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Short-form videos and influencer collaborations are projected to deliver the best return on investment (ROI) in 2025, highlighting the changing preferences of online users. Meeting this demand is key to success.
However, producing such content formats may be challenging for businesses with limited capabilities and budgets. This is one example of when to outsource content strategy.
Business process outsourcing (BPO) provides the specialized expertise and resources to implement and scale content marketing initiatives. In this article, you will learn about the indicators, benefits, challenges, and strategies in outsourcing content creation. Continue reading!
Indicators of when to outsource content strategy
What is BPO’s role in content strategy? It offers adaptable solutions to enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and scaling efforts. However, it is not a universal solution to problems. Thus, recognizing when to outsource your content strategy is necessary.
Here are specific indicators that call for BPO adoption:
An overwhelmed in-house team
Marketing teams often juggle tasks, from campaign development and SEO to social media management. As the workload increases, your team may struggle to meet deadlines or consistently produce high-quality content. Outsourcing content strategy allows your staff to regain control of their time and focus on more pressing matters.
The need for a fresh perspective
If your content strategy feels stagnant or no longer engages your target audience, bringing in an external team could provide the fresh perspective needed to rejuvenate it. Outsourcing offers access to specialists who bring new ideas and strategies that can effectively capture attention and boost engagement.
Scaling content production
Businesses experiencing rapid growth will require more content—whether blog posts, social media content, or videos. If the demands exceed your current team’s capacity, outsourcing can help meet those needs without compromising quality.
A 2022 survey found graphic design to be the most outsourced marketing content service, with 47% of marketers opting for it. Video design followed at 43%, and copywriting at 37%. These trends highlight the industry’s reliance on external expertise to enhance content production, quality, and impact.
Inconsistent quality
With in-house teams juggling multiple roles, content quality often varies depending on workload and expertise. This leads to inconsistent messaging that can weaken a brand’s impact.
Marketers can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and outsourced content creation to address inconsistencies. Using AI-driven tools, BPO experts automate tasks such as proofreading content, optimizing visuals, and tailoring messaging for different platforms.
Benefits of outsourcing content strategy
Outsourcing content strategy offers significant benefits that can enhance your marketing performance. The key BPO advantages are:
Access to specialized expertise
Outsourcing allows you to tap into the expertise of seasoned content creators, digital marketing professionals, and SEO specialists. With access to experts who understand the latest trends and strategies, your content is more likely to perform well on social media and search engines.
Focus on core business functions
When you outsource content strategy, you leave the time-consuming tasks of writing, editing, posting, and managing content to experts. This frees your marketing team to focus on higher-level initiatives directly impacting revenue and customer acquisition.
Cost-effectiveness
Building and managing an in-house content team can be expensive; outsourcing is an affordable alternative. You only pay for the services needed and choose the level of involvement and scope necessary, leading to significant savings. In labor alone, BPO reduces expenses by up to 70%.
Scalability and flexibility
Outsourcing provides the flexibility to scale content production based on your needs. Whether you’re increasing content volume for a specific campaign or scaling back during slower periods, outsourcing allows easy adjustments to match your current marketing strategy.
Assessing the cost-effectiveness of outsourcing
One of the primary concerns business owners and marketing managers have when outsourcing content strategy is its cost-effectiveness. To determine whether outsourcing makes sense with your goals and budget, follow these best practices:
Compare overhead costs
Full-time employees require salaries, benefits, office space, equipment, and training. In comparison, outsourcing typically involves a fixed contract or hourly fees, offering more predictability and scalability. The strategy provides access to skilled talent without the financial burden of maintaining an entire in-house team.
Evaluate project-based costs
Outsourcing also allows for project-based work. This can be an excellent option for businesses that need high-quality content but don’t require it on a consistent, full-time basis. Whether for one-off blog posts or an entire content marketing campaign, outsourcing enables you to pay for the services needed without long-term commitments.
Evaluating the expertise of potential outsourcing partners
The success of your content strategy depends on your outsourcing partner. Not all BPO firms provide the same level of service. Thus, you must carefully evaluate vendors based on their BPO experience, past performance, and ability to meet your business’s unique needs.
Here are strategies for selecting the right partner:
Check experience and specialization
Look for partners who have experience in your industry or niche. A content writing or creation team with a background in your sector will better understand the language, tone, and target audience required to produce relevant content. Additionally, check their track record with similar projects and verify client testimonials.
Assess understanding of digital marketing
A good outsourcing partner should have expertise in content creation and broader digital marketing techniques. They should understand the importance of SEO, keyword research, and trends in driving traffic from search engines and social media platforms.
Evaluate communication skills
Effective communication is key to a successful outsourcing partnership. Your BPO vendor should be able to articulate their approach, offer regular updates, and ensure they fully understand your brand’s voice and goals.
Transitioning from in-house to outsourced content strategy
A 2023 study revealed that 71% of B2B marketers increasingly consider content important, with year-over-year investments continuing to grow. However, 46% of teams remain understaffed, with just one person or group handling all production. Thus, nearly half plan to hire or outsource content producers, including content marketers and social media specialists.
However, transitioning from in-house to an outsourced content strategy requires careful planning and execution. Here are the key steps to take when you outsource content strategy:
- Define your content goals. Before outsourcing, clearly outline your content goals. Whether you want to improve search engine rankings, drive traffic, or increase social media engagement, understanding your objectives will guide your outsourcing initiative.
- Create a content plan. Provide your outsourcing partner with a comprehensive content plan that outlines your brand’s voice, target audience, key topics, and content format preferences. This will ensure that the external team aligns with your overall content strategy.
- Choose the right outsourcing partner. Perform thorough research to identify potential partners with expertise in your industry. Consider the scope of work and decide whether you need freelancers, a content agency, or a full-service marketing firm.
- Establish communication and reporting channels. Clear communication is essential when working with a third-party BPO team. Set expectations for reporting, content approval processes, and timelines.
Maintaining brand consistency and measuring success
One of the most important aspects of outsourcing your content strategy is ensuring that the output remains consistent with your brand voice and identity. This requires clear communication and ongoing collaboration with your outsourcing partner.
Start by developing comprehensive brand guidelines that outline tone, messaging, and style preferences. These guidelines will serve as a foundation for keeping all outsourced content consistent with your overall brand strategy.
It is equally important to regularly review the content produced by your partner and provide feedback. This ongoing process allows you to make necessary adjustments and ensures the content meets your expectations and aligns with your brand.
When you outsource content strategy, tracking its success becomes vital. Measuring key performance indicators (KPIs), such as website traffic, social media engagement, conversion rates, and search engine rankings, helps you gauge effectiveness.
Analyzing traffic and conversions with tools, such as Google Analytics, provides insights into how your content impacts your audience. Similarly, tracking social media engagement—through likes, shares, and comments—offers valuable feedback on how well your content resonates with your target audience. This enables you to refine future strategies effectively.
The bottom line
Outsourcing content strategy can be a powerful way to scale your marketing efforts and achieve your business goals. By recognizing the right time to outsource, evaluating potential partners, and setting clear expectations, you can leverage external expertise to enhance your brand’s content while freeing internal resources.
Don’t let the challenges of in-house content creation hold you back from achieving high-quality results. Let’s connect to discuss how outsourcing content strategy could take your business to the next level!
