Steer Clear of These Common Pitfalls in Content Outsourcing

Content outsourcing has many advantages, from reducing costs to providing specialized skills, making it an appealing strategy for many brands. By leveraging business process outsourcing (BPO), companies can focus on core competencies while leaving content creation to third-party experts.

Despite its benefits, some pitfalls can undermine the effectiveness of this approach. Unclear expectations and poor quality control are among the common outsourcing mistakes in content that, if not correctly managed, can lead to wasted resources and missed goals.

Keep reading to learn how to avoid common outsourcing mistakes. This guide offers actionable insights for a successful content outsourcing initiative.

Understanding content marketing outsourcing

What is BPO, and why do businesses use it for content marketing? It involves contracting third-party providers to handle specific business functions, such as customer support, data entry, or digital marketing.

In content marketing, the functions of BPO include blog writing, social media management, search engine optimization (SEO), and email campaigns. Outsourcing companies deploy specialized expertise and resources to streamline workflows and drive better results.

BPO is particularly valuable to marketers, with 29% outsourcing to supplement shrinking team sizes, 48.7% to fill gaps in in-house skills, and 14.4% to cut costs. 

However, businesses must understand common pitfalls and implement robust strategies to avoid or address them to achieve these goals, maximize the benefits, and ensure a successful outsourcing partnership.

These include the following:

Lack of clear objectives for content outsourcing

Failing to set clear objectives for content outsourcing can result in misaligned efforts, inconsistent messaging, and wasted resources. Without a well-defined strategy, the business and the outsourcing partner might struggle to achieve meaningful results. 

A business owner can avoid this common outsourcing mistake in content through the following strategies:

• Define specific goals for content, such as increasing website traffic or improving brand awareness.
• Develop a detailed content strategy and share it with the outsourcing team.
• Discuss the key performance indicators (KPIs) to use to measure performance.
• Communicate the brand voice, target audience, and messaging clearly.
• Schedule regular check-ins to track progress and refine objectives if needed.

Wrong outsourcing partner

Selecting the wrong BPO partner can result in subpar content, missed deadlines, and a mismatch in values or expectations. A capable provider is crucial to maintaining quality and achieving your content marketing goals.

These strategies can help companies avoid this common outsourcing mistake in content:

• Research potential partners thoroughly, checking reviews and case studies.
• Assess their expertise in the industry or niche.
• Request samples of their work to evaluate quality and style.
• Confirm their ability to scale and adapt to changing needs.
• Conduct interviews to gauge their communication and collaboration skills.

Inadequate communication channels

Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and content that fails to meet expectations. Without effective communication channels, collaboration between the in-house team and the outsourcing partner, especially in different time zones, becomes inefficient and error-prone.

Businesses can prevent miscommunication through these techniques:

• Establish clear contact points for the in-house team and the outsourcing partner.
• Use reliable communication tools, such as Slack, Zoom, or project management platforms.
• Set regular updates and progress meetings to address questions or concerns.
• Provide detailed feedback promptly.
• Create a shared content calendar to keep everyone aligned on deadlines and priorities.

Poor quality control measures

Neglecting quality control can result in inconsistent, error-ridden, or off-brand content that damages reputation. Without proper measures, businesses risk wasting resources on content that does not meet their standards or objectives. 

Here are ways to avoid overlooking quality control when outsourcing content management:

• Define clear quality standards and share them with the outsourcing partner.
• Review all content before publication to align branding and goals.
• Use Grammarly, Copyscape, or SEO analyzers to verify accuracy and optimization.
• Assign an internal team member to oversee and approve outsourced content.
• Provide constructive feedback to help the partner improve and align with expectations.

Failure to define the scope of work

Not clearly defining the scope of work of the outsourcing and internal teams can lead to confusion, unmet expectations, and misaligned deliverables. A vague or incomplete scope can result in wasted time, increased costs, and strained relationships with your outsourcing partner. 

These best practices prevent this common outsourcing mistake in content:

• Outline specific tasks, deliverables, and deadlines in a formal agreement.
• Clearly state the roles and responsibilities of both parties.
• Include detailed guidelines on content format, style, and tone.
• Set expectations for revisions, feedback timelines, and approvals.
• Regularly review and update the scope of the outsourcing project as needs change.

No performance metrics

Only 26% of marketing and media leaders reported clearly understanding their content’s performance. Failing to set performance metrics makes it difficult to measure the success of outsourced content and identify improvement areas. Without clear benchmarks, businesses risk investing in efforts that don’t deliver tangible results.

Businesses must establish performance metrics early on. These strategies can help:

• Define specific, measurable KPIs, such as website traffic, engagement rates, or lead conversions.
• Align performance metrics with the overall content marketing goals.
• Use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, or social media insights to track results.
• Communicate these metrics to your BPO partner and review progress regularly.
• Adjust strategies based on data-driven insights to improve outcomes.

Inconsistent brand voice

Overlooking brand voice can lead to content that feels off-brand or fails to resonate with the audience. Inconsistent messaging confuses customers and weakens brand identity. This is especially critical given that consistent brand presentation drives 33% higher revenue and 20% greater overall growth.

Avoiding this common outsourcing mistake in content is essential to succeed in your marketing efforts. Here are techniques to do it:

• Create a detailed brand style guide outlining tone, language, and visual elements.
• Share examples of past content that align with the brand voice.
• Provide training or onboarding sessions for the outsourcing partner to understand the brand.
• Review all content to ensure it aligns with the brand identity before publication.
• Offer constructive feedback to refine the alignment of outsourced content with the brand.

Overemphasis on cost over quality

Focusing too much on cost savings can lead to subpar content that fails to engage the audience or achieve marketing goals. Cheap outsourcing solutions often compromise quality, resulting in more harm than good for the brand. 

Balancing cost with quality allows content outsourcing efforts to yield meaningful, lasting benefits for the business. Here’s how to achieve it:

• Evaluate potential partners based on their expertise, portfolio, and reviews, not just pricing.
• Set a realistic budget that balances cost with quality expectations.
• Prioritize value by considering the long-term impact of high-quality content.
• Request detailed proposals to understand what the cost includes.
• Be willing to invest in skilled professionals who can deliver results.

Insufficient feedback during the process

Not providing enough feedback during content creation can lead to misalignment and a final product that doesn’t meet expectations. Continuous feedback helps refine the content and aligns it with the goals before completion.

Consider these techniques when providing feedback during the content marketing process:

• Establish a transparent feedback process with specific timelines for reviews.
• Provide constructive feedback at various stages, not just at the end.
• Be clear about what works and what needs improvement.
• Encourage open communication to address concerns early on.
• Ensure feedback is actionable and aligned with the content objectives.

Unclear contract or agreement

Without a clear contract or agreement, businesses risk confusion, scope creep, and potential legal issues. A well-defined contract sets expectations and protects both parties by outlining deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities. 

Businesses can prevent this common outsourcing mistake in content marketing through the following:

• Draft a comprehensive contract outlining all terms, including timelines, payment structure, and deliverables.
• Specify intellectual property rights and content ownership in the agreement.
• Include provisions for revisions, deadlines, and dispute resolution.
• Ensure both parties sign the contract before beginning the project.
• Review and update the agreement as necessary throughout the partnership.

The bottom line

Content outsourcing offers significant benefits, but avoiding common pitfalls is essential for success. Setting clear objectives, selecting the right partner, and maintaining strong communication can unlock the full potential of outsourcing.

Do not let these common outsourcing mistakes hold you back. Implement best practices to drive better results and elevate your content strategy today! Let’s connect to discuss outsourcing further.