Content is a key element of your inbound marketing strategy and, when implemented consistently, is an effective lead generation tool. In simple terms, your buyers provide their contact details in exchange for your content, and both parties feel they have benefitted from the exchange. Your content should provide value to your buyers, and build your presence as a thought leader in your market.
However, content marketing isn’t a quick process. Results can take time as you build up momentum for your business.
Content marketing is used to build a relationship with potential leads. Ultimately, someone that downloads your infographic or reads your blog isn’t going to purchase straight away. However, they will regard you as a valuable resource when they are prepared to solve their problem.
Although valuable, a good content strategy takes time and hard work. It can be challenging to turn out content regularly enough to effectively generate traffic, while also managing other marketing and sales efforts. Improving SEO requires consistent uploads and quality keyword strategies. Outsourcing content marketing could be the answer to your content production problems.
Guide to B2B SaaS Marketing
Benefits of Outsourcing
Understandably, many B2B tech companies can be hesitant to outsource their content. After all, you’re the experts in what you do. However, it’s important to understand the benefits of outsourcing content marketing. Here are a few of the key reasons outsourced content marketing might be right for you.
- Time management
By outsourcing content creation, time can be freed up elsewhere in the business. For the best SEO, content needs to be uploaded consistently, and this is time-consuming. Outsource your content marketing to free up time for strategic tasks.
- Scalable content
Managing a content marketing team is challenging, and can’t always meet the demands of your business. Outsourced content marketing is scalable to suit the needs of your business. If you need to grow your content efforts fast, outsourced agencies can provide you with the team you need.
- Fresh approach
A fresh pair of eyes can be really important. While your teams may know your offering and market inside out, they can get too close. Utilize an outsourced team to benefit from a new approach to content marketing for your industry. Not only that, but outsourced teams can offer a variety of expertise, different takes and new types of content to your marketing strategy.
- Content is the priority
Operating a B2B tech company can be challenging. Teams are busy, and it can be difficult to find the time to prioritize the right tasks. Understandably, content creation can fall by the wayside. However, content is the number one priority for an outsourced content marketing team. Let them focus on what they know so that you can focus on your business.
Outline your Goals
This is a critical first step to partnering with a content marketing agency. Knowing your goals before you start your search can help you to find outsourced teams that suit you.
Your potential outsourced partner needs to know what you’re aiming for, and where you want to be in the future. Some critical objectives might include traffic numbers, leads generated, or content output figures.
It’s important to be completely clear on your expectations, and ensure both parties are aligned. If you’re not aiming for the same thing, you’re less likely to succeed.
For further detail, consider outlining your overall marketing strategy. Include details like keyword research, market research, buyers’ personas and competitor research. Each of these can help your content agency align its output with your goals.
Expertise
When conducting your search for outsourced content marketing, you need to find someone that knows your space. Ultimately, not every content marketer is going to be an expert in what you do, but they should be able to adapt and understand your market.
Consider the overall market that you adopt. B2B tech needs content marketers that are familiar with tech and can understand complex innovations.
Ask to see your potential partners’ portfolios or testimonials. Consider speaking with companies they have worked for – what kind of companies are they? Tech, in particular, is a varied industry. It’s important your partner quickly gets to grips with new concepts and can write as if they were experts.
Freelance Vs Agency
Is it better to hire a freelance content writer or an agency? Again, the answer to this question will depend on your goals and your current content marketing efforts.
If you’re already operating a marketing team, freelance writers might work for your business. They can be a way to scale your existing team as needed and provide a few extra hours of productivity. Typically, an individual freelance writer is keen to write and can provide you with the boost you need.
However, when hiring multiple freelancers, it can be challenging to keep everyone on the same page. They can also be inconsistent when trying to build a working relationship, and aren’t as devoted to your business as teams of writers might be. Depending on the work, you might need to hire multiple independent freelancers with varying expertise.
Hiring an agency is also scalable, but any employment issues are handled by the agency themselves. They can provide the writers you need without the work of having to manage them. They can also produce high quantities of work compared to individual freelancers.
Regular posting is critical for good SEO and can give your pipeline a real boost. Hiring a content marketing agency should help you to meet production goals for your marketing and lead generation strategies.
Communication
Effective communication is crucial to a good working relationship with any outsourced team. It’s important that in-house teams and outsourced agencies are aligned well, and can communicate easily.
Implement a clear communication strategy. For instance, task management software can help distanced teams keep track of what work is due, and who is producing each piece of content. Discuss clear targets, and regularly update on how content is driving marketing performance. Schedule meetings to touch base.
It’s also important to clearly outline your own best practices. A clear set of content rules saves any back and forth, and allows both teams to be productive. For instance, what is the quality assurance process? What tone suits your business? Who is responsible for uploads? Ultimately, the quicker outsourced teams are aligned with your business, the quicker you can meet production goals.
At Nituno, we work with B2B tech companies to generate quality content that works. We understand the B2B tech space and can supplement your marketing efforts with written, video and graphic content. Get in touch with us today to boost your marketing strategy.
