Writing Your Own Content vs. Hiring Someone To Do It

Contact us today for a complimentary 30-minute consultation and find out how we can help with your company’s content marketing campaign!

Content is king when it comes to making your website stand out from the competition. With more than 330 million North Americans online as of June 2020, providing relevant content to your target market raises your site above the noise.

Content marketing has an immediate impact on the impression your website makes during the mere 10 seconds you have to grab the visitor’s attention. A site rich in information that can solve your audience’s immediate problems lends authority to your brand. Content sells your products; 81 percent of internet shoppers research online before making major purchases, and you want to be there when they make that decision.

Unlike the whimsical algorithms of social media and the impermanence of pay per click (PPC) marketing, content on your website gets better with time. Age lends rank to websites, improving your positioning without further investment. In their post on blogging statistics, Express Writers reported that blogging helps generate over 97 percent more links to your website.

In addition to the longevity blog posts provide, Three Girls Media believes a long-term marketing strategy with the consistent addition of content builds trust with consumers. Offering value creates a relationship with buyers, and identifying a solution to their problems means buyers will turn to you for that solution.

Writing Your Own Content vs. Hiring A Content Writer

Now that you’ve decided to leverage the content on your website, you need a plan to create well-written and SEO-friendly blog posts that rank well with search engines and speak to your target audience.

Many business owners write their own content but have trouble keeping up. According to Marketing Insider Group, “Publishing 2 – 4 times per week provides the highest results in terms of both traffic and conversions.” It’s a tall order, but key to online growth.

The Pros And Cons Of Writing Your Own Web Content

Writing your own content is the least expensive way to get more indexable pages on your site. You can begin right away and it won’t cost a dime, but many business owners struggle to find the time. There are advantages and disadvantages to writing your own content.

The pros of DIY marketing content:

• Creating your own website content is free, all it costs is your time.
• Writing your own content lets you use your own voice. The tone and style of your content should connect with your niche audience and make it unique.
• You’re the expert. No one knows your business better than you do and writing your own content will allow you to promote your strengths.
• Writing your own content lends sincerity and authenticity. It shows your target audience that you’re a credible expert and passionate about what you do.
• Creating your own content keeps you in the loop as your industry changes and provides instant feedback from customers when they comment.

The cons of DIY marketing content:

• Creating content can be very time consuming, especially if you have no writing background.
• Many business owners are passionate experts at only a few aspects of their industry, which means that your own content may be too narrowly focused.
• Writing your own content keeps you from doing other things. Despite the pros, writing content can take time away from the core concerns of your business.
• Creating your own content means cramming skills, and writing may not be your strength. Even if you have a thousand great ideas for content, you may not have the skills to present them clearly in writing. Your writing voice might be wrong for your target market, and best search engine optimization (SEO) practices take months to learn and require constant tweaking.
• You’ll need to be dedicated to regular writing. Just drafting up 10, 20, even 100 pages of content isn’t enough to compete online, and the most successful businesses add new content daily.

The pros of hiring a marketing content writer:

• By engaging professional writers such as Three Girls Media, you can ensure frequent content updates on your business’ website. Regular updates trigger search engines to index your site frequently.
• Hiring a content writer adds more dimension to content on your site, with multiple viewpoints and diverse voices. Provided the core message is consistent, a wider range of voices can mean a wider audience you can engage.
• Finding content writers experienced in your field brings new ideas and approaches to your content. Professional content writers can identify the latest developments in your industry, giving your brand a reputation for being on top of the latest news.
• Websites from multiple sources can give the impression that your company is bigger than it really is, lending more authority to your brand.
• Your writing skills may not be of professional quality. An experienced writer will create well-written content that makes you and your company look professional.
• A good writer knows how to focus on key selling points and create full-length posts that provide depth. SEM Rush says that long-form content generates more backlinks than short form blog posts.
• Professional content writers and copywriters stay up to date on best SEO practices. This means that you won’t spend more time marketing your product than you do producing it.
• A trained content writer can repurpose some of your older content so it can be reused. They’ll know exactly how to make it fresh and can package it in such a way that it can also be used with social media.

The cons of hiring a marketing content writer:

• You get what you pay for. Some business owners try to cut corners on copywriting services, and you may get poor content if your budget is tight.
• Because content writers aren’t always experts in your field, the content may be superficial and lack the kind of depth that lends credibility to your site.
• Hiring professional copywriters is definitely more expensive, especially if they’re highly experienced in your industry.
• Some content providers stress quantity over quality. Websites of over 400 pages get superior indexing, but poor quality will eventually detract from any benefit that quantity provided.

You should determine your goals before deciding between the two, and be honest about assessing your own skills and availability. Some business owners compromise by combining the two strategies, with the owner adding either voice for expertise to content or by choosing the topics covered and letting the professional writer add details and tone. Whatever you decide, be consistent, helpful and customer-focused to get the best ROI, whether you’re investing your time writing or your money outsourcing your content.

Ready to start creating valuable content for your website? Three Girls Media is here to direct you down the right path. With a highly skilled team of professional writers, we can create content that is high-quality and compelling for your brand. Contact us for a free consultation today!

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during December and receive an Annual Marketing Planning Guide valued at $475!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO, and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs - no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!