Content marketing is one of the best strategies B2B and B2C businesses use to promote their brand and generate leads. 

Yet surprisingly, 32% of B2B businesses and 27% of B2C companies don’t have in-house content marketing teams.

So how do they manage to create and launch effective content marketing campaigns?

The answer: They hire content marketing agencies.

In fact, a recent survey conducted by SEMRush shows that 40% of businesses outsource their content marketing strategy to some extent.

Finding content marketing agencies for hire isn’t difficult. You can quickly find one by searching on Google.

However, not all content marketing agencies are created equal. Hiring the “wrong” content marketing agency can be both costly and frustrating.

That’s why I wrote this guide. I want to help you find the best content marketing agency to hire for your business.

Why should you hire a content marketing agency?

There’s nothing wrong with building an in-house content marketing team if you want. But hiring a content marketing agency provides you with several benefits that an in-house team can’t.

1. You have a team of content marketing experts ready to go.

This is perhaps the top reason many businesses choose to outsource their content marketing efforts to agencies.

Let’s face it: If you want results from your content marketing campaigns, you need to work with experienced content marketers. They’ll know what’ll work based on your business’ resources, budget, and goals.

2. Content marketing agencies for hire are cost-effective.

At first glance, the rates charged by a content marketing agency may look more expensive than hiring someone in-house. 

That’s until you take a closer look at the numbers.

What many businesses don’t realize is that hiring an in-house employee can actually be the more expensive route. 

One reason is that you’ll need to give them a handsome employee package to convince them to join your business. This is on top of their salary and the benefits the government expects you to provide.

Glassdoor reports that a US company pays an additional $4,000 to hire one new employee on top of their salary. 

In most cases, that’s the rate you’ll pay a content marketing agency to create and launch a campaign.

3. The level of commitment is lower when you hire a content marketing agency.

You have the option to hire a content marketing agency to work with you on a “per-project” basis. So, you can choose whether or not you’ll want to continue working with them based on their performance. 

4. You can quickly scale your business.

As your business grows, so do your content marketing needs. 

Content marketing agencies employ experienced marketers and content creators, so they can start working on your content marketing strategy.

Since you don’t need to worry about onboarding and training, you can turn your focus towards other critical aspects of your business.

Questions to ask when choosing a content marketing agency.

1. Does it understand your business needs?

The content marketing agency you hire should have experience working with other businesses within your niche or industry. They should also have a grasp on the types of buyer personas commonly targeted by companies within your industry.

That way, you can be sure that they deliver the right content in the proper format using the right tone.

One way for you to find out is to go through their different case studies and client testimonials. 

If you can’t find any of these on their website, don’t be afraid to ask the agency’s representative for these. The agency should be able to provide you with this. Otherwise, it’s a sign that you should continue searching.

2. Is the content marketing agency practicing what it’s preaching?

Like I mentioned earlier, content marketing agencies are made of experienced marketers who know their stuff.

And the best way for you to gauge the content marketing agency you’re considering is with how they market themselves.

Go through their website and read the content that they post.

Check out their social media accounts and look at how their followers are responding to the content they share.

Subscribe to their email list and evaluate the emails they send.

The content marketing campaigns an agency uses to market itself is most likely how they’ll also market your business. So, if you like what you see, it’s likely that the agency will be a good fit for you.

3. Who are its clients?

Take the time to check a content marketing agency’s clients. This tells you what types of businesses and industries the content marketing agency has worked with. This is crucial for two reasons.

First, it tells you how well the agency understands your content marketing needs. You’d want to make sure that the content they publish and campaign they launch hit your goals.

Second, you’ll know whether or not the agency is working with any of your direct or indirect competitors. 

Hiring a content marketing agency that’s working with one of your competitors might seem to be a great idea. After all, the agency should know what type of content your target audience resonates with the most.

However, there’s the risk that confidential matters like intellectual property may be shared behind your back. So be sure to discuss these issues in great detail with them before signing on the dotted line.

4. Do they have long-standing clients?

How long a company retains a content marketing agency’s service speaks volumes on the quality of their work and service.

The best way to find out is by reaching out to those clients that they have listed on their website. They can tell you about their experience working with the content marketing agency and the results they got.

5. How much does it charge?

Ever heard of the saying, “you get what you pay for?”

Well, that’s precisely the case when it comes to the rates charged by content marketing agencies for hire.

But what many businesses don’t realize is that content marketing agencies with meager rates compromise their client service quality.

The reason is that they make money by servicing as many clients as they can get. As a result, they’re less likely to go the extra mile to make sure that you’re happy with their services.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should hire a content marketing agency whose rates will stretch your finances too thin. 

The reason is simple: content marketing takes time to deliver results, regardless of which agency you hire.

In his book, Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi stated that it takes anywhere between 15 and 17 months for content marketing to deliver results. That’s assuming you stay consistent.

