One of the key advantages of outsourcing content creation is the ability to produce content at a much faster pace because of access to a bigger pool of professionals and resources that may not be available in-house. However, let’s talk more about how much content you can expect from your content outsourcing partner.

Factors that go into how long content takes to create

Type of content

The type of content being produced can have a significant impact on how long it takes to create. Depending on how long it takes to research, writing, design, and analyze data, content creator make take different amount of time to present you the final results.

Here are some examples of how different types of content can vary in terms of time and effort required to create.

Blog posts

Blog posts can be shorter or longer pieces, depending on your goals and needs. A 500-800 words post may take an experienced writer 1-2 hours to write and edit the article, while a 2000-word post on a complex topic might require several days of research and writing. We take the range for the average post of 1000-1500 words, it may take 2-4 hours or more.

Social Media

Social media content is typically shorter and more visual than blog posts so creating one social media post might take only a few minutes. However, creating a whole campaign with several posts can take from a few hours to a few days as social media content also requires careful planning, content strategy, and an understanding of the target audience.

eBooks & Whitepapers

eBooks and Whitepapers are longer-form content pieces that require a significant amount of research, writing, and design. Depending on how complex your topic and scope, creating an eBook or whitepaper can take weeks or months.

Guides

Guides are similar to eBooks and whitepapers, but they are often more focused on specific topics or tasks. Creating a guide might take a few weeks, depending on the length and complexity of the content.

Case Studies

Case studies are in-depth analyses of specific situations, problems, or projects which means they apart from writing require a significant amount of research, analyzing data and understanding the case itself. That’s why writing a case study can take several weeks or even months, depending on the availability of data and the complexity of the subject matter.

Overall, the time required for content creation depends on the complexity of the subject matter. More complex topics require extensive research to be effectively written, and the amount of research needed can be a significant factor that must be factored into the overall timeline for content creation.

In addition to the difficulty of the subject matter, the skill level of the writer can also impact the time required to produce content. Less experienced writers may require more time to develop ideas and refine their writing, while more experienced writers may be able to produce high-quality content more efficiently. Editing and proofreading takes additional time steps but they are necessary to ensure that the content is of high quality and free from errors.

Budget

Different budgets have an impact on how long it takes to create content. For example, a larger budget can positively affect the production process by providing more resources and opportunities for allocation. With a bigger budget, you can outsource content to providers with expert staff who can produce high-quality content quickly. You can also invest in better equipment and software, and hire more experienced staff, if you want to keep your content in-house. A larger budget also may allow for a more extensive revision process, providing additional rounds of editing and post-production to refine the final product, which can be particularly important for projects with a high level of complexity or detail. However, it’s important to remember that deadlines are determined by various factors, not just the budget. There are other factors such as the scope of the project, complexity, and requirements that can also impact the timeline.

Content Creator

The experience and expertise of the creator can significantly impact how long it takes to create content. Outsourcing content to a professional with wide expertise in your field can lead to faster content creation than to someone who is less familiar with the topic. For instance, a professional writer with years of experience may be able to produce high-quality content faster than a writer who is just starting.

It’s essential to consider the availability and resources of the creator. If they have other commitments or projects, it may take longer for them to create content. On the other hand, if the creator is an agency and has access to tools and resources that make content creation easier and more efficient, such as specialized software or a dedicated team, they may be able to produce content more quickly than someone who lacks these resources. Finally, different creators may have different styles, preferences, and approaches to content creation, which can impact the time it takes to create content.

How to pay: Per Word, Per project, Per Hour

When it comes to outsourcing content, there are different payment structures out there. Out of three primary payment structures to consider: pay per word, pay per project, and pay per hour, each has its own set of pros and cons.

Pay Per Word

In the content writing profession, paying by the word is a common payment structure because the writer receives a set amount for each word, and the overall price can be calculated based on the amount of words the content requires. One of the most significant advantages of this payment structure is that it can be cost-effective if the content is lengthy and requires a lot of research. Additionally, paying per word allows for adjusting the word count to fit the budget and can be easy for calculating the writer’s fee. Overall, it is an excellent payment structure for clients who have a strict budget and want to ensure they’re not overspending.

However, paying per word may not be the most effective payment structure for quality content, particularly when working with less experienced content creators who do not have a setup process that includes editing and proofreading. Writers may rush to complete the project quickly to increase their earnings and focus on quantity rather than quality, resulting in poor content. Additionally, when writers are compensated per word, they might use filler words and fluff to increase the word count, which could lower the quality of the content as a whole.

Pros:

Easy to calculate writer’s fee
Cost-effective
Good for clients with strict budgets

Cons:

May lead to low-quality content
More complex to calculate for additional services like editing and proofreading
Writers may use filler words to meet word count

Pay Per Project

Paying per project involves agreeing on a set fee for the entire project and is beneficial for clients who want a specific task completed, such as writing a blog post or creating an eBook for a fixed price that fits into their budget. Paying per project also encourages writers to focus on producing high-quality content instead of rushing to meet a word count. It allows working with content creators on a project-by-project basis, adjusting the workload based on their needs, instead of hiring a full-time employee.

However, one of the biggest drawbacks of paying per project is that it can be challenging to estimate the amount of work required to complete the project accurately. Additionally, since it is project-based work, communication and commitment can be challenging. Therefore, you should be ready to address and set up communication properly before starting the partnership, especially with a freelancer. However, if you are outsourcing content to an agency, you should expect professional communication as a part of their services.

Pros:

Encourages writers to focus on quality
Flexible for project-based partnership
Provides clients with a fixed price for everything involved in the content creation

Cons:

Difficult to estimate the amount of work required
Low Commitment
Communication Challenges

Pay Per Hour

“Paying per hour is a straightforward payment structure that involves paying to the writer based on agreed-upon hourly rate for the time they spend on the project. In addition, with an hourly pay structure, providers are incentivized to produce high-quality work that meets the requirements of the project, rather than produce more words.

However, one difficulty that comes along is accuracy of timekeeping. Clients may feel as though they’re overpaying if the writer takes longer than anticipated to complete the project, and the final price may vary from the initial estimate, making it harder to plan the budget. Finally, hourly pay structures do not motivate freelancers to complete projects quickly, which can result in projects taking longer than expected to complete and may prevent you from getting efficient results.

Pros:

Clients only pay for the time spent on the project
Quality focus
Flexibility when the amount of work fluctuates

Cons:

Concerns about the accuracy of timekeeping
Difficulty in Estimating Costs
Lack of Incentives for Efficiency

While there are pros and cons of each payment structure, there is no one-size-fits-all payment structure for outsourcing content. We recommend you consider your needs and goals when determining which payment structure to use and regardless of the payment structure, communicate clearly with the writer and agree on a fair and reasonable rate.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the speed of content creation can vary greatly depending on the type of content, the individual creator’s skill level and experience, and the resources available. While some content types, like social media posts, can be made fast, others, like lengthy articles, might take a lot more time and work to produce even though the rise of automation technologies and other technological developments have given content producers access to a variety of tools that can expedite the process. Creating relevant and interesting content is ultimately what counts most, thus the rate at which it is produced should be balanced with its effectiveness and quality.

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