Content writing is a highly valued skill in the content marketing industry. It’s no wonder that 70% of marketers are now investing in content, with 40% of them saying that it is an essential part of their overall marketing strategy.
Content marketing gives your business an edge over competitors through better search engine optimization (SEO). With a solid content plan, you can target specific keywords and reach your target audience.
Not everyone is great at all business areas, though, and content writing can quickly become an overwhelming task. If you’ve decided not to go it alone, you can choose between a few content outsourcing options. These include content writing agencies, content writing freelancers, and AI content writing assistants.
In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know to choose a content writing service, the three types of content writing services you can choose from, and how AI can help.
Do you need a content writing service?
It’s worth asking yourself if a content writing service is the best fit for you. Before you jump in, consider these factors to decide whether this is the best path for you.
- Content quantity: If you need to create a large volume of content in a short time frame, you may want to consider hiring out rather than trying to write it all yourself.
- Creative autonomy: Outsourcing to a content writing service may mean losing some creative freedom and trusting instead in the service. Although you will need to provide some information regarding brand voice, tone, and personality, you won’t be writing the words.
- Budget: Not all startups have a budget for a large marketing agency, and not all booming businesses want to add one more task to their daily to-do list. It’s up to you to gauge your budget in terms of your available time and energy.
Different types of content writing services to match your needs
If you think using a content writing service is the right fit for you after considering the factors listed above, here are the three types to choose from and what we recommend using each one for. You know your business the best, so you can use these tips to make the best decision.
Pros and cons of working with content writing agencies
Agencies are made up of multiple professional writers, editors, and content strategists. They might specialize in a specific type of content writing or focus on general content marketing strategy and content management.
Use a content writing agency if:
- You have the budget: If your business has the budget and you’re ready to invest in content marketing, it’s often easier to work with content agencies. A reputable content writing agency can often work with your branding strategist for an effective marketing campaign to rebrand your business and boost your content.
- You need a consistent flow of content: If you need to produce a large volume of content to promote your business, agencies might be the way to go. They’re known for providing well-researched content written by expert writers and edited in a quick turnaround time. In addition, because all the content is from one source, you’ll end up with a more consistent style.
- You need a content strategy. A content writing agency typically has various professional tools at its disposal, including tools for in-depth keyword research. These agencies also often work on your content strategy, helping you target various relevant keywords and get customers at different stages of their buyer journey.
TL;DR: Agencies are best if you are rebranding or launching with high-quality content, if you want a sizeable, cohesive amount of content, or if you want to boost your SEO and beat out competitors. This is also the best choice for larger and higher-end businesses with the budget to make it work.
When to work with content writing freelancers
Freelancers are often a one-person team or one person working with subcontractors. You can find these writers on freelance marketplaces like Upwork, on social media, or even through search engines and referrals.
Freelance content writers may specialize in a particular niche, such as writing for business or consumer audiences. They may also have other content marketing skills like copywriting or content strategy.
Typically, the more specialized a freelancer is, the more likely they’ll write the best piece of content in that area. So rather than being sort of good at a bunch of things, they are great in one area.
Hire a freelance writer if:
- You already have a marketing team: You may not want to spend a big-ticket price on an entire agency team when you already have an in-house content marketing team. In such cases, most people prefer to work with a handful of individual freelance writers who support their team.
- You prefer to work with individuals over a team: If you prefer personalized content assistance from writers, working with a freelancer may appeal to you more than an agency.
- You want a one-off hire: If you need someone to help you with a quick content or copywriting project, it might be easier to find a freelancer instead of engaging an entire agency. This also applies if you’re working with a limited budget.
TL;DR: Hiring a content writing freelancer is best if you’re looking for minimal or one-off support. It may also be the right choice if you already have a solid in-house marketing team or simply prefer to engage with several individual writers instead of an agency.
Why you should try a content writing AI-assistant
Want to work on content writing without hiring anyone? Artificial intelligence (AI) may be your best bet. AI can now help you scale your content creation without working with another human. It can make your workflow easier and more efficient.
Use an AI writing assistant if:
- You want complete control: Writing with AI means you control every word, sentence, and paragraph in your content. If you don’t like what the AI outputs, simply delete it and try again.
