Startups are ambitious entities whose members are determined to accomplish everything independently.

Expenses are always a concern in startups, until you have a lot of VC money flooding in.

Within a startup, the volume of work also fluctuates, sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing.

Their members too have a flexible work pattern; sometimes they work from the office, sometimes from the beach, and sometimes there’s no work at all.

In such a scenario, what should startups do to address their copywriting needs?

Should they hire an in-house copywriter or outsource their copywriting?

In this article, we will take you through the pros and cons of both options and help you make the right decision. 

Who is an in-house copywriter?

An in-house copywriter is someone who works directly with you and your team. They help you with your copywriting needs, including social media content, website content, emails, and more.

Since they are a part your firm, they understand your internal culture, and they work with you for a fixed monthly salary.

What is outsourcing for your copywriting needs?

When you outsource your copywriting needs, you trust an external partner to support you with the written materials and creative ideas you will need for your marketing. 

You provide them with objectives and briefs, and they provide you with content that helps you achieve your marketing objectives.

Typically, when you outsource, all you get is written content that your agency or freelance copywriter produces. However, sometimes the external partner may also help you with design and development.

Benefits on an in-house copywriter.

An in-house writer can help you in ways that an outsourcing partner cannot.

Here are a few benefits of an in-house writer : 

• Direct Oversight and control : An in-house writer works exclusively for your startup, giving you greater control over their priorities. They devote 8 to 9 hours of their day to writing for your firm and sitting with your team, so you can trust them more.

• Better understanding of your brand and culture : An in-house writer will surely benefit your brand culture because they see it firsthand. They have a smooth working connection with their coworkers, reducing the possibility of delays in project. And they live, breathe, and think about your company throughout the day. 

• Permanent commitment : When you hire an in-house copywriter, it is more likely that they will stay with you for an extended period of time. If all goes well, they may even stay with you and grow with your firm, be promoted to a senior writer position, and help you develop your content team and brand.

• Fixed Cost : Unlike outsourcing your copywriting to an agency or freelancers, in-house copywriters work for a fixed salary. This provides you with an idea of how much you need to spend on your resources each month, which is useful if you are a startup with limited funding and want to be certain about your spending. 

Cons of hiring an in-house writer.

Hiring an in-house copywriter has its advantages, but it also has its share of drawbacks. Let’s look at them :

• Resource intensive to hire and train : Hiring a professional copywriter may not be as easy as it appears. If you post job openings on job portals , you will receive a large number of applications; you will need someone to scan through all of them and select the best candidate for your company’s requirements. If job boards are ineffective, then you may need to use a recruitment firm to find a suitable candidate for you. Then there’s the cost of training and retaining them.

• Higher fixed costs : When you hire an in-house copywriter, you will need to pay their monthly salary, which will increase your fixed costs. Startups with a limited budget will struggle to keep employees for an extended period of time.

• Limited Access to specialised skills : In case, your in-house writer specialises in one sort of writing, such as email or social media copywriting, but not necessarily website copywriting. In that situation, you may be forced to outsource your website copywriting work. 

• Workload Variability : During periods of low demand, which occur frequently in startups, an in-house copywriter may not be fully utilised. They may be idling at your office while you bear the cost of having them on board.

What are the benifits of outsorucing your copywriting? Have a look : 

• Effectiveness in cost : By outsourcing copywriting, entrepreneurs can get professional talent without paying the overhead costs associated with recruiting full-time employees. Startups can better allocate their funds by paying for specific projects or services rather than salaries, perks, and training.

• High-quality content : Copywriting firms and freelancers usually specialise in different fields or industries, offering startups access to a diverse set of skills and knowledge. This experience can lead to higher-quality content tailored to the startup’s target audience, enhancing engagement, brand awareness, and, ultimately, conversion rates.

• Conserving time : Outsourcing copywriting allows startup founders and team members to concentrate on more important business operations, such as product development and marketing strategy. The team may focus on the firm’s growth and operations by outsourcing the copywriting assignment to a freelancer or content agency. 

• Less Control : When a firm outsources its copywriting requirements, it may find itself less involved in crafting the company’s voice and identity. Content that doesn’t fit the brand identity or appeal to the target audience can be the result of outsourcing writing to someone who doesn’t grasp the company’s mission, principles, and voice.

• Limitations in Communication : The firm and the external resource may have trouble working together due to physical distance and difficulties in communication. Due to which project schedules and results are susceptible to misunderstandings and delays.

• Dependence on an external partner : There is a danger to the organisation’s long-term viability in being overly reliant on outside copywriters for content production. Firm’s marketing efforts could be disrupted and message and quality consistency compromise if the outsourced copywriter stops being available or decides to quit the agreement.

Hiring in-house vs. outsourcing — which one is for you?

Now that we’ve gone over the benefits and drawbacks of both in-house copywriters and freelancers, the next step is to choose which is best for your company.

Your start-up’s long-term objectives, workload, expertise needs, and budget are things that should be considered while making this decision.

Some startups may benefit from a hybrid approach, balancing in-house expertise with outsourced support for more specialised projects or during peak periods.

When should you hire an in-house copywriter?

You should go for an in-house copywriter if:

• You have a constant demand for content.

• If you are planning a long-term content strategy.

• You want the brand’s voice and values to align with the content.

When should you outsource your copywriting?

On the other hand, you should choose outsourcing if:

• You are looking for flexibility and specific expertise

• You want cost-effectiveness and access talent

• You want someone with the capacity to adapt to variable workloads and project needs

The final verdict 

To sum up, before deciding between an in-house copywriter and an outsourced one, you should carefully consider your startup’s demands and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each. A hybrid setup is another option to consider in some cases.

If you choose to outsource your copywriting projects, you can get in touch with us; we have the expertise to meet your requirements and deliver the project as scheduled.