3 Things To Know About Working With Agencies: A Guide for Small Businesses and Freelancers

I’ve Seen Both Sides: Here’s the Scoop

At some point in your business career, whether you’re a small business owner who realizes the importance of inbound marketing or a writer who is hungry for work, you’ve probably heard the siren call of the content agency.

Content agencies promise to handle the production of materials (usually written) such as web pages, sales pages, emails, and blogs.

In my career of over fifteen years, I’ve written content for the web in various capacities: for corporations, start-ups, agencies, with one-on-one freelance clients, for my own blog — and I’ve even worked for dreaded content mills. When I did that sort of writing, I learned how to work smarter (rather than harder) and create original content that ranks on search engines, because that’s what brought in the money.

At one point, I quit my salaried job in academic publishing because (before Google Panda) I was making far more writing articles.

Google Panda. It changed things (mostly for the better).

I’ve also worked on the other side of content production — as the agency’s intermediary between writers and clients, dealing with the frustrated clients on the phone, and selling to the tight-walleted Mad Men-esque adsplainers of the business world. And let me tell you — I learned to sympathize for the content agency, especially because that particular one really cared about doing a decent job. Agencies deal with flaky writers, nonpaying clients, and more.

While it’s easy to villainize them for taking too much and paying writers too little (spoiler alert: they do), it takes a full team to manage customer service alone, even when the writing is on point.

What is a Content Agency?

Content agencies have a reasonable premise: they handle the hassle of wrangling writers with expert-level knowledge on your niche or preferred topic. They can provide one-off assignments or regular blogging and do as much or as little oversight on your blog as you need. If you’re a writer, you can potentially do this writing work for them.

Usually, SEO (search engine optimization) agencies will include content as part of their services. This gives them monthly retainers or subscriptions, and they also hire content managers, editors, and writers to produce quality content — content that follows an expertly researched plan for ranking according to keywords. Agencies who brand themselves as content agencies get into this, too — there’s a heavy amount of overlap due to the success of inbound marketing strategies.

Here’s what you need to know as a writer or a business owner.

1. There Are Typical, Unreasonable Content Agency Expectations and Red Flags

Content agencies often provide stable work to writers, who work for an agreedupon rate. But they generally ask for more extras than you feel reasonable giving, even for private clients:

• Unpaid training: Some agencies ask writers to learn tasks without pay, receive continued training (reading articles, watching videos), and attend online meetings without compensation.
• No rewrite compensation bundled into writer pay: The cost of the content, with most agencies, usually includes one rewrite. Now check your per word/per project rate. Are you ready to rewrite with no additional compensation for no additional pay?
• Unreasonable turnaround time: Despite having monthly clients, agencies often want fast turnaround times, especially from the editors. If you’re not making a high wage as an editor, this could mean logging into a host of sites and systems for a $5 job. It makes more sense, as some agencies have learned, to batch edits. If you’re an editor, try to find an agency that sends batches or provides generous turnaround time.

Tip: Sometimes agencies really overcomplicate simple content production processes. As a business owner or writer, ask process-focused questions during your evaluation of the agency.

2. The Content Agency Result Produces High Writer Turnover

As you can imagine, agency life creates burnout for writers. Additionally, most agencies don’t pay enough to piece together a living, so writers balance writing with other life obligations and projects. Having been on both sides of the digital pen, I can say that agency writers usually last from three months to a year at any given agency before burning out, or being asked “to part ways” due to a decrease in quality.

As a business owner, this is important to know if you’re hiring a writer through a content agency. You won’t be permitted to speak with the writer directly, usually, or even know their full identity in fear that you contact them outside of the agency, especially if they leave. If you don’t mind paying a bit more, you’re better off finding a dedicated writer.

Ethically, you should also know how agencies treat freelance writers. Agencies are trying to compete with each other, and at the end of the day, businesses want a good deal. This marginalizes writers significantly. If you don’t think your agency is getting 40+ hours out of their employees while 1099ing them (meaning they don’t have to pay out for benefits in the US because it’s an independent contractor relationship), you’re probably mistaken.

3. Know What to Look For in a Content Agency

From a writer or business perspective, what should you look for when evaluating a content agency?

• Positive online reviews from writers and clients: You want an agency that treats writers well — while getting results for clients. Results-oriented is the name of the game. If you’re not seeing ROI (return on investment) from a long-term content marketing plan, there’s no reason to invest in it with that particular company.
• Native English proficiency: When agencies pay low rates, they attract writers who aren’t necessarily proficient in English, as cost of living is often lower in parts of the world where English is not a first language. Additionally, there are scores of capable, timely, proficient writers in India and elsewhere, but they fall short when it comes to idioms. Lastly, English varies by region — your standard New Yorker isn’t reallyspeaking the same language as your London client. A smooth editorial process can sort that out, but generally, you need to evaluate proficiency. Don’t expect an agency to produce a custom sample for free, but do expect a trial run (with no commitment to signing up to some long-term package).
• Customer service: Live help, via phone or onsite messenger, is essential. What if your order is late or comes back all wonky? You need to ask for help.
• Longevity: The agency’s been around a while, and it’s run by notable experts. They’re also not too pushy during the sales process. They should want the most effective solution for your business goals, not what sells the most.

Contracts: Put your deal in writing. It protects everyone.

• Contracts: Real businesses (even sole proprietors) are willing to put things down in writing. If they avoid doing so, it’s a big red flag. Contracts for businesses and writers should include: turnaround time expectations, noncompetes (depending on circumstances), number of revisions, word count and product specifications, refund policy, exclusivity (usually the client owns the content outright), originality (passes Copyscape test), level of writer’s expertise on topic. It should also include the cost or pay, either per word or per project.

The Agency Alternative: The Solo Professional

If you desire a more personalized solution, you can look for an individual writer to accomplish your goals. It’s a bit riskier, and you should still do your research. And as a writer, you really can’t get away with flaking on a solo client. (I have a backup writer to cover for me in case of other obligations or illness.)

I don’t think agencies are bunk, and I choose to work with some of them myself. But there is an advantage to establishing a one-on-one relationship between a writer and a small business: the personalized discovery process, and the brilliant brand voice that blossoms as a result.

I aim to compete with agency rates while providing one-on-one solutions. If you’re thinking about a company blog, new webcopy, or have a one-off job, please reach out to me to discuss your needs. I’m available at tgicontentservices@gmail.com.