Marketers from far and wide are divided between having an in-house content team and outsourcing their content requirements. Did you know almost 50% of marketers outsource their content while the remaining half don’t?
To better understand content outsourcing demands, we even surveyed marketers leading the growth for early-stage startup companies, and most of them leaned towards having an in-house content team. Here are their reasons.
#1 Better Understanding of the Brand and Its Values
Having an in-house content team means having all-time access to a squad of content creators who deeply understand your brand. They’ve been around long enough to soak up its story, values, voice, and unique quirks. They’re familiar with all the ups and downs, the inside jokes, and the subtle nuances that make your brand stand out.
“In-house content teams invest time in understanding your product or brand to craft compelling product-led content. This helps them establish thought leadership within the industry and become brand evangelists,” says Mailmodo’s marketing head, Zeeshan Akhtar.
And what happens when you have an army of in-house content experts?
- You create high-quality content that goes beyond your brand’s surface-level facts and reflects its personality.
- Your content team tunes into your brand’s wavelength, sparking meaningful connections with your audience.
#2 Greater Flexibility and Adaptability
Businesses are dynamic. They need you to be on your toes all the time. You might ideate the perfect campaign one day but decide to change gears halfway through the project. This is where your in-house content team saves the day. They’re like your very own content ninjas with the skills of a gymnast.
Well, not literally.
Let me explain. Your in-house content team lives and breathes your brand day after day. They know your goals and target audience and are in sync with your brand’s rhythm. So, every time you tweak your strategy, they’ll be ready to pivot faster than a break-dancers mid-spin. As Meta’s SMB Marketing Manager, Elisha Gada says,
“In-house teams have a lot more context about the company’s offerings. They have access to internal resources and have a quicker turnaround time.”
They are not bound by rigid contracts or juggle multiple projects at a time. The best part? They’re readily available. Want to tweak your content strategy? They’re already brainstorming ideas. Need a last-minute blog? Summon a content ninja, which brings us to our next point.
#3 Faster and More Efficient Communication
Erin Banta, the co-founder of Pepper, believes in-house content teams can communicate more effectively.
“They’re more convenient to work with since they’re readily available for conversation, which helps keep a more cohesive flow of content creation.”
With an in-house content team, you don’t have to wait for days (or weeks) to discuss new strategies or provide feedback. You can simply walk up to their desk or ping them on your trusty messaging platform to strike up a conversation. This instant connection makes for seamless communication, allowing you to:
- Make and implement crucial content-related decisions quickly.
- Provide immediate feedback or revision requests to your team.
- Minimize communication barriers to ensure a clear and effective exchange of information.
- Eliminate bottlenecks and enhance workflow efficiency through better project coordination.
All valid points. I’ll agree. So why even bother outsourcing content? Before you run off on a hiring spree, hear me out because I have something even better.
Instead of selecting the best between an in-house content team and outsourcing, why not pick both to create the dream team? With the strong brand understanding of the in-house team and the expertise and unique perspective that comes with outsourcing content, having your cake and eating it, too, can be a delicious reality.
Don’t just take my word for it. Nearly 50% of marketers outsource their content, of which 37% bank on a hybrid model of in-house teams and outsourcing.
Source: SEMrush
Another LinkedIn poll revealed that 63% of new businesses prefer combining in-house and outsourcing to create content. It’s more efficient, productive, and time-saving. Let me elaborate.
Source: LinkedIn
By leveraging the strengths of your in-house team and the expertise and resources of a content agency, you create a powerhouse that can manage a myriad of content requirements with supersonic speed and precision. This lets you stay on top of your content calendar while scaling your capacity and meeting tight deadlines.
Outsourcing part of your content requirement also allows your in-house content team to focus on other core objectives and creates a more efficient and streamlined workflow.
Posimyth Innovation’s CMO, Aditya Sharma, ships this concept too.“Each approach has its own strengths and is suitable for different types of content,” he says.
“While we create all documentation and brand voice messages in-house, partnering with Ukti has helped us create impactful content that resonates with our target audience. This blend of internal and external resources ensures that we have a comprehensive content strategy that caters to the diverse needs of our audience while maintaining control over our messaging and retaining a personal touch.”
But how do you determine what content to outsource and what to create in-house? Here’s a quick guide to help you.
What Type of Content Should You Create In-house?
Top global marketing influencer Heidi Cohen says, “It’s most important to keep elements that are most critical to your business in-house.” This includes functions like:
- Content marketing strategy
- Social media and related metrics
- Hygiene content like product descriptions, FAQs, etc.
- Case studies and success stories
- Email marketing campaigns
- Internal communications and employee newsletters
What content you can create in-house completely depends on your available resources, time, and requirements. As Scott Frangos, a digital marketing expert, puts it, “Anything you don’t have time to do should be outsourced.”
What Type of Content Should You Outsource?
We’d recommend outsourcing content writing if you have a huge content requirement. Agata Krzysztofik, VP of Growth at Piktochart, initially wanted to produce all their content internally because they know their product best.
“Unfortunately, reality hit us. It’s difficult to write that much content if you have a small marketing team. You cannot scale it because everyone has other tasks. So, we decided to go back to outsourcing,” she says.
Here are some content functions you can outsource:
- Blog posts
- Whitepapers and e-Books
- Social media copies
- Interview transcriptions
- Content translations
- Copywriting
- Graphic design and illustrations
- Video production and editing
- SEO services
In-house Content Teams and Outsourcing: A Match Made in Content Heaven
Let’s put the debate to rest once and for all. The era of in-house vs outsourcing is history. Combining the two to create powerful content pieces is the new in.
It gives you the best of both worlds—in-house content ninjas well-versed in your brand’s DNA and outsourced experts adept at managing complex projects, meeting strict deadlines, and elevating your content game.
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