Businesses are finally recognizing content as the backbone of modern marketing and online visibility. As such, they are demanding high-quality writers to champion their online presence and reach their target audience.
According to the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), about 73% of B2B marketers and 70% of B2C marketers deploy content marketing as one of their primary marketing strategies.
However, many businesses, particularly startups, often face the dilemma of choosing between hiring in-house writers or outsourcing to freelancers. This is a valid challenge, as both options have their pros and cons.
Ultimately, you only need to choose the solution that best fits your business needs, especially if you’re focused on achieving meaningful results.
In this article, I’ll help you weigh the pros and cons of both options and guide you in making the best decision for your business.
Who is an in-house writer?
An in-house writer is a full-time or part-time employee dedicated to a specific company. They are integrated into the organization and typically collaborate with the content team to execute the company’s overall content strategy.
An in-house writer typically has limited control over the projects they handle. They are expected to take on any assignment the company requires.
However, like other full-time employees, they receive a regular monthly salary and enjoy benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, bonuses, and other compensations.
Who is a freelance writer?
Freelance writers are independent contract writers. They aren’t fully committed to a single business because they work on a project-by-project basis or for a set period.
Freelance writers enjoy the flexibility of creating their schedules and working from anywhere in the world. Many freelancers prefer to specialize in a specific niche, which allows them to become industry experts.
An experienced and professional freelance writer is more likely to bring fresh creativity and SEO expertise to your business and propel it to reach a broader audience.
As a brand, a freelance writer can handle different content needs depending on your agreement. In cases that require anonymity, the freelance writer acts as a ghostwriter.
In-house vs freelance writers: What makes them different?
While both in-house and freelance writers can deliver high-quality content, there are critical differences in their work structures and approaches. Let’s examine these differences together.
| In-house Writers | Freelance Writers |
| They are full-time employees of the company who mostly passed through the regular recruitment and onboarding process. | They are independent contractors who can work for multiple clients at once. |
| They are entitled to a fixed monthly salary and benefits. | They are paid per project or hourly, depending on the agreement. |
| Available to take on urgent writing tasks and other assignments. | Only take tasks per agreement. |
| They have more company knowledge and feel more attached. | They are not attached to a company but are majorly experts in their niche. |
The pros of hiring in-house writers
From these differences, it’s clear why many businesses prefer hiring in-house writers over freelancers. Here are the pros of hiring in-house writers:
A clear understanding of the brand and culture
A full-time in-house writer is fully immersed in a brand’s culture and structure. Their proximity to other team members allows them to embody the company’s core values, work ethic, and drive.
In-house writers also have a deeper understanding of the company’s overall strategy and often feel like critical stakeholders in its success.
Consistency
Branding 101: Consistency in style, tone, and voice across all content channels is essential. However, maintaining brand consistency can be challenging when multiple freelancers are working simultaneously.
In contrast, an in-house writer or team can establish a cohesive writing style, structure, tone, and voice, ensuring consistent adherence across all content.
Collaboration
In-house writers are more likely to collaborate with other team members, as their full-time status fosters a stronger connection to the company.
Confidentiality
While it may be psychological, there is often a sense of safety in entrusting in-house employees with sensitive information. Businesses may find it challenging to share all their trade secrets with freelance writers hired from job boards.
Therefore, employing an in-house writer who signs confidentiality agreements can provide an added layer of security.
The cons of hiring in-house writers
On the other hand, there are several downsides to hiring an in-house writer:
High cost
Before finding the perfect in-house writers, many businesses invest in platforms to advertise job openings and attract suitable candidates. Additionally, salaries, benefits, and health insurance must be provided for each employee.
As a result, hiring an in-house writer is more expensive than hiring a freelance writer.
Limited knowledge
Most in-house writers, particularly in small organizations, are often jacks of all trades. However, they may lack the industry expertise, versatility, and fresh creativity that freelance writers can offer.
The pros of hiring freelance writers
The concept of freelance writing has gained popularity with the rise of startups. Freelancers enable companies to scale quickly without the additional costs associated with full-time employees. Here are a few advantages of hiring freelance writers today.
