Content Marketing: Writing Agencies are No Longer Selling Their Services Cheap
Updated 19th June 2018
It is advertisement and marketing all the way. Nothing’s changed. Don’t be fooled.
Native advertising may seem like a new concept, but I think differently. I bet advertisers are just getting more consumer-focused and fluid.
Businesses are throwing dollars to be on good books with the consumer. So they are bringing in the more adaptive advertisers on board.
Content Marketers on the other hand, have convinced brands that selling stories is the way to go. But even as closing in more sales is seemingly becoming tough with the advent of growing competitors, marketers are not giving up.
They are adapting, just like native advertisers!
Since the past decade or so, digital technology has been evolving at unbelievable speeds. From using text messages we have reached the age of instant messages and video calls over the data network.
A similar effect has been seen with advertising and marketing domains. With so many people spending most of their day on social media and micro-blogging platforms, it seems an obvious place for marketing your products.
That only leaves one thing unclear.
Is Adapting the New Marketing King Pin?
Consumable content is fluid, but advertisement and marketing remains. Native advertising and content marketing, as the industry mavens would have it, are simply jargon.
The real meat is with what the consumer market is discussing.
I believe the discussion revolves around the noise that the content around them appears to be overwhelming them with.
It is not surprising that marketers are taking a break and rethinking their strategies.
One such strategy is content writing. Probably the oldest and most used form of content marketing, writing has shaped some brands and defaced some.
According to stats on the content marketing trends in 2017, print resurgence was predicted as among the new things about content marketing that year.
It only hit higher numbers in 2018, except this time, we are seeing more interplay with digital and print.
Two years back, the death of the print industry might have been a relatable demise, but not so today.
The cycle of content marketing, appears to not relent on the effectiveness of the written word on whichever platform
More surprisingly, is the growth of email marketing, which almost affirms again, the power of the written word.
You have it! Content marketers know this, and they are now more than ever, turning their gaze towards content writing agencies.
Here are a few reasons why I think so:
Marketing strategy
One of the most effective, reliable and economical marketing strategy is digital marketing. It does not involve the hectic traveling and cuts on the expenses that go with it.
The 2018 digital marketer is not looking for a content writing agency – most have partnered with one already. They are simply strategizing on how to adapt to Google’s new algorithm changes.
The content marketer slash writer or editor is more than a scripter in 2018.
They know their content is worthless if it does not function under the finer environment of performance analytics.
In effect, the more efficient content marketers are scaling into agencies. This opens them up to more scope and talent.
The content writing agencies create a platform where the creative minds meet, study the client’s target market, pitch ideas, work out a content map or strategy, and then execute.
The marketer and advertisers now take the content and distribute in the client’s media assets as well as paid platforms.
As this content spreads, your writing agency is measuring performance to ensure the loopholes are sealed in the next strategy. Could it be better?
Economical
It may not seem as so, but content writing agencies are economical in the long run.
It may appear cheaper hiring a freelance content writer for your regular content, but eventually, you could end up paying more on other necessary services.
Hiring a content writing agency can help a brand clump all these with one content writing package.
Direct marketing has become too mainstream. People usually have a way of somehow avoiding the sales person who shows up smack on their face.
Now that explains the necessary evil that is content.
Digital marketers are looking for a content writing agency that knows their thing all too well.
Usually, there is more effectiveness that slashes the marketing budget by a significant chunk.
The company usually gives small amounts to the agency for providing catchy content and descriptions for its products.
That and performance analytics, go a long way in ensuring effective marketing, both online and offline, say print media.
Search Engine Ranking
Companies looking for a content writing agency, most often than not, are looking for more than just a content writer.
A content writer will do a good job at providing content.
However, aspects such as content traction, may involve greater skills e.g. those of a content strategist or consultant.
This is in order to attract visitors by proper management of keywords and Search engine Optimization (SEO) techniques.
A freelancer can get you good copy, given. But what about strategy?
It may be a hassle before you land on the right talent, and that’s where the content writing agency comes in.
It may also help to note that not all writing agencies are content marketing agencies. Get an idea of a content marketing agency here.
If a content writing agency barely screams content marketing from their homepage, it is likely they are no content marketing agency, and so don’t bet for strategy – you may not get that from them.
Check out how the psychology of search intent has changed how Google is ranking websites.
Now, content (text, images, videos, etc.) is matched against the consumer’s thinking as they feed their queries on search engines (Google to be more precise).
The finer results are those that succinctly but adequately address the consumer’s need.
That means, informative content is an irreducible minimum to improve your website’s ranking by the search engines.
But will all brands pay attention to this? Likely not. Only the winning brands will stay ahead by simply adapting to such market trends.
Easy Availability
Looking for a content writing agency is never tough. There are thousands of them out there; some established ones and others as start-ups trying to get their feet on firm grounds.
However, you need to know your goals.
Do you just need a writer? Might you benefit from a journalistic writer? Perhaps even need an experienced editor to put your copy under a finer lens?
If you can answer these before starting the search, you are good to go.
Say you just want a writer, a platform like iwriter can get you that for all budgets.
If it is more than just a writer and you need different types of writers? Platforms like upwork and the freelancer can do you well.
However, if you want a fuller package where you get strategy, a team (constituting a healthy mix of talent) and uncompromised quality, you may want to consider something else.
Platforms like contently, scripted, and inkedhubwriters will do you good with their expertise in market analytics and powerful storytelling as well.
For a digital marketer looking for content writing agencies, you can never run out of workforce options.
A marketer can outsource their help from both industry experts with rich experience and from a newbie looking to earn by selling their innovative content writing skills.
You just have to remember to know what you need first.
If you are not sure how to go about this, you can always get help from a strategist here.
Technology
You may not know it, but the smart content agencies are incorporating tech into their services.
With the arrival of content marketing software, it has become increasingly easy for publishers to manage their content.
Meaning, marketers can work with publishers right from the comfort of their office space.
All they need is a content agency as a partner who can then authorize them to access their publishing resources for use.
Companies are realizing that powerful brands have turned into powerful media houses.
Content writing that is devoid from tech, works now, but the assurance of its effectiveness in future, is certainly fading.
Content marketers have known this, and they are taking advantage of it.
Wrapping
So where does that leave us?
As a content writer, engaging a community of writers within a content agency could be a sure-fire way of reaching many brands. Not to mention the immense opportunities to grow.
For marketers, the industry needs are still growing, and so are the content writing agencies around.
Publishers, now more than ever, can rejoice for the possibilities they have in leveraging for the multiple creative skills within these content agencies.
While a content writing agency may not be the only way out, it sure is a good and insured way out.
Don’t stress it, let us lift the bulk by helping you handpick your next creative team.