Working with a content marketing agency is rapidly gaining traction, as it can actually work out to be more affordable than finding your own in-house guru.
In the many realms of business, outsourcing used to be considered a dirty word. The concept was immediately associated with offshore call centres, or third parties who simply didn’t know – or care – about the business they were representing or working with.
However, thanks to the global pandemic, things have changed. Brands of all shapes and sizes have had to get creative when it comes down to servicing the needs of their business. For some, outsourcing bridged the gap between getting the job done versus being able to afford a full time staff member to see it through. For others, social distancing and isolation measures forced them to consider remote workplace agreements for the first time.
The primary reason for companies to outsource is to save up on overhead costs. It’s not uncommon to see brands outsource parts of their business responsibilities into sectors, such as accounting, human resources, IT, and marketing. In Australia, the concept of outsourcing generally focuses on gathering the support and expertise of skilled and talented professionals, and has proven to be especially beneficial for small to medium enterprises looking to build a team that is the right fit.
Trying to do business online requires clear, consistent and on brand content like blogs, videos and graphics – and it’s not an easy task if you don’t know what you’re doing. However, the negative stereotypes of outsourcing to a third party do still linger. Business owners understandably get nervous about being less “hands on”, and placing their reputation in the hands of a stranger.
The good news is that if you’re considering outsourcing parts of your brand’s marketing strategy, there are a few fail safe methods to take note of when partnering with a content marketing agency for a seamless transition.
Six Tips On Partnering With A Content Marketing Agency
When signing up a third party to take on a chunk of your business, it’s understandable that some operators feel slightly anxious about what to expect. In terms of your marketing division, think of the relationship with your selected content marketing agency as a partnership – one in which success is dependent on all parties involved.
To get the best results out of your experience, there are a few best practices to keep in mind when partnering with a content marketing agency.
Communication Is Key – What’s the end goal for your brand’s marketing efforts? A top tier content marketing agency knows that there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to packing a punch online, so get specific with your vision. Check in regularly, pick up the phone and don’t ignore emails in order to get the best from your outsourcing efforts.
Know Your Audience – When it comes to your target audiences, business owners aren’t mind readers – and neither are marketing professionals. While the latter can use data to determine who’s engaging with your brand, be sure to have an idea on who, where and what your ideal client looks like.
Give The Backstory – The more insights you give your content marketing agency, the better. Let them know the backstory behind your brand – why you started it, what you love about it, and what involvement you have in your local community. This provides invaluable information in order to share your story with the world through the content they produce for you.
Provide The Technical Stuff – Nobody knows the exact ins and outs of your business like you do, so don’t be afraid to correct your content marketing agency on the finer details of your product, item or service. This is particularly relevant if you’re in a niche market, as it’s one of the key aspects as to what sets you apart from your competition.
Give Feedback – If you aren’t “feeling” the voice, tone or presentation of the content produced on behalf of your brand or business, then say something. It’s a lot easier for your content marketing agency to work with you during the process as opposed to fixing major strategy points after the work is already done.
Do Your Research – Would you ask an electrician to renovate your bathroom? When partnering with a content marketing agency, make sure you do your research to determine the best fit for your business. Have they worked with your industry before? Are they able to produce the type of content that you need? Are their reviews favourable? Ask these questions before you settle.
Sourcing A Reputable Content Marketing Agency
Producing quality, consistent and on brand content takes time, effort, experience and resources – and you’re not alone if you can’t quite commit to that. Avoiding this core component of your brand’s advertising strategy may actually be doing your brand a disservice, but thankfully – investing in a solid content marketing strategy has never been easier.
Here at Content Hive, producing top quality digital content is exactly what we do best. We have itemised a list of digital content services, and allocated credits next to each of these. This means that each month, you can use your credits with us to produce digital content such as blog articles, social media posts, videos and even animated Instagram stories. By using this model, we believe that it enables us to produce high quality content with faster delivery times. It also means that because you have a monthly credit, you are going to want to make sure you use these up – and so do we – meaning that your digital content is always consistent.
If you aren’t quite sure where to start on your digital marketing journey and would like to speak to a professional, why not book in a free discovery call with us at Content Hive today to discuss how we can get your brand buzzing online.
