Outsourcing your content - when it's worth it (and when it’s not)
Image | Nick Fewings
It’s fair to say that 2020 changed the nature of the workplace, possibly forever. Physical togetherness has taken a backseat; flexibility reigns supreme. Of course, there are downsides to our new remote work setup. But there are also silver linings, and for brands especially, there are big opportunities to be seized. I read the recent 2020 global outsourcing survey from Deloitte that said we’re learning to collaborate “in a world where speed, quality, flexibility, and cost are more important than physical location”. Outsourcing is trending up.
Now I can’t pretend that my bread and butter doesn’t depend on companies outsourcing to the likes of me. Yes, I have skin in the game. But I’ll try to be objective here. Because, while I know first-hand how outsourcing can contribute positively to a team’s output, I also appreciate that it’s not always the best choice.
What can you outsource?
Well, almost anything. As an aside, I love the statement “If it doesn’t involve judgment, automate it, outsource it, or forget it.” I put that into practice in my own life, by automatically sending 25% of my income into a tax fund so I don’t accidentally spend the money. But that’s a blog for another time.
If we’re talking about content, you can outsource blog writing, strategy, market research, idea generation, social media execution… I could go on. So a better question is probably, what should you outsource? And to whom?
When outsourcing works
Here are a few benefits that I’ve witnessed for myself, both as an in-house employee, and in my current self-employed status.
You can easily scale up or down
This is a big one, and a particular advantage for small brands who are at the early stages of figuring out what kind of content works for them. Perhaps you’d also rather not commit to paying large sums of money upfront, or adding a new hire to the payroll. The Deloitte survey showed a sharp increase in the number of organisations prioritising cost reduction, and concluded that outsourcing seems a good way to keep costs down.
When you outsource, you only pay for what you get. If you want to run an ad hoc campaign, you can. If you want to test a few new content formats, you can. If you see great results and want to do more, you can. If sales aren’t going so well and you need to scale back, you can. Flexibility is everything.
reduces pressure on existing team members
These days, the demand for content is huge. Companies are required to create and publish it in higher and higher quantities. And consumers demand quality. Most in-house teams don’t have the time to balance the requirements of content creation with their day job.
Sourcing a capable content creator (or two or three!) is a way to reduce the strain on your in-house teams, perhaps even temporarily while they work on something else. There are things you might not choose to outsource. For example, you might decide that the infographic you need for a campaign can easily be outsourced, while the campaign management must be kept in-house. Think of external creators as an extension of your team, and use them wisely.
allows you to bring in the right expertise when you need it
Your content needs will change constantly, depending on your goals, the platform(s) you’re focussing on, new markets, etc. The great thing about working with external creators is that you can pick and choose which experts you need. If you’re entering the German market, you’ll probably need some German content. If you’re looking to attract a new audience, your plans might include influencer marketing. With the best will in the world, you won’t have all the right experts on your staff.
I can work with brands on very different projects over a number of months. At first, we might collaborate on a strategy. Then, I could create written content creation to support an inbound marketing campaign. Next, I might produce some copy for a newsletter series. And then I might not work with that brand for a while, as they focus on other content formats. Again, flexibility is the key here.
When it’s not worth it
Outsourcing is sounding great, so far. So when is it not worth it?
Before hiring in any external support, I think it’s important to sit with your in-house teams and chat through the following questions:
How will we manage our external relationships? Who will take the lead? Who will sign off? How will we track performance?
Outsourcing should take the pressure off your teams, but there’s still a certain amount of time investment required. Especially at the beginning of a relationship. If you don’t have time to brief external creators, and figure out whether it’s getting the results you want, then it might not be worth your while to outsource. In that case, you might want to take a closer look at your goals and resources, and figure out where effort is best spent.
If you’re struggling with capacity, although there is a minimum time investment required, many freelancers will be able to step up their involvement. For example, by taking on extra work such as campaign reporting as well as content creation. Just make sure you agree on roles and expectations in advance.
What kind of support do you really need, and who will work best with your team?
This brings us onto the next key question. Who should you work with? There are full-blown agencies, consultants, influencers, photographers, designers, digital nomads… there’s really no limit. You want to make sure you’re bringing in appropriate resources to complement your own team, so consider carefully exactly what kind of support you need.
Do you need access to multiple strategists and creators, ideally through one contact?
Or would you rather pick and choose your creators, and work with them directly?
Are you happy committing to a monthly retainer fee, or would you prefer to pay per project?
What sort of relationship are you looking for? More hands-on, or hands-off? Would you like your content creator to join all marketing meetings, for example? Or are you happy to check in as and when needed?
The Deloitte report I mentioned previously covered an interesting trend. Both the 2018 and 2020 reports reported a need to ‘“spend more time in service provider selection”. The trouble is, you’re balancing a need for thorough vetting of your supplier, with the need for speed. Getting things done quickly (probably the reason you’re outsourcing in the first place) vs getting the right person for the job. Once you know the kind of support you need (whether one-man band or agency), don’t overlook the importance of finding the right fit for you and your team. It might take a little more time, but it’ll make outsourcing more worth it in the long run.