Continued from '5 Reasons Why Blogging Is a Rewarding Experience.' If you read our recent blog post on why you need to create more content, you might be asking yourself, "Why can't I hire someone to write for me?" The answer is you can. Many freelance authors and companies are happy to provide you with content and even manage your blog for you. I have had many wonderful experiences with outside authors and we still purchase content from them from time to time. It is always best, however, if you start writing the content yourself -- if only for a little while. That way, you can set the tone for your blog, determine what works and create an infrastructure that others can work from. Once you have the foundation in place, you can have others do the writing, conduct research, proofread, and edit. At the end of the day, every word posted on your blog needs to reflect your business. Any material that is poorly written, inaccurate or is not in alignment with your marketing strategy and company values will backfire, reflect poorly on you and potentially have an irreversible, negative impact on your reputation. This is why it is so important to determine a set direction, standards and guidelines for your blog by initially producing your own content. If, after writing your own blog content for a few months, you determine you need help, here are some options:
Continued from '1. Purchase Content from Outside Authors
There are many online resources (such as http://www.textbroker.com/, http://www.bloggingpro.com/jobs/, http://jobs.problogger.net/) where you can find experienced writers who will provide you with quality content. Typically, the rate ranges from $10 to $100 per post, depending on the length, quality of writing and the research involved. If you consider hiring an outside writer, make sure to look at their previous work and pay special attention to their quality and style of writing, their experience with subjects in your industry, as well as the recognition and following (comments, social media, etc.). This will give you a good indicator of the effectiveness of their previously produced content.
2. Invite Guest Bloggers
I discussed the importance of guest blogging on additional blogs in "Recommended Inbound Marketing Tactics for 2016." The same logic applies to inviting guest bloggers to write for your blog. You get free content in exchange for giving them credit (i.e., link to their website).
3. Encourage Employee Participation
Sometimes the best help comes from within your organization. Ask around who would be willing to contribute to the blog. You may be surprised to find out that many of your colleagues would be happy to contribute to the blog. Some may need guidance or editorial assistance with their writing, but retaining several authors from within your organization makes your blog more interesting and versatile. For example, you can have technically oriented people write about their expertise, and business team members will focus on business-related topics.
4. Hire a Content Manager
If your organization is serious about content marketing, and your budget allows, you should consider hiring a content manager. The responsibilities for this position would include daily review of new content, editorial management of authors, editorial calendar, tracking effectiveness of the content, etc. A great content manager should be highly organized and detail-oriented, have solid writing and editorial skills and be social-media savvy. 
