This guest post is by Brant Carrion
The thing about a blog is that it has a personality, style and focus on specific topics given to it by the author that attracts a certain kind of audience. Those wondering whether and how to outsource your blog should first understand that it is important for the blog to retain its personality.
The lack of personality and a consistent opinion is why 60 to 80 percent of new blogs end up abandoned within the first month.
In three months, 95 percent of all newly launched blogs are orphans floating on the net.
Does this mean that only the author can write posts and it cannot be outsourced? Not by a long shot, because some of the most successful blogs are those that have managed to grow up adding more authors.
When the audience grows beyond a certain point, it becomes difficult for a single author to manage expectations and do all the work required to keep a blog updated.
Outsourcing can take care of key blog management issues, including design, SEO, comment moderation and responses, and platform updates or plug-in management. It is quite easy to find separate freelancers or contractors to handle each of these tasks at a very low rate. Some, like design and SEO, can be limited to a one-time fixed rate.
A developer can be hired on a monthly rate to handle administration tasks, including blog platform updates and migration to a new content management system, if required. These are all aspects that will not affect the blog’s main content, writing style or focus on specific topics.
You can place an ad on classified sites like Craigslist, or post your requirement on a talent marketplace like ezdia.com etc. The reverse bidding process in these marketplaces brings down the rate you have to pay as a buyer of services.
Most of the functions and time spent on a blog can be outsourced in this way, freeing up the author’s time for content creation. If required, even post creation and publishing can be outsourced. But care has to be taken to match the provider’s talent and writing style with the author’s own style.
Take your time and find a writer willing to blog on your behalf at a low base rate. There are many such “pro-bloggers” who offer their blogging talent for hire. The important thing is to go through all the applications and ask for writing samples. Do not hire anyone unless you find a ghost blogger who can whip up posts you’d be proud to call your own.
Of course, outsourcing content creation is easier with blogs that focus on breaking news, product reviews, trend analysis and niche-specific blogs that provide how-to type posts and tips. Readers tend to focus on the subject matter rather than the writing style, and any change in style and tone when outsourced posts are published goes unnoticed.
Totally makes sense for readability – If I want to read 2000 words on something, would rather read 10 posts on it than one post. I’m in the process of creating blogging packages for my writing clients based on this and was SO hoping/then glad to find 200 words will get it done!