That said, check if your business has enough funds on hand to pay the agency for six months without compromising other areas of your business.

If the figure’s too steep, you’ll need to look at other options.

And speaking of options…

Here’s a list of the best content marketing agencies for hire that you can use as a starting point.

Now, you might be thinking: Wait a minute, Kevin! Don’t you own a content marketing agency? Shouldn’t this be the part where you tell us to contact you for my content marketing needs?

Yes, I do own a content marketing consulting company. Over the years, I’ve worked with many businesses build and map their marketing funnels and implement content marketing campaigns that increased their monthly recurring revenue.

Of course, if you want to work with me, do reach out to me and we can talk more about it.

But I also know that my content marketing agency isn’t for everyone. Most of my clients are business owners and founders of software and eCommerce companies.

Interestingly enough, not all of you that visit my website, read my blogs, and subscribe to my email list aren’t from those industries.

And that’s why I decided to give you a list of other content marketing agencies for hire that could be a better fit for your business’ needs.

1. Scripted

Scripted matches your business content marketing needs with experienced freelance writers to create your content.

You will need to pay a monthly fee to use their services, which start at $149/month. This is on top of what you’ll pay the freelancer or freelancers you decide to work with.

This is great if you want to create your own content marketing team but can’t afford to hire them full-time.

2. Credo

Established in 2015, Credo provides businesses the opportunity to work with their pool of experienced online marketers that match your needs and budget.

Credo uses the same business model as Scripted. You give the details of what you want to have done and then screen the proposals submitted by those that match what you’re looking for.

The main difference between these two content marketing agencies is that Credo doesn’t charge a separate membership fee for you to use its services. Instead, it takes a commission from what you pay the marketer you decide to work with.

3. Zerys

Zerys is a content marketing solution provider that offers two distinct services.

The first is similar to that of a content marketing agency. You’re assigned a dedicated content marketing specialist who’ll oversee the content creation for your website.

The second type of service is giving you a content marketing platform that’ll let you work with one of their many content writers to create your content.

Zerys’ full content marketing service rates start at $40 for each document you need to be created. The prices vary based on the content’s length, level of difficulty, and tasks you’d want the team assigned to you to complete.

In addition to this, Zerys also charges a one-time setup fee that starts at $55.

4. Loganix

For 7+ years, Loganix helped clients with link building services that improve its clients’ rankings and drive local and organic traffic to their site.

Loganix also caters to other online marketing agencies looking to outsource some of their workload.

What sets Loganix apart is that the links and citations they provide aren’t automatically generated.

As it explains in its website: “Each link or citation we build is handcrafted…[and] we send along [with] all the live links with stats [in our report].”

5. Content.co

Content.co is a content marketing agency that matches its clients with freelance content writers, designers, and much more.

Each of the freelancers that work on Content.co’s client projects goes through a screening process. This helps make sure that the freelancers’ work quality meets your expectations.

6. Content Harmony

Based in Seattle, Content Harmony is a content marketing agency that specializes in producing content briefs. These are carefully crafted documents that give your content writers all the details and data they need to create high-quality content.

What this means for you is that they can now create and publish content faster. At the same time, the quality of the published content will establish your business as a thought leader in your niche.

More importantly, the published content remains consistent with your brand’s voice and personality.   

Also, Content Harmony provides content creation, SEO, email outreach, and paid media services.

Rates for Content Harmony’s services start at $99/month, which is a reasonable rate if you’re just starting your business.

7. VaynerMedia 

VaynerMedia is a full-service advertising agency founded by Gary Vaynerchuk (a.k.a. GaryVee) and his brother, AJ.

It’s one of the largest and most successful digital marketing agencies today with over 800 employees. Its impressive roster of clients includes popular brands like GE, Johnson & Johnson, and PepsiCo.

Aside from providing you with services like content creation and strategy development, VaynerMedia also creates powerful influencer marketing campaigns by connecting you with top influencers in your niche. 

Perhaps the biggest advantage of hiring the services of VaynerMedia is the fact that you get the opportunity to consult and get honest feedback from GaryVee himself, just like in this video clip:

8. Neil Patel’s Digital Marketing Agency

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about Neil Patel.

In addition to the in-depth blog posts and insightful video content he regularly publishes, Neil’s the founder of KISSmetrics, Hello Bar, and Crazy Egg.

In short, Neil knows his stuff.

His digital marketing agency, simply called Neil Patel Digital Agency, offers comprehensive digital marketing programs that are customized based on your goals, needs, and budget. 

While Neil won’t be personally writing your content, he oversees the content marketing campaigns developed for you by his team on a strategic level.

9. Influence & Co.

Influence & Co. is a full-service content marketing agency based in Missouri and has been in the business for over seven years.

It prides itself on having a “tried-and-true process” they use to strategize, develop, publish, and distribute content for your business. This process provides you with content that’s authentic and helps you accomplish your goals.

Part of this process is focusing on guest posting to high authority publications. By doing this, your business gains a broader reach by targeting new audiences that match your buyer persona.

This approach also establishes you and your business as a thought leader in your industry. This helps you gain the trust of your target customers, so they’ll be more willing to do business with you.

Another perk this content marketing agency provides its client is its custom communication software called ICo Core. 

Think of this as Influence & Co.’s control center for clients. In addition to communicating with the account team assigned to you, this platform also gives you access to the content they’ve created so that you can review this before it’s published. It also provides you with a report on how the published content is performing.

10. Yokel Local

Yokel Local started in 2011 as a local SEO and video marketing agency. As online marketing trends changed over the years, it transformed itself into a full-service inbound marketing agency. 

Its services include content marketing, social media marketing, PPC advertising, search engine marketing, and marketing automation.

When working with clients, Yokel Local’s approach is to work through the inbound marketing methodology from right to left, starting with the end result. This allows them to find and fill in gaps using data-driven content quickly.

11. nDash

nDash was started in 2013 by Michael Brown, who chose to trade working in the corporate world to become a freelance writer. During this time, he discovered two main challenges.

The first was getting clients. He was able to overcome this challenge by pitching directly to companies content ideas that resonate with their brand and their customers.

The second is being able to provide clients with content that’s consistently high-quality as the number of clients Michael served increased. The solution, of course, was to hire other writers that’ll help him get the job done.

Fast forward to today, nDash provides businesses from various industries a community platform where they can hire experienced content creators to build their remote teams.

Through this approach, nDash can provide its clients with freelancers they can bring onboard their content marketing team to create and publish their content.

12. IMPACT 

Voted as Hubspot’s Partner Agency of the Year in 2017 and 2018, IMPACT provides its clients with comprehensive content marketing strategies—with a twist.

Instead of developing and implementing the content marketing strategy for its clients, IMPACT focuses on teaching their clients how to hire and train their own content marketing team.

The reason? IMPACT believes that its clients are the ones that fully understand their customers. 

By helping clients build their own in-house content marketing team, the content strategies should reflect their brand and seamlessly align their sales and marketing teams.

13. Brafton

Established in 1988, Brafton is a full-service content marketing agency that specializes in content creation and developing content marketing strategies.

Their mission clearly explains what clients expect to get: “We tell your story in a way that will resonate with your audience through the right channels.”

You can see exactly how they do it through the content they share on their blog and in their podcast titled Above the Fold.

In addition to the US, Brafton also has offices located in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.

14. Fractl

Fractl is a 6-year-old content marketing agency that provides content creation and digital PR services that promise to “drive organic growth” for your business.

What sets Fractl apart from other content marketing agencies for hire is its focus on creating content based on market research. 

“Unlike content producers that…rely on algorithms, we set the standard for new and innovative campaigns that prompt important conversations,” Fractl’s Account Manager, Meg Piedmont, explains.

It’s through this approach that Fractl delivers in its mission “to produce the most engaging and impactful human experiences on the web—one client, campaign, and domain at a time.”

15. Thrive 

Thrive is a full-service digital marketing agency that services eCommerce and B2B business.

Aside from creating and implementing content marketing strategies, Thrive also provides web design and development services built using WordPress’ CMS. 

The combination of its team’s extensive experience in SEO and writing code ensures its clients that their content and website get high rankings on popular search engines. At the same time, the overall website design ensures its clients’ customers enjoy a positive user experience.

 

16. Higher Visibility

Established in 2009, Higher Visibility is a digital marketing agency that provides SEO, PPC and social media management, and link building services. 

Search Engine Land voted it as the SEO Agency of the Year in 2017 and 2018. It also won the Best Professional Service Website in the 2019 Web Awards.

Higher Visibility’s customized content strategy combines laser-focused customer targeting and optimizing their post-click experience. 

On its website, Higher Visibility explains that the reason behind this approach is simple. “If the experience your prospects have after they clicked isn’t relevant…then all the effort and investment was wasted.”

17. Siege Media

Siege Media is a content marketing agency that specializes in SEO and content creation and distribution to exponentially grow the business of their clients.

Most content marketing agencies for hire would develop a content marketing strategy based on their clients’ goals and target audience. 

Siege Media, however, takes it one step further by evaluating their client’s current marketing strategies and ideas. This allows them to validate whether the client’s plan is viable. At the same time, it can find other growth opportunities that its clients may have overlooked.

18. Vertical Measures

For over a decade, Vertical Measures has been providing best-in-class paid media, content marketing, and search optimization services to its clients.

It uses an integrated approach where it helps its clients build their audience. Then it leverages its clients’ audience by developing a strategy around their client’s customer journey to generate growth and maximize their ROI.

What sets Vertical Measures apart from the other content marketing agencies for hire is that it approaches its clients’ online marketing strategy as if it were it’s own. 

According to Dana Kