When it comes to your company’s content writing, “To DIY, or not to DIY?” That is the question. Is it worth the time investment to write your web content internally? Or should you hire a ghostwriter to help you craft on-message content in your brand’s voice?
In this post we’ll explore both options and their pros and cons for your business.
Common Considerations in Business Content Writing
Before we compare the DIY content writing option with hiring a freelance ghostwriter, let’s look at some common concerns or considerations you might have.
Hiring decisions for content writing will likely revolve around one or more of the following:
- Cost / savings
- Time (staff or owner availability)
- Technical considerations (HTML knowledge, SEO experience, etc.)
- Subject matter expertise
- Writing, editing, and research skills
Keeping those things in mind, let’s see how these two options stack up.
When it Makes Sense to Write Your Own Content
As a business owner myself, I know it can be tempting to take the DIY route to things early on. It can feel like you’re minimizing risks. And sometimes you are.
That might be the case if most, or all, of the following are true for you:
- You have the available time, and that time wouldn’t be more profitable spent elsewhere.
- You don’t have the budget to hire a professional writer yet (not uncommon for new solopreneurs).
- Your content requires subject matter expertise you possess.
- You have proven writing or publishing skills (that go beyond getting As in high school or college English classes).
- Your content strategy involves building your personal image as a thought leader.
Time and skills should be primary concerns. It doesn’t make much sense to spend your time writing company blog posts, for example, if that takes you away from bringing more direct income into the business. And it’s not enough to be able to string pretty sentences together. You need to be able to write in a way that each piece of content helps you toward your larger business goals, like bringing in leads.
When it comes to your budget, sometimes it’s smarter to wait on building your content library if the alternative is half-assing it or buying cheap content that comes with greater risks.
If the primary goal of your content plan is to build yourself up as a thought leader in your industry, and you have the expertise to write competently in a way that your professional peers respect, you’re a prime candidate for writing your own content. If you have the time, that is.
But what if these conditions aren’t true for you?
When it Makes Sense to Hire a Ghostwriter
There are also times when it makes more sense to hire freelance writers. We’re going to focus on ghostwriters in particular, because they still give you and your business the benefits that come with credit.
When is it a good idea to hire a ghostwriter?
- You’re ready to invest in improving your existing content, or want outside input on your overall content strategy.
- You’re looking to expand your content strategy, but you don’t need enough to justify hiring regular staff.
- There isn’t enough time to write yourself, but you still want input and credit for thought leadership purposes.
- Your existing content isn’t performing as well as you’d hoped (SEO, lead generation, etc.) and you aren’t sure why.
- You don’t feel your writing ability is up to par for the kind of quality content you want to publish.
There’s no shame in any of this. Part of being an effective business owner or manager is knowing when to delegate.
One of the biggest benefits of hiring a freelance ghostwriter is that they can offer objective third party insight and help you identify problems and opportunities you were too close to see. And they can do that while you reap all of the benefits and credit for the content you publish. Sometimes fresh eyes make all the difference.
Another key benefit to consider is the fact that ghostwriters specialize in learning how to write in their clients’ voices. This gives you a more consistent public brand image than over-relying on individuals. For example, if all of your content comes from one or two bylined subject matter experts and they leave your company, the readers they attract might follow them. But if the bulk of your content is tied specifically to your brand and ghostwriters maintain a consistent voice, those readers should stay even if you work with different ghostwriters in the future.
Are you thinking about writing your own content, but not sure where to start? Consider having a professional writer help you build the content strategy your future content will come from. I can help with that when you’re ready. Or get in touch and I can write your content for you as well.
