Hidden Cost of Doing Your Own Social Media, Blogging and Newsletters for Your Business
In today's fast-paced digital world, maintaining an effective online presence requires strategic planning and efficient time management.
Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or a small business owner, the hours spent on blog posts, newsletters, social media updates, and videos can quickly add up. Let’s break down the time commitment and explore how professionals manage to produce consistent, high-quality content.
Time Investment Breakdown
Blog Posts: 2-5 Hours
Research, writing, editing, and creating visuals can take 2 to 5 hours.
Newsletters: 2-8 Hours
Short newsletters may take 2-3 hours, while longer ones could require 5-8 hours.
Social Media Posts: 30-60 Minutes
Text-based posts take 30-60 minutes. Video content with editing can take 2-3 hours, excluding filming.
Monthly Content Production Challenge
Producing one blog post a day, one video a week, one email a week, and two blog posts a month can total up to 64 hours monthly. That’s 8 full workdays a month dedicated solely to content creation, almost half of your business days!
Strain on Resources
This problem is so terrible because it stretches your resources thin, both in terms of time and mental energy. Imagine dedicating 64 hours a month to content creation alone. That's time you could have spent on other critical aspects of your business, like strategizing, networking, or even just taking a moment to breathe and recharge.
For small business owners or solo entrepreneurs who have no need for additional employees, this time commitment can be particularly brutal. You’re not just the content creator; you’re also the marketer, the customer service representative, the accountant, and the visionary behind the business. When content creation monopolizes your schedule, it leaves little room for these other essential responsibilities.
Impact on Content Quality
Moreover, the quality of your content can suffer when you’re stretched too thin. Rushed blog posts, hastily edited videos, and poorly thought-out emails can hurt your brand’s reputation. Your audience can tell when content is generated just to meet a quota. This can lead to disengagement, loss of trust, and ultimately, a decline in your customer base.
Mental Energy:
The mental toll is another significant factor. Constantly having to come up with fresh, engaging content can lead to creative burnout. The pressure to produce can stifle your creativity, making it harder to generate new ideas and maintain your passion for your work. This can turn what should be an exciting and fulfilling part of your business into a dreaded chore.
Impact on Content Quality and Difficulty Keeping Up with Trends
Additionally, the rapid pace of content creation can make it difficult to keep up with industry trends and best practices. The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and staying updated requires time and effort that you simply might not have. Falling behind can lead to missed opportunities and the inability to compete effectively in your market.
Personal Sacrifices
Lastly, let’s not forget the personal sacrifices. Time spent on content creation is time taken away from family, friends, and personal pursuits. Work-life balance is skewed, leading to stress and potential burnout. This can affect not only your professional life but also your overall well-being and happiness.
In summary, dedicating 64 hours a month to content creation is not just a scheduling issue; it's a multifaceted problem that can impact your business's efficiency, creativity, and growth. It can strain your mental health, affect your work-life balance, and ultimately, hinder your ability to achieve long-term success.
So what can you do to get your time back as a business owner?
Well, you can outsource —in house, or to an agency. Here are the pros and cons of both.
As a business owner, reclaiming your valuable time is crucial for driving growth and innovation. One effective strategy is to outsource certain tasks, either by hiring in-house staff or partnering with an external agency.
Here’s a detailed look at the pros and cons of each approach:
In-House Outsourcing
Pros of producing content in-house
Direct Supervision
You can closely monitor the progress and quality of work, ensuring it aligns with your brand standards.
Immediate Availability
In-house staff are readily available for spontaneous meetings and urgent tasks, providing quicker turnaround times.
Company Culture Integration
Employees working internally can better understand and integrate into your company culture, which can enhance team cohesion and morale.
Cons of producing content in-house
Higher Costs
Hiring full-time employees involves significant expenses such as salaries, benefits, and overhead costs like office space and equipment.
Limited Expertise
Your in-house team might lack the broad range of specialized skills that an agency can offer, potentially leading to skill gaps.
Scalability Issues
Rapidly scaling up your team for short-term projects or fluctuating workloads can be challenging and inefficient.
Agency Outsourcing
Pros of outsourcing content to an agency
Access to Expertise
Agencies often bring a wealth of specialized knowledge and experience, providing high-quality services that might be beyond the scope of your in-house team.
Cost Efficiency
Although agency fees can vary, you generally save on long-term employee costs, such as benefits and office expenses.
Flexibility
Agencies offer scalable solutions, allowing you to easily adjust the level of service based on your current needs without the hassle of hiring or layoffs.
Cons of outsourcing content to an agency
Less Control
Working with an external agency means you have less direct oversight, which can sometimes lead to miscommunications or deviations from your vision.
Potential for Misalignment
Agencies may not fully grasp your company culture or business nuances, which can affect the relevance and authenticity of their work.
Variable Quality
Service quality can vary widely between agencies, and finding a reliable partner may require time and effort.
By weighing these pros and cons, you can make a more informed decision about whether to build an in-house online marketing team or collaborate with an agency for your online content creation, ultimately helping you reclaim your time and focus on what truly matters for your business.
Whether you choose in house, or out of house, we have options for you.
We offer consulting, employee training and weekly support groups for business owners. Want to outsource it completely? We can do that too! Many choose to have us do it (we're marketing, meaning we're a 100% deductible cost), but for some businesses, there is a demand for daily photography and videography. Either way, we’re experts in social media, search engine optimization and online marketing campaigns, so no matter what you choose, we will have a comprehensive approach to our strategizing, with your ultimate goal in mind.
To start, let’s have a conversation. We look forward to speaking with you!
