If you want to make a successful website or blog then you should definitely look into content marketing. This is the form of marketing that website owners and business owners are investing the most time and money into at the moment and for good reason. Not only is content marketing ideal for building a big audience, it is also a great way to build a relationship with that audience, to earn their trust and to position yourself as a ‘thought leader’ in your niche.
The problem is that writing content takes time and effort and it also requires that you have a basic level of writing skill. It is for these reasons that many site owners will not write their own pages but will instead turn to freelancing sites like UpWork and Freelancer in order to acquire writers. Not only that, but they will often rely on other techniques like content submitted by users and content that has been curated from the web.
These options have their place but none is as effective or powerful as writing the content yourself. Here is why…
Being on Brand
First and foremost, writing content yourself ensures that it stays precisely on-message and on-brand. Your content doesn’t just need to be well-written to be effective, it also needs to convey a consistent message.
People want to know that you are on their wavelength. They need to know that if you are recommending a product, it is because you believe it is scientifically tested. Or that you believe it is natural and wholesome. Either way, they want to know that your opinions align with theirs.
If you hire writers to handle your work, then you are going to lose some of that. The best writers will try to stay neutral to avoid putting words in your mouth, while the worst ones might actually contradict the point of view you are trying to adhere to.
Excitement and Passion
The other problem is that hiring a writer creates more distance between you and the reader and it removes the excitement and passion that should be present in everything you discuss. The best blogs by far are those that are written by people who know the subject inside out and are passionate about it. Why?
Because they have the knowledge and understanding to bring something new to the table. They know the topic well enough to make suggestions that are exciting and to go beyond just beginner introductions.
A hired writer may know the subject well but they won’t want to be too adventurous with their content because they won’t know what you would be willing to say. Very often though, they’ll be learning as they write and that means the content is likely to be entry-level at best.
Of course, there are exceptions to these rules. The best option is to find someone who is as passionate about the topic as you. Whatever you do though, don’t settle for outsourced, generic content. Even if it is well-written.
