Content Writing Outsource: Best Practices for Online Businesses

There is no business today (especially, when it comes to online businesses) which would not pay much attention to content marketing; and annual research results from the Content Marketing Institute prove this fact categorically. Thus, in 2012 they reported about 91% of marketers that used content marketing for their businesses and spent 33% of their budgets on it.

Among their findings there was also the fact that content outsourcing had appeared to be a new trend: more than 70% of companies (large and small) outsourced content creation for many reasons:

Lack of competencies: not every successful business owner is a cool writer, as well as he is not a professional accountant, lawyer or designer; so, he outsources all these specialists too.
Time management: content marketing should be planned in advance and attended to on a regular basis, that is why your in-house team may have no time to do that effectively.
Different content needs: as a rule, content marketing strategy involves a different type of content, and it is impossible for one writer to have expertise in all areas at once.
Lack of funds: many marketers are limited in funds for having a good staff writer who would provide top-notch content.

How to outsource content writers

There are several specific steps/tips you should keep in mind when outsourcing content creation. Consider the following:

Start looking for authors at different specific resources (you’ll find more info about them below), give a test task to some writers, and choose the best ones. Always check samples of a writer’s previous work to understand whether their writing style, a niche knowledge and literacy meet your needs.
Find contractors who deliver work on time: even if they write well, you will hardly like the fact of constant delays.
Hire several contractors if you need specific types of content to be written; one person may be good for writing blog posts, but they can hardly write a technical paper professionally.
Check the writer’s research skills: it may appear that you will have to make a research every time you’ll need a new article.
Give CLEAR instructions to a contractor: a list of proposed blog post titles, specific voice and tone etc., as you may have no time and opportunity to discuss every small detail afterward.
Cheapest does not mean best: such-called Third World writers are ready to do your job for very low prices, but you should not expect the highest quality from them.
When you have decided on an outsource already, consider setting up a routine: number of articles per month you need etc.

Where to find writers for your business:

Jobs.Problogger – the best place to hire an experienced blogger or a guest posts writer. Post your project on a job board and provide as much details as you can.
Odesk, Freelancer, Elance – the largest online workplaces where you can hire and manage remote freelancers and teams, check contractors’ portfolios, reviews, skills set and price details.
Сontently – a tech startup based in NYC that provides plenty of tools for brand publishing, including video, photo, infographics, and stories creation. Pro writers can be reached for a higher price here.
Scripted – a platform that will automatically match your task with the most appropriate writers. Plus, you can get video scripts, Tweet or Facebook posts bundles. Go check them out!
Writer Access – an award-winning content marketplace. For extra cost, you can get your article published under the writer’s name (SEO benefits from Google authorship).
Write Essays — a team of authors who position themselves as academic papers writers but still work with different types of content at a reasonable price. A live chat helps you discuss all details of your assignment and evaluate the writer before making an assignment.
Fiverr – a platform that will let you find writers (as well as audio and video content makers) for $5. Cheap and quick, but do not expect to get a Phd level work from it.
Guru.com, People Per Hour and many others to try.

What other resources would you add to the above list? Share them in comments!

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