I can’t tell you the number of times I hear things like:
- “We have so many great ideas for stories to tell; we just aren’t good writers.”
- “We post content whenever we have time and resources to create it.”
- “Content marketing tends to get pushed to the back burner for more deadline-driven initiatives like trade shows.”
Do any of these sound familiar?
You know you need to do content marketing, but without a plan or hard deadlines, it gets lost in everything else you have to do.
You ask for help from subject matter experts (SMEs), but they’re busy, too. Plus, they’re not writers, so it’s hard for them to turn their knowledge into content.
Thankfully, there are ways to outsource your B2B content marketing that can save you time and drive results. You just need to know where to look.
B2B Content Marketing is One of the Easiest Things to Outsource
I make that bold statement with the caveat that it’s only easy if you know how to structure the relationship and who to work with. But when you compare it to trade show coordination and sales enablement activities, content marketing is relatively easy to pass off to someone outside the organization.
Many B2B companies worry about finding writers who can create content for their niche industry. That’s absolutely one of the hardest parts of outsourcing B2B content marketing, but it’s also very possible.
You don’t necessarily need a writer who has worked in your industry before. You need someone:
- With a never-ending curiosity
- Willing and able to learn your industry
- Used to working with technical SMEs to create content, no matter the industry
For example, I have worked in technical industries like ag, manufacturing, construction, and tech. When I start working with a client in an industry I’m unfamiliar with, my skills still apply. I dive into the industry, learn to speak the jargon, and constantly ask questions. My experience working with technical subject matter experts (SMEs) to create content can apply to nearly any B2B industry.
If you don’t have time to create enough content to make your strategy successful (there’s definitely a minimum threshold), and you don’t have someone in-house dedicated (partially or fully) to content creation, outsourcing is going to be your most efficient and effective option.
Where do you start? By finding the right content partner.
Find the Right Content Partner
Whatever you call them—content strategist, content writer, copywriter, content creator, etc.—and whether they’re a solo contractor or an agency, you need a partner you trust to feel comfortable outsourcing your content marketing.
There are two distinct approaches to outsourcing content marketing, each with its own pros and cons.
1. Low Dollar Cost, High Time Cost
There are endless content shops out there where you can order 500-word articles for a couple bucks.
At the cost of your time. At the cost of quality.
If you order from one of these content shops, your article will likely be written solely on basic internet research. In other words, your article will be a mix of what others have already said. That’s not original and it’s why I work with subject matter experts (SMEs) on a lot of the content I create.
Even if you take the time to:
- Provide an outline
- Send notes from an SME interview
- Give complete article requirements
You’ll still be crossing your fingers for something usable.
It takes a lot of time to do the SME interview and build an outline yourself—and all with no guarantee of getting something of decent quality back.
No matter what, it usually takes a decent chunk of your time to edit, provide feedback, and fix the article when you take this low-cost route.
If you’re outsourcing content marketing because of time constraints, hiring any-old-writer is the least effective way to do so.
2. High Dollar Cost, Low Time Cost
On the other end of the spectrum is hiring an experienced content writer (or agency) who can take your content strategy and run. We can do the SME interviews, put together outlines, drive deadlines, and “own” the strategy.
I set up my content marketing engagements to take as much as possible off of my clients’ plates. I take care of everything from strategy and topic planning to writing and uploading posts.
But of course this type of content marketing outsourcing costs more than a couple bucks. However, it’s worth it to save time and produce the level of content your audience expects.
How to Vet a Content Writer
If you’re going to outsource your content, you want to partner with someone you trust to be able to drive the strategy and implementation to the level your brand expects.
Here are the top places to look when you’re evaluating a content outsource partner:
- Website – Check their website to see what they offer and start to verify they are who they say they are.
- Their Content – Does the website have a blog? Do they post on LinkedIn (the most important B2B social network)?
- Side Note: If you find a content partner through their content, that’s a great sign.
- Work Samples – You should be able to view examples of content they’ve created, ideally with at least a little bit of context.
Once you do this routine vetting, it’s generally best to get on a call to share more about your goals and ask questions about the content partner’s processes. (Speaking of…you can book a call with me right here.)
