It’s no secret that businesses need content to survive and thrive online. In fact, a recent study shows that companies with blogs receive 97% more linkbacks to their website than those without.

 

 

But as anyone who’s tried to find a good content writing service knows, it’s not always easy. There are so many services out there that it can be daunting to figure out which is right for your business. Of course, you don’t want to waste your time and money on a service that isn’t going to produce quality content.

 

 

Otherwise, you have to write it. And let’s be honest… 

 

 

Unless you’ve got a degree in writing, it’s probably not your strong suit either. That’s why you’re outsourcing it after all.

 

 

Plus, as a manager, you may feel overwhelmed with building a content strategy that covers all bases that produce real ROI on your content marketing efforts. You may want to post a job description and hire the first agency that applies, but this route often leads to more stress.

 

 

When working with a mediocre content writing service, all you get is:

 

• Low-quality content that doesn’t reflect well on the business
• Written content that’s poorly written and full of errors
• Failure to deliver content on time, hurting the business’s online presence
• Unreasonable prices that eat into the business’s marketing budget
• Content that fails to improve your website’s ranking on the search engine results page (SERP)

 

 

Unfortunately, in such situations, surviving the cut-throat competition seems like a distant dream for every business, especially startups.

 

 

8 Steps to Hiring a Content Writing Agency

 

 

Outsourcing a content writing agency may seem like an expensive and complicated investment. Still, it’s the most effective way to optimize your marketing ROI while focusing on your core business. Plus, B2B marketers who post blogs get 67% more leads than those who don’t.

 

 

Here are a 8 steps to keep in mind when hiring a content writing agency:

 

1. Define Your Objectives and Goals

 

Every business is unique, and so are its objectives. Therefore, you need to figure out your specific goals before looking for an agency. Once you know what you want to achieve, finding an agency to help you meet those goals will be easier.

 

 

For example, if your goal is to improve your search engine optimization (SEO) rankings, then you’ll need to find an agency that specializes in SEO content writing services. On the other hand, if you want to increase brand awareness or boost website traffic, look for an agency with expertise in those areas.

 

 

2. Consider the Agency’s Writing Style and Tone

 

The agency’s writing style should align with your brand’s voice and tone. After all, you don’t want an agency that produces content that sounds nothing like your company.

 

 

To get an idea of the agency’s writing style, look at their blog or other articles they’ve written and see if they seem like they were written by a professional writer. If you like what you see, then shortlist them for further consideration.

 

 

3. Check Their Portfolio

 

A good content writing agency will have a strong portfolio showcasing its work for other clients. This will give you a better idea of their writing style, tone, and overall quality.

 

 

When you’re looking at the agency’s portfolio, pay attention to the results they were able to achieve for the clients. For example, if an agency helped a client increase their website traffic by 70% by improving their search engine rankings, that’s a good sign that they could do the same for your business.

 

 

Another thing is to see if they’re culturally fit for your business, as this determines if you can work with them long-term. Read through the agency’s website to see if they have the same general values around best business practices.

 

 

4. Make Sure They Understand Your Target Audience

 

The content writing agency you hire must understand your target audience. After all, they need to produce content that appeals to your specific target market.

 

 

One way to gauge whether or not an agency understands your target audience is to look at the type of clients they usually work with. They should have experience working with companies in your industry.

 

 

It also helps to ask the agency about their methods to research your target audience. This will give you a better idea of whether or not they’re capable of producing content that resonates with your specific target market.

 

 

5. Consider Their Pricing

 

When it comes to pricing, you get what you pay for. So, don’t be tempted to choose the cheapest option just because you want to save money. That being said, you also don’t want to overspend on an agency just because they have a high price tag. 

 

 

The key is finding an agency that offers competitive rates without compromising quality.

 

 

So, always request quotes from multiple agencies and compare their prices. This will help you find an agency that falls within your budget while still ensuring they provide high-quality content.

 

 

6. Ask About Their Process

 

A good content writing agency will have well-defined processing that they follow for each client. This process should include professional writers conducting research, keyword optimization, editing, and proofreading.

 

 

When speaking with an agency, ask about their process and see if it aligns with your expectations. If it does, that’s a good sign that they’re a reputable and reliable agency. You should also about their turnaround time to get an idea of how long it will take them to produce the content you need.

 

 

7. Get a Trial Run

 

Once you’ve narrowed your options, it’s time to make a final decision. But before you commit to working with an agency, it’s a good idea to first get a trial run. This will allow you to see if the agency is a good fit for your business. It will also let you know what it’s like to work with them on a project.

 

 

If everything goes well, you can move forward with working with the agency long-term. If not, you can simply walk away and find another agency to work with.

 

 

8. Check If They Can Follow Through 

 

To assess if the agency can follow through with all its promises, consider the following:

 

• Does the agency show up promptly to meetings?
• Is it easy to communicate with them? 
• Do they return calls and email back in a timely manner?
• Does the content they produce seem like it was written by expert writers?

 

 

These are signs the agency can follow through in the long run. But, remember, it’s not in your best interest to be so lenient when it comes to following through on promised services. If they start showing that they can’t deliver, then move on to another agency that will.

 

 

Outsource to Improve Your Content Strategy and Boost Sales

 

As a business owner, you probably don’t have ample time to strategize, regularly write blog posts, and manage your content marketing strategy. But, whatever you can’t do in-house, you can do with outsourcing.

 

 

By partnering with professional content creators and strategists, you can improve your brand’s credibility and online content without going through the time-consuming and expensive trial and error that comes with nailing business blogging. Plus, you can save more money because you pay for the services you need and then scale up or down accordingly.

 

 

If you’re looking to increase your SERP ranking with SEO-optimized content, then ScaleUpSales is here to help.

 

 

With ScaleUpSales, you’re assured of curated content promoted through social media, email, and blogs that drive engagement and generate leads. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!