ourcing versus Insourcing: The pros and disadvantages of content creation

It is difficult for any business to create high-quality content consistently on a regular basis. How can you be successful in creating high-quality content on a regular basis?

They have a content strategy in the place.

It all comes down to whether the strategy is insourced or outsourced, which includes planning, writing/creating, publishing and promoting.

So, who does all the work? Who creates the brand’s consistent content presence via their blog, social media channels or video channels?

You’ll quickly see that neither outsourcing nor insourcing is necessarily better. Each option has its pros and cons. Let’s take a look at each definition and see if they can be compared so that you can decide which route is best for your brand.

What is the difference between outsourcing and insourcing content?

• Insourcing is when you make content using people and resources from your company.
• Outsourcing refers to using resources and people outside of your company (i.e. hiring an agency or freelancers), to create content.

Insourcing (Using internal talent and resources)

Your business should have a content strategy to guide your in-house content creators when you outsource content creation.

These individuals might be part of a content marketing team that has defined roles such as content manager, content writer and social media manager.

You might also consider having everyone in the company contribute to content creation if you have limited resources.

The pros and cons of insourcing content

Create stronger, more intelligent teams

Creating content makes your team(s) smarter and better at content, plus a range of skills like researching, writing/communicating, strategizing, analyzing and tracking data, and more.

People who create brand content are intimately acquainted with the brand and all its components.

• The value proposition and the audience.
• Their main difference.
• Their voice and style.
• Their products/services have deeper benefits

Long-term savings

Although the initial investment in content marketing insourced and in-house may seem higher, the long-term savings will more than make up the difference.

The initial investment will typically include training and skill-building for your team members, as well as tech and tools such SEO and keyword research software. You might also need resources to hire another full-time member of the team (such a content manager).

How can you save money?

Your team should have the ability to create amazing content at triple traditional marketing’s rate and 62% less.

To scale your content marketing efforts, you won’t need to spend more money. It won’t take you too long to find competent freelancers or to rely on an agency that produces generic material.

This means that your investment should begin to pay off in 6-12 months.

Enjoy complete control over your content

The amount of content that an agency creates for you will depend on the terms of the contract and the agreed-upon number content pieces per week or month.

This is great for many reasons but it doesn’t allow for much flexibility. This is why outsourcing has the advantage. Because they aren’t bound by any contractual obligation to produce X amount of blog posts per month, your insourced team will be able to pivot faster with content.

You may decide that it is necessary to reduce blog postings for a month so you can concentrate on creating new lead magnets.

Perhaps you have a keyword that is great but you need to write a 3,500-word article about it to rank. This would replace two or three shorter posts.

Perhaps you feel it is best to update and republish older content for a few months.

An agency wouldn’t allow you to quickly pivot or do this. Your in-house team could.

The cons of insourcing content creation

A solid content strategy is essential

You need to be able to insource content marketing. It is essential that you have someone to guide the ship and ensure its success. Without a content strategy, it’s impossible to achieve this.

It is not easy to create a content strategy. It is possible, but it will require you to put in the time and money necessary to understand what it takes and what should be coming out.

It is dangerous to try to insource content without the right skills, knowledge, and a strategy.

Anyone who touches the content must have a high level of skill

Content marketing includes content creation/production is a full-time job that requires skills and knowledge.

Many businesses resort to outsourcing because of the expertise they need.

At a minimum, you need:

• Effective writers/communicators/creators who can connect with your audience through words or visuals, share expertise, and clearly demonstrate the business value and benefits for customers. Writing is the most outsourced activity by marketing professionals. This means that having this skill in your business can be both a differentiation and an advantage.
• Smart content manager who can plan and execute a content strategy, manage a schedule and track results.
• An expert strategist who can help with the brand’s online and SEO.

Effectiveness requires a lot of experience and skill. Some businesses are unable to justify investing in training or in-house expertise.

