Cheap Content vs. Quality Content Writing | How to Decide
Content marketing at its core seeks to achieve one simple goal, getting people to read what’s been written.
And content marketing requires a thoughtful plan to succeed in getting your brand purpose and message across. Now, add to that brands rushing to publish articles, feature stories, blog posts, whitepapers, e-books, social media posts and more as inexpensively as possible and a problem arises.
Quality suffers, and in the end, so does the brand.
Are you looking to outsource content writing? Beware! Hiring unqualified and inexperienced writers creating cheap, badly written content costs you in several ways. There is a big difference between cheap content versus quality content writing. How do you decide what will work best for your content marketing strategy?
You can pay a lot or a little for your content, but the old adage, “You get what you pay for.” should be taken into consideration when making choices regarding content strategy and brand placement. Cheap content is good for the bottom line, and something small businesses seek, however not paying for quality content writing costs considerably in the end!
Are you familiar with the phrase, 'Content is king' ? Content is everything from web-design and development, brand campaigns, blogging, social media, digital marketing and more. Truth is, a badly written piece of content sends a strong message to the reader, an impression not easily forgotten that also damages your SEO.
You can pick up 500 words for $5-$10 online by reading brief reviews hoping to find someone ‘good’, someone experienced, someone who can get you what you need, CHEAP. Sounds easy, right!
You might as well find a magic lamp, rub hard and wish for your goals to be met. Reality is, if you use a cheap content writing service a great deal of additional work can be necessary on your part. The problem is cheap writers don’t know your brand voice and in many cases basic writing skills. Do you have the resources to task staff with editing less experienced writers?
Using inexperienced, cheap writers can sink a brand.
Many cheaply hired writers do not care about keyword research or how to write articles for SEO, the most important aspect of quality content writing. They do not research keywords, keyword phrases, or know how to place keywords.
Often they do not know what metadata is let alone its importance in a digital world. And if they do, they can’t afford to spend the time it takes, you are paying them to bang out 500 words for $5.
A writer with a college degree in Communications, English or Liberal Arts with no knowledge of SEO, link building, your niche, business, or brand guidelines will have a difficult time delivering exactly what you need. You will need to devote company time and resources to get the results you require.
Cheap content producers are not employees you can train to ‘do things your way’, they write the number of words you ask for as quickly as they can to get on to the next piece they were hired to write. They make money on volume.
Writing achieves nothing if no one reads it, and if you fool me once, I won’t be back.
Quality content writing grabs a reader and keeps them coming back for more.
So let’s say you hired someone cheap and are thinking, “I can’t write, but I can edit! I will fix whatever they turn in.” First, chances are good if you can confidently say, “I am not a writer.” you most likely should not be editing.
Editors are responsible for overseeing quality, correcting errors in style, grammar, and factual accuracy; digital content editors must also adjust for accurate SEO, and linking. Second, good editors spend years learning the craft, read voraciously and write every day. Does this describe you?
If you use a cheap content service you will need a strong editor to review and make necessary changes. Perhaps you are a writer and a confident editor, the next question to ask is, “How much do I save when paying someone for content only to spend time heavily editing the content, making changes to bad structure and adjusting the content to match my audience?” Another consideration would be, "What is the risk versus reward should you or a staff member miss something before it’s published?" The cost can be your brand’s influence and reputation.
So what are your options? First, you do not have to pay an arm and a leg for quality content writing, but it’s important to budget the going rate for quality content. It’s also important to hire local writers familiar with your brand, location and community presence. Someone who can experience first-hand what you offer and communicate their experience to potential consumers. Hiring a digital marketing company employing qualified content writers who can provide the quality content you need is not as expensive as you might think.
If after consulting with a local provider your budget will not allow you to partner with a digital marketer in the short term, budget for the long term understanding the pros and cons of cheap content versus quality content writing and consider using a cheap online content service in the short term provided you also find someone reputable to edit the content keeping SEO in mind. Remember, even beautifully written pieces mean nothing in they aren’t being read!
Don’t waste resources. Don’t sink your brand. Choose quality content writing. Call for a free consultation today and schedule a business analysis. We have a plan to fit your budget. We are long-term partners with our clients, building on success and, we can provide the quality content writing you need.
