Should Bloggers Outsource Writing? An In-Depth Guide
One question commonly debated among bloggers is whether or not to outsource writing and whether it is a good idea. There are valid arguments on both sides.
Outsourcing allows you to scale content production and free up your time. But it also involves relinquishing creative control and added costs.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of outsourcing blog writing, different outsourcing options, and costs, when it makes sense to outsource writing, and tips for doing it successfully.
We’ll also include a detailed FAQ covering common outsource writing questions to provide a complete perspective. Let’s dive in!
The Case To Outsource Writing
Here are the primary reasons a blogger might want to outsource their writing:
Increased Content Output
Hiring writers allows you to multiply the amount of content you can produce. This leads to more search traffic, subscribers, and revenue without you having to do all the writing.
Free Up Your Time
Outsourcing allows you to focus on high-level tasks like branding, business development, and marketing versus content creation.
Leverage Experts
You can access niche topic experts, experienced ghostwriters, and established thought leaders rather than producing every word yourself. Their expertise lends authority.
Adapt to Growth
As your blog grows, outsourcing provides the manpower needed to meet higher content demands without getting overwhelmed.
Gain New Perspectives
Additional writers bring new viewpoints, ideas, styles, and approaches to your content that you may not have considered.
Access Wider Skill Sets
Not all bloggers have strong writing skills. Outsourced writers can fill gaps with research, interviewing, formatting, and editing support.
Reduce Stress
Hitting publishing quotas every week or every day can be extremely stressful. Outsourcing alleviates some of this pressure and burnout risk.
For bloggers lacking time, writing expertise, or bandwidth to handle growing content demands, outsourcing provides compelling benefits.
The Case Not To Outsource Writing
However, there are also arguments against fully outsourcing blog writing, including:
Loss of Control
When writers create content for you, it’s impossible to maintain full creative control like you would over your own writing.
Inconsistent Brand Voice
Every writer has their own style. Allowing multiple contributors can dilute your site’s branded messaging and tone.
Upfront Costs
While it saves time, outsourcing quality writing has actual financial costs associated with paying writers fair rates.
Confidentiality Risks
Handling sensitive client details or competitive intelligence adds some risk of leaks from external contributors.
Still Requires Oversight
You’ll still need to provide direction, feedback, and edits on outsourced writing. It’s not a fully hands-off process.
Learning Curve
It takes time to find quality writers, brief them fully, align on voice, and review their work until they hit a groove.
Outsourcing your blog’s writing involves both tangible and intangible trade-offs. You have to determine if the benefits outweigh the costs for your particular situation.
Key Outsource Writing Options
If you decide to source external writing help, there are a few primary avenues to find and engage writers:
Freelance Writing Marketplaces
Popular freelance platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com offer access to various writers across niches and skill levels, providing bidding and reviews. Payment is per project or hourly.
Advantages: Highly flexible capacity, specialized capabilities, budget-friendly
Disadvantages: Inconsistent quality, high screening effort, communication lags
Writing Agencies
Full-service writing agencies can completely take over content creation but at premium rates, given their overhead. They may also have minimum commitments.
Advantages: Turnkey service, proven processes, high quality
Disadvantages: More costly, possible lack of niche expertise, limited customization
Niche Writing Networks
Specialized networks like Scripted connect clients to pre-vetted writers exclusively within a specific niche or industry. This enhances topic relevance.
Advantages: Strong niche matching, quality screening, fair rates
Disadvantages: Narrower writer pools, niche limitations, membership fees
Individual Ghostwriters
Directly engaging experienced freelance writers one-on-one allows building relationships and aligning creative direction. But sourcing takes time.
Advantages: Direct communication, custom process, flexible terms
Disadvantages: Writer compatibility uncertainties, limited scalability
AI Writing Tools
AI platforms like Conversion.ai and Jasper allow the generating of blog-style content by entering prompts with some custom tuning. Quality is steadily improving.
Advantages: Extremely fast turnaround, 24/7 availability, low costs
Disadvantages: Formulaic output, inhuman feel, limited research capabilities
Assessing your budget, niche, content volume needs, and preferences will determine which option may suit you best or a hybrid mix.
Need More Content Options Other than Outsource Writing?
When Does It Make Sense To Outsource Writing?
Certain situations tend to be better fitted for outsourcing your blog’s writing versus keeping it entirely in-house:
Launching a New Blog
When first launching a blog, outsourcing can quickly produce content to establish initial traction before you build up your own writing capabilities and authority.
Starting in a New Niche
Lack of experience in a new niche makes outsourcing writers with expertise more beneficial for quality rather than trying to learn on the fly.
Scaling Beyond Capacity
Rapid audience or revenue growth often demands outpacing what a solo blogger can write. Outsourcing provides extra capacity to fuel further growth.
Gaps in Skill Sets
If critical writing skills like research or interviews are major weaknesses, outsourcing those gaps selectively improves overall content quality.
Requiring Faster Turnaround
Outsourcing allows tapping additional writers for tight deadlines or schedules too aggressive for a solo blogger to meet alone.
