If you are a content marketing manager or director, you already know a lot about project management: check-ins, detailed briefings, review processes—everything.
But it’s one thing to manage projects in-house vs working with a content marketplace to get things done.
Suddenly, your standard project management process just doesn’t cut it anymore. Instead of working with a crew of people who know and understand your systems, you’re working with writers who don’t quite know your brand or way of doing things.
Make no mistake, this isn’t a bad thing—it just means you need to tweak your approach a bit. After all, the ability to be flexible and change on a dime makes leaders efficient.
In this article, we’ll cover the changes you should make when working with a content marketplace and what your expectations should be while working with them. Let’s get started.
Changes you should make when working with a marketplace of writers
Keep a few key things in mind when working with a marketplace of writers. The most important thing to remember when working with multiple writers is quality control. It can be tempting to choose the lowest bidder, but it’s often a recipe for disaster.
Instead, take the time to read through each writer’s portfolio and samples to get a feel for their style and skill level. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, be sure to give clear instructions for each project. The more specific you can be, the better.
Also, managing your expectations when working with a marketplace of writers is vital. Remember that you’ll likely have different writers for each project, so it’s important to set realistic deadlines and allow for some flexibility in the final product.
Finally, don’t forget to factor in the additional costs associated with working with a marketplace of writers. While the per-project cost may be lower, you’ll need to consider project management and quality control costs.
By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your next project is a success, regardless of whether you’re working with a marketplace of writers or not.
How to partner with the marketplace when building content at scale
When working with a marketplace of writers, it’s important to have a clear project management process in place. This way, you can ensure your projects are completed on time and to your specifications.
Here are a few tips for managing projects within a content marketplace:
1. Make sure you have clear project requirements from the start. The more specific you can be, the better. This will help ensure that the writers you select can meet your needs.
2. Select a project manager with content marketplace experience. Coordinating the project and quality control will be easier with their help.
3. Clearly understand the costs associated with the project. This will help you budget and avoid any surprises down the line.
4. Be realistic about deadlines. When working with multiple writers, it’s necessary to allow for some flexibility in the timeline.
5. Communicate regularly with the marketplace throughout the project. This will help ensure everyone is on the same page and that problems get resolved quickly.
Are there any favorite tools for handling this use case?
Several project management tools can be helpful when working with a marketplace of writers. Here are a few of our favorites:
Asana: This is a great tool for managing projects of all sizes. It’s easy to use and offers a variety of features, including task lists, deadlines, and team communication.
Basecamp: Another popular project management tool, Basecamp offers many of the same features as Asana. But it also includes a client portal, which can be helpful when working with multiple stakeholders.
Trello: This is a versatile project management tool. It’s easy to use and offers a variety of features, including Kanban boards, which can help visualize project progress.
Can you rely on the marketplace for project management?
When working with a marketplace of writers, you can expect the marketplace to provide some level of project management. However, it’s important to be clear about your expectations from the start. Make sure you understand what the marketplace handles and what you’ll need to do yourself.
Content marketplaces generally handle the following:
1. Recruiting and selecting writers for the project (they know who specializes in the content topic you need)
2. Managing deadlines and payments (keeping themselves accountable throughout the project, so they’re not late with delivery)
3. Providing support to writers during the project (they give writers extra resources, guidance, and feedback before submission)
4. Quality control of the final content (checking to see if the content meets your requirements, double-checking grammar and spelling, etc.)
What should you plan to handle yourself?
Things you’ll need to take care of yourself when working with a marketplace of writers typically include:
1. Defining the project requirements (only you and your team can decide what the content needs to accomplish to be successful)
2. Managing communication with the marketplace and writers (resolving miscommunications and hiccups as quickly as possible)
3. Approving or rejecting content (and being honest with yourself to ensure you’re not just settling for something you’ll need to rewrite or fine-tune later)
4. Providing feedback to writers (be honest and helpful—this will help the writers edit the content efficiently)
5. Publishing the final content (making sure it’s posted on time and that it looks good once it goes live)
What’s the best way to right the ship if something goes wrong in your work with a content marketplace?
If you find yourself in a situation where the content you’re receiving from a marketplace is not up to your standards, you can do a few things to course-correct.
First, assess the situation and determine what went wrong. Was there a misunderstanding about the project requirements? Did the quality of the writers not meet your expectations?
Next, reach out to the marketplace and explain the situation. Be clear about your concerns and what you would like to see happen.
Finally, work with the marketplace to come up with a plan to improve the situation. This may involve changing the writers you’re working with, providing more detailed feedback, or increasing the number of revisions you’re willing to accept.
Good leaders make adjustments
Going back to the beginning, good leaders are flexible. They know when to make changes to keep projects running smoothly.
While they might not immediately know what to do, they figure it out quickly— whether it means spending a few extra hours planning and strategizing or hiring external help.
So if project management has been the only obstacle keeping you from working with a content marketplace, you can change that right now. Simply use this guide to prepare, and then click here to learn more about Verblio and how we can help you grow your business.