- You want the most cost-effective option. Some AI programs may have a higher price point than others, but you’re almost guaranteed it won’t be as expensive as paying a freelancer per article or project. Plus, as your business grows, you won’t have to pay extra to have more content. You can simply use your AI assistant more often.
- You want variety within the same price point: Most AI writers do more than just one kind of writing. They can assist in writing various types of content, giving you the freedom to write whatever you need on-demand.
TL;DR: With an AI content generator, you get the most control and the most cost-effective option with the opportunity to grow without paying more as you go.
How AI assistants can help create different content formats
AI assistants can generate as much or as little written content as you need. The most significant benefit of AI assistants in content writing is the guarantee that everything is original content — no plagiarism. Here we'll consider a variety of content formats and web pages for which AI assistants can especially come in handy.
1. About pages
Your about page is the one place where you showcase yourself or your business, so it needs to be authentically you. Using an AI writer guides you in the right direction to write an about page that reflects well on you. With AI writing assistants, you can select the tone of your about page, provide all the information and let the AI spin the words.
2. Blog writing
Blogs are one of the top ways to boost your SEO, find your audience, and prove your expertise while building trust. Writing SEO blog posts on your own can get time-consuming, and every dollar counts when you’re starting from the ground up.
Working with an AI saves you up to half the time it usually takes to generate ideas, plan your outline and write the content. It also saves you all the time spent communicating with potential hires, hiring, or processing invoices.
3. Long-form content
Use AI to write engaging long-form content for your audience. Besides blog posts, writing long-form content like white papers and case studies is crucial to demonstrating subject matter expertise on your website. These kinds of content can convert potential leads into customers. Save your wallet and use an AI assistant to get your work done quickly and painlessly.
4. Video scripts
Thanks to the burgeoning video marketing space, video scripts and podcast transcripts are a growing requirement of content. AI writing assistants won’t leave you hanging with this either. Instead, they can help you write riveting video scripts and even give you video ideas for your YouTube channel.
5. Personal bios
Revise your personal or professional bio to perfection instantly with AI. After writing blog posts and other long-form content, finish it all off with a bio that shines with personality. Check out these examples of personal bios written with an AI to see what you can get in just minutes.
How Jasper can help you create outstanding content
Jasper is a content-writing AI taught by experts to write SEO-optimized copy in seconds. With over 52+ writing templates, Jasper can help solve just about any content writing need while optimizing every word for search engines. Here are a few examples of content created with Jasper:
1. Product descriptions
Writing product descriptions is a time-consuming part of any e-commerce business. Your descriptions need to showcase the benefits and features of your product while drawing readers in.
Jasper can make this process faster by building on your basic description of the product to craft an appealing product description. This example uses Jasper’s Product Description template.
Jasper also generates as many outputs as you’ll need. Just keep at it until you find what you like.
2. Website content
Websites need content before they can be launched. Website content includes all your page titles, headlines, promotion bars, FAQs, and any copy your business needs. But, undeniably, your headline is what hooks readers.
Our AI assistant has those covered with multiple options for writing your website and web content. This example demonstrates Jasper’s template Perfect Headline.
Jasper also has a Website Sub-headline template and templates for SEO titles and meta descriptions to optimize your site.
3. Company bios
Jasper helps you write the perfect company bio to introduce your business to potential customers without all the stress of writing, revising, and multiple edits. Get as many results as you need until you find the perfect bio. This example uses the Company Bio template from Jasper.
4. Photo captions
Coming up with captions for your social media posts isn’t easy when you have so many other things on your mind. Using AI helps you quickly create all the captions you need for your social media pages while remembering to include emojis for interest and hashtags for visibility.
This example shows Jasper’s Photo Post Captions template in action.
5. Content improvement
Sometimes your writing is just missing a little pizzazz. Perhaps you wish you could be more succinct, use words outside your vocabulary, or even simplify the content for better readability. Jasper has you covered. Try Jasper’s Text Summarizer, Content Improver, and Explain It to a Child templates to give your content some extra sauce.
Here’s the Content Improver template in action:
You can even change the tone of voice to match what you’re looking for.
One more special thing about Jasper is that the Jasper Bootcamp shares even more efficient ways to use the AI and create your best content.
Ready to save time and get back to doing what you love? Sign up for Jasper to start writing great content!
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