Cost-effectiveness
Hiring a freelance writer to manage your content is significantly more affordable than employing full-time staff.
The only financial obligation is the agreed-upon payment for completed projects, freeing you from the additional costs associated with benefits and allowances for in-house writers.
Thus, freelancing is a cost-effective way to produce quality content for your business without incurring various overhead expenses.
Flexibility in payment
With an in-house writer, whether ten pieces of content are produced in a month or just five, you are obligated to pay the fixed salary agreed upon in their contract.
In contrast, with a freelance writer, you only pay for the projects completed or according to a specific arrangement.
Hiring freelancers as a startup allows you the flexibility to compensate your writers on a per-project basis.
Expertise and specialization
A freelance writer often possesses more significant subject matter expertise than an in-house writer, particularly when the in-house writer lacks depth in specific areas.
This is primarily because they collaborate with various clients and cover diverse topics, allowing them to accumulate a wealth of experience that in-house writers may not have.
The cons of hiring freelance writers
Similarly, hiring freelance writers equally has its peculiar downsides.
Control
Control and access are typically easier with an in-house writer. Freelance writers often juggle multiple clients, which can lead to less seamless communication and access. You may need to coordinate with their schedules to avoid conflicts.
Collaboration
If you need your writer to collaborate with other teams in the organization, in-house writers can facilitate seamless collaboration.
By contrast, freelance writers typically work remotely and may prefer to work independently due to their lack of integration within the organization.
Confidentiality
You may want to withhold certain business information from a freelance writer, as they may not be as invested in protecting company information compared to an in-house writer.
Consistency
Maintaining brand consistency across all content can be challenging when working with various freelancers who are outside the in-house team.
Do freelance writers produce better SEO content?
Professional freelance writers often specialize in using various SEO tools to enhance brand visibility for their diverse clients.
They are typically more attuned to SEO trends, keyword strategies, meta tags, internal linking, and Google Analytics.
This expertise allows them to effectively analyze data, target keywords, and optimize content for search engine visibility.
On the other hand, unless your in-house writer is an SEO expert, they will likely concentrate on maintaining brand consistency and engagement through storytelling.
Why should you outsource content writing services?
Outsourcing content writing is one of the easiest ways to ensure high-quality writing that consistently meets all SEO standards. It offers the following benefits:
Save time
Outsourcing enables you to focus on the core aspects of your business while freelancers or writing agencies like RoninPoint manage your content writing. It makes sense to let skilled writers handle your business content, allowing you to concentrate on your strengths.
Deliver quality content at scale
Delegating your content writing to a freelancer or a writing agency enables your business to produce content at a larger scale, driving more traffic to your website.
All you need to do is specify the desired number of high-quality articles per week or month and watch skilled freelance writers like myself work their magic for you.
Collaborate with industry experts
As a business, you may need writers trained in a specific niche to break into a market. Outsourcing your content writing gives you the flexibility to work with different experts and gain market visibility at the best possible time.
Reduce cost
Hiring an in-house writing team can be costly for a startup focused on developing its minimum viable product (MVP). Outsourcing your brand’s content writing to freelancers or an agency is a flexible way to reduce expenses associated with hiring, training, and writing tools while still receiving high-quality, engaging SEO content.
Find the best freelance writers at RoninPoint
RoninPoint is a team of professional writers specializing in various industries. Each writer is highly skilled at leveraging SEO strategies to enhance your brand’s visibility and online reach.
As the ideal destination for professional, affordable, adaptable, and reliable subject matter experts, RoninPoint is committed to delivering quality content tailored to your needs.
If you’re seeking engaging, human-generated, and search-engine-optimized content, let RoninPoint handle your content writing services. Work with us to elevate your brand and drive results!
Who wrote this?
Okoye Chisom specializes in Content Writing, Copywriting, and Content marketing. Aside from creating content and copies for brands and individuals, she runs a personal blog targeted toward young adults.
On other days, she can be found exploring her interest in Tech, Content strategy, storytelling, hosting events, and teaching. You can reach her on Linkedin.