High Production Quotas
Bloggers under pressure to feed content-hungry sites with massive volumes of posts per week often leverage outsourced support.
Freeing Up Limited Time
For busy bloggers, outsourcing low-value writing tasks creates availability for high-impact priorities like partnerships or product launches.
While not right for every situation, strategically leveraging outsourced writers during key phases of a blogging career can accelerate growth and avoid blogger burnout.
How Much Does It Cost To Outsource Writing?
Outsourced writing costs vary significantly based on the following:
Writer Location & Experience
Developed nations = higher rates (~15-50 cents/word)
Developing nations = lower rates (~3-10 cents/word)
Higher-tier writers command ~50-200%+ premiums
Niche Topic Knowledge
Generalist writing = lower rates
Specialist expertise = higher rates
Content-Length & Type
Shorter pieces = lower cost per item
Longform or research-heavy = higher cost per item
Volume Discounts
One-off orders = higher per-item cost
Ongoing bulk orders = lower per-item cost
Agencies carry the highest rates due to higher overhead. Individual freelancers directly span the full spectrum depending on credentials and niches.
AI-generated writing currently provides the lowest cost option, with 500-2,000+ word articles starting under $20. But the quality remains below human professionals.
New bloggers seeking budget flexibility may consider a mix of AI, freelance marketplace, and direct ghostwriters.
Top Tips To Successfully Outsource Writing
If outsourcing part of your writing, follow these tips to ensure success:
Take Time for Onboarding
Brief writers thoroughly on your niche, target audience, brand style, tone, and goals. The more detail, the better to align expectations. Share past successful articles as examples.
Maintain Oversight
Stay highly involved through clear writing guidance, outlines, regular check-ins, feedback cycles, and topical brainstorming. Don’t fully hand off the reins.
Build Relationships
Develop rapport and trust with writers, especially direct freelancers you work with regularly. They will internalize your preferences and style.
Start Slowly
Don’t outsource your entire blog from day one. Start with a few key articles and increase the volume gradually as you establish effective processes.
Choose Writers Carefully
Vet writer expertise carefully, reading samples and reviews. Don’t just choose the cheapest option. Quality trumps cost.
Use Platform Protections
Leverage service agreements, milestones, and escrow payments through platforms to protect your interests with new writers.
Monitor Performance
Track headline click-through rates, time on page, and conversions on outsourced articles vs your own to compare performance. Refine based on insights.
Outsourcing with clear direction, oversight, and relationship building will enable you to maximize benefits while mitigating potential downsides.
FAQ on Outsource Writing
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about outsourcing your blog’s writing:
How do I find bloggers in my niche willing to write content?
Use freelance platforms to search for expert writers around your blog’s focus areas—screen for relevant background and writing samples. Check niche forums for potential leads. Clearly communicate your niche, tone, and target audience.
What are the warning signs of a bad writer for my blog?
Poor grammar/spelling, difficulty understanding guidelines, lack of research depth, missed deadlines, thin content, repeated text, over-optimization, and unresponsiveness all signal low-quality writers. Vet carefully.
What software tools can help manage outsource writing?
Tools like Trello, Asana, Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Monday.com facilitate task management, content collaboration, feedback, and workflow automation with remote writers.
What rates should I expect to pay for outsource writing?
Average blog content rates range from 3-15 cents per word depending on the writer’s experience level and niche expertise. Budget 10-20 cents per word for technical topics requiring extensive research.
How do I ensure brand consistency with different writers?
Create clear style guidelines covering voice, tone, messaging, formatting, grammar rules, and terminology for all writers. Maintain oversight through outlines and feedback.
Can I hire writers as employees for my blog?
You could, but most bloggers engage writers on a project/gig basis through platforms or as independent contractors paid per piece. This provides more flexibility to scale writing up and down.
What are the best ways to check the originality of outsourced content?
Run articles through plagiarism checks like Copyscape and Grammarly Premium to verify no sections have been copied from other sites. Proactively prevent by sourcing knowledgeable writers less prone to plagiarize.
How quickly will outsourced writers produce content?
Most content writers can deliver 500-2000 word articles within 3-7 days. Budget extra time for research-heavy articles. Clear expectations setting will prevent delays.
Should I tell readers I outsource writing?
No formal disclosure is necessary. Focus on producing standout content regardless of who writes it. But subtly infuse your perspective and voice throughout outsourced pieces to maintain brand consistency for readers.
What are signs it’s time to stop outsource writing?
Indicators like declining reader feedback, falling traffic and conversions, content inconsistencies, and brand misalignment signal when outsourcing may hurt your blog more than helping.
Wrapping up our coverage of Outsource Writing
Outsourcing your blog’s writing can be extremely beneficial but also requires diligence to execute successfully. Aligning with knowledgeable writers who embrace your brand vision allows selectively leveraging outsourcing to amplify your blogging impact.
What’s your take on outsourcing writing? Do you plan to outsource all, some, or none of your blog’s content? What factors are swaying your decision? Let me know if you have any other questions!