Every week I get at least one email with the same theme as the content: Outsourcing my SEO copywriting. And since I do all my own copywriting, I can only guess that the senders of these emails (poorly-written at that) are trying to get me to outsource YOUR writing. They back up their offer with rock-bottom prices and supposed ‘big name’ copywriters who are already doing the same.
Now, there’s no way I’m the only SEO copywriter on their mailing list, so it stands to reason that some of my fellow writers have actually gone this route and outsourced their clients’ work. But I wonder how many of these copywriters (and ad agencies and PR firms for that matter) are upfront with their clients about this. My guess is not many.
And it got me thinking: Assuming the SEO companies mentioned really did outsource their writing to India, I wonder what their clients would think if they knew the real scoop. I’ve worked at PR firms where press release writing was not outsourced, but it was certainly not the best it could have been. Case in point: If I was asked to write a release announcing a client had received an award, I would invariably be told to use a release for a different client, save a new copy and replace the client’s name, spokesperson’s name and boilerplace paragraph. Everything else stayed – even the quote.
This agency and many like it are charging big bucks to write releases that aren’t even original. And while this practice isn’t exactly outsourcing, it’s still a disservice to clients.
In my world, also known as the real world, I do all the work when you hire me. I’ve had people ask me if I outsource, and I’m more than happy to tell them that I do all the work and have never outsourced. I think clients and potential clients appreciate this kind of honesty when it comes to their SEO content writing projects.
There are a few other things that you as a client can do to make sure you’re getting the best copywriter for your buck – even if you’re working with an agency:
Develop a relationship with your copywriter by asking questions. I’ve been in agencies where I was never allowed to meet the client. And if I did meet the client, I was not allowed to answer questions. Seriously. If this happens to you and you feel like your agency is building a wall around the writer on your project, get a new agency. Your copywriter should be ass accessible as your agency account executive and CEO.
Don’t freak out if your agency says they are going to outsource your copy to a freelance copywriter. That copywriter could be me. Then again, it could be some guy who looks like me halfway around the world making $4 an hour to write copy for 100+ companies. If your project gets farmed out, you can still ask to talk to the writer before you commit.
Ask questions about the writer’s history and their process. I always try to get mew clients and all the key players in a project to meet for a conference call before I start writing. On that call we hammer out things that are project related AND process related. For example, when I have a question, I need to know who to call first so I don’t waste an hour of my time and look like a fool calling 20 different people in the client’s office. On the project side, we talk about the writing: what tone we’ll use, length of copy, design issues, etc.
Remember the rule of Good, Fast, Cheap: Pick two. In other words, if you want it cheap and fast, it won’t be good, etc. Spend $20 on a page of copy, and chances are you’ll get a page that tells the world you spent $20. A good SEO content writer isn’t cheap and there’s a reason for it. You’ll get better returns, and you’ll thank yourself for spending the money.
Jason Pedley is an Internet-based SEO Content Writer developing web content for his clients worldwide. His clients have included Condo Hotel Center, RE/MAX and Mohegan Sun. Need a quote for your next project? Two minutes and a simple form will get you a fast quote.
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