality, and it’s capable of getting potential customers sitting up and listening to what you have to say – provided it’s done correctly, of course.
This is where the dilemma lies. Should you recruit a copywriter to produce all your content? Or is it best to look at an outsourced solution instead? There are pros and cons to each – and this article should help you select the right route to go down.
Do you have the capacity for a full-time copywriter?
Let’s start with your needs. What would your in-house copywriter’s workload look like? Here’s where it helps to do a bit of a sense check – for instance, how much content do you publish a month? If it’s a few blogs and a couple of emails here and there, it’s unlikely you’ll have enough work to keep someone busy. This means you’re essentially paying for someone to twiddle their thumbs until new work comes in.
Enter the outsourced copywriter. When you partner with a content agency, not only will you have someone to create your content for you, you’ll also have the expertise of an experienced team who can create a detailed content plan outlining what you’ll publish and when. Another benefit of an outsourced content agency is that they can work to the needs of your business, scaling their service up and down as your business grows and evolves.
If you need multiple pieces of daily copy, however, having at least one in-house writer is essential. The good thing is, should any of your writing staff become overworked, you can still call on a content agency for support.
How does your budget look?
Wondering how much hiring a copywriting professional will set you back? This goes hand in hand with experience. For an in-house writer, you’re looking at upwards of £20k (unless you go really junior, but then you’ll have to account for training costs too). That’s before you’ve even calculated additional costs like National Insurance, holiday and sick pay, and recruiting them in the first place.
A top-rate writer will need to be fairly compensated to inspire them to make a permanent move, while a junior copywriting position that sits at the lower end of the pay scale may attract fledgling writers in need of training. So, consider this: what budget do you have in mind? If it’s relatively low, and you don’t have a large marketing team to support a junior member of staff, think twice before beginning the hiring process.
You may think that appointing an agency may be more expensive in terms of their hourly rate, but bear in mind that you’re investing in an efficient team of writers who bring a wealth of knowledge to the table. Even better, you can engage with them on a retainer basis or as and when you need them (there’s that scaling we talked about earlier), and retainers can start from as little as £600+VAT per month.
The most important thing is not to write off any options right away. Be honest about your budget, and assess how you can sustain your copywriting costs.
What sort of expertise do you need?
When we talk about experience, we’re not just talking about copywriting proficiency – any copywriter you hire should also have experience writing for your sector. The problem is that, unless you poach someone from a competitor, they’re probably not going to have it.
On the other hand, copywriting agencies consist exclusively of talented writers who’ve turned their hand to all sorts of industries. Nine times out of ten, they’ll have an understanding of the subject matter as well as the skill to quickly mine large swathes of information for the content they need. The result? More specialist knowledge and less onboarding time.
What’s more, a content agency’s offering often goes beyond copywriting. They can deliver a diverse range of services on a pay-by-piece rate, assisting with strategy as well as delivering content to your audience. This can prove particularly advantageous if you’re tightening your budget belt – with drip-fed content allowing you to grow your investment as and when returns come in. Senior in-house copywriters will also have these talents, but they’ll demand a higher salary in return.
How about Making You Content?
Having a copywriter readily available to meet your content needs doesn’t always mean having to hire the skill set in-house. When you partner with a content agency, all you need to do is pick up the phone or send a message, and you’ll have a team of professional writers ready to hit the ground running.
At Making You Content, we are that team. It’s why fast-growth companies across a wide range of industries trust us with their brand messaging. Get in touch with us to see how we can elevate yours.