A large initial investment is possible

Let’s suppose you have a small company with five employees. Your team lacks the experience and knowledge to insource content marketing. You will need to invest a lot upfront in things such as:

• Training and courses in content marketing strategy and management.
• Training and courses in content writing.
• Training and courses in SEO.
• Tools for implementing and executing content marketing such as SEO tools, content management software and a content calendar.
• There are resources that could be used to hire a content writer full-time or a content manager.

Because it can be overwhelming, many small businesses will resort to outside help to implement content marketing.

Let’s take a closer look at outsourcing to understand the differences.

Outsourcing (Using outside talent and resources like an agency)

Outsourcing content creation means that you can hire outside talent and resources in order to implement and execute your content strategy. That includes ideating and planning content, writing/creating content, and publishing/distributing content.

One way to outsource content is to hire an agency which takes care of everything from strategy-building to promotion.

You can also hire freelancers for specific tasks, short-term positions, or to create one-off content pieces. You might hire a freelance writer to write three months worth of content for you blog.

What are the pros and disadvantages of outsourcing?

The pros of outsourcing content creation

Select the solution that best suits your needs

There are options for outsourcing content marketing regardless of your level of expertise.

Do you need to manage the entire content marketing process? Reputable agencies are available.

You need content creation? You can hire a freelancer, an agency or sign up for a writing platform depending on your budget.

According to a Semrush survey, most companies (47.06%), hire reliable freelance writers when outsourcing.

You can also use a freelance platform to hire writers, editors, strategists and videographers if you don’t have the time or patience to screen and hire talent.

Low start-up cost and fast turnaround

It is relatively easy to outsource right away. Technically, you can find a freelancer on LinkedIn, Indeed or Upwork tomorrow. You will agree on a flat fee and receive your content piece in a week.

Scale easily when you are ready

Scaling outsourcing is also possible. You just need to spend more money to hire freelancers or to pay an agency for ongoing contracts.

Because the market is saturated with freelancers, it should be easy to find them. (By 2027 the majority of the US workforce will be freelancers!)

The cons of outsourcing content creation

Unreliability

If you have ever had a bad experience with a freelancer, I know what to tell you.

Anybody can claim to be a freelancer, and they can present a polished resume to impress. They may not be able to deliver, however. You might end up with poor content, missed deadlines, and someone who ghosts after you hire them.

Half of companies outsource content creation, but only one-tenth of companies stopped outsourcing because they couldn’t get the same results.

The outsourced team won’t have the most in-depth knowledge of your brand

Outsourced teams are often in constant flux without you knowing. You may not be able to speak with your agency’s writers, and different people could take over your projects without you being aware.

This means that you won’t have a creative working with you who doesn’t know your brand, your team and your goals.

This expert is a far superior choice to a freelancer who touches your content but then moves on. Because they can learn and grow together with your business, the long-term hire will produce 10x more content.

Because writing and researching builds their knowledge, many writers become subject experts over time. This means that the more a writer works for your company, the better they will be.

Outsourced developers have little or no incentive to remain loyal to you

It’s risky to rely on unvetted freelancers for content creation.

It is likely that a freelancer has several clients or projects at the same time. Freelancing may be an option to supplement their full-time work. They are allowed to move around as part of their job description.

This means that even if you find a freelancer who is a good fit for your brand, there’s no guarantee that they will continue to produce content for your brand. They are not motivated to loyalty to you like the creator or writer you train to devote their time to your company and team.

Is it better to outsource or insource content creation?

You now know the difference between outsourcing and insourcing content creation. Which should you choose?

Insourcing is more effective if:

• You have the financial resources to invest in your content team.
• Everyone in your company must buy-in.
• You or your team are already proficient in content marketing, and you are willing to learn more.
• Have a content strategy in place, or are you planning to create one.

Outsourcing is a better option if:

• Your business is relatively new and doesn’t have the funds to hire an in-house content department.
• Your team is completely unfamiliar with content marketing.
• You know how to effectively hire and work with freelancers.
• It would be difficult for every level of an organization to support insourcing content.

If you have a dream of insourcing content, but don’t have enough resources, you can always outsource content and build the necessary resources.

While neither choice is necessarily better, one option will work best for your company in certain moments of growth.

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