Here are some questions to ask on the call to see if there’s a fit:
- What are your content creation processes?
- How do you structure your projects/engagements?
- How much of our time do you expect each month?
- Have you worked in similar industries before?
Choose Your Content Partner
Once you find someone you connect with, who can handle your project within your budget, it’s time to get started.
If you’re vetting multiple potential content partners, let everyone know your decision, even those you choose not to work with.
Get contracts and other paperwork in place, and then it’s time to get started.
Get Content Creation Processes in Place
I’m a big believer in processes. That probably comes from spending five years working at an agile software development company (which is proudly still one of my clients).
Ideally, the person you work with will have processes in place, and can adapt to any of your requests, but here are some best practices.
Don’t Throw Spaghetti at the Wall
When you outsource your content marketing, there should be no more, “What should we blog about this week?”
A lot of my clients ask that question frequently before they bring me on to take things over.
You should have a pretty good idea of what topics you’re going to create content on each week/month/quarter. Inevitably things will always pop up—industry trends, news topics, etc.—but those should be the exception, not the rule.
Every content strategy should have some sort of editorial calendar. A spreadsheet works just fine to document what content you’re creating when, who’s responsible, who the subject matter expert is, and any other key information.
Download My Editorial Calendar Template
The editorial calendar should be organized around your content pillars (if you’re using that approach) and the messaging priorities of your organization.
The content you create should be strategic—centered around topic areas your customers want to read and in which you want to be seen as the expert.
Don’t just throw spaghettis at the wall to see what sticks. Work ahead to know what will stick before you throw it.
Your Involvement in Content Creation
As the client, your involvement will depend on the person or agency you partner with, as well as your preferences.
My clients are responsible for:
- Connecting me with SMEs when appropriate
- Reviewing brainstormed topics and editorial calendar plans
- Providing logos and product images
- Reviewing, providing feedback on, and approving content pieces
- Meeting with me on Zoom once or twice per month for status updates
I try to take on all the other work:
- Planning topics
- Scheduling and conducting interviews
- Doing external research
- Outlining and writing content, including the articles, email blurbs, social media posts, and others
- Creating on-brand banner images for each blog post
- Uploading posts and images to the client’s website
- Sharing social media posts (if I’m managing those accounts)
- Promoting the article in the monthly newsletter (again, if the client is signed on for that)
- Working to get the article placed in relevant publications (if the client is working with me on PR)
If I had to guess, I would say most of my clients spend about 5 hours per month, if not less, on their entire content strategy and leave the rest to me. I like knowing I can take this bucket of marketing off someone’s plate and do a really great job at something that will bring results to the business.
Schedule Periodic Check-ins
In theory, it’s nice to “set it and forget it.” But with content marketing, that just doesn’t work. Things are always evolving and changing.
To make sure we stay in contact and don’t rely just on email, I meet with clients anywhere from weekly to monthly to check in. During these meetings, I try to cover:
- What’s happened since the last call
- What I’m waiting on
- What the client is waiting on
- What’s coming up
- If there are any new topics, client stories, frequent questions, etc. that we should add to the calendar
- Any other marketing questions the client might have
I also provide each client with a couple of reports each month: one covering work completed, and one with website analytics that shows how content is performing. I also do other reports as needed, like media coverage, email stats, social analytics, and more.
These checkpoints make it so my clients can trust that the work is getting done. I know it’s getting done, and they know it’s getting done. We both know how it’s working. These points are important for me to feel the value of my work, and I think it helps clients know I’m paying attention. They trust me with a lot for a contractor, and I want to do right by them.
It is possible to outsource content without meetings, but I find it less effective. I like to see and hear the people I’m working with, ask questions in real time, and use meetings as a checkpoint and deadline for work.
Looking to Outsource Your Content?
You’ve found me, Megan Horn, a content strategist and copywriter. I excel at working with B2B companies, especially those in technical industries, on creating and building upon a content strategy using blogs, email marketing, lead magnets, and LinkedIn.
My content creation processes are established, and I can jump in right away and drive the content strategy from start to finish. All I need from you is subject matter expertise as well as review, feedback, and approval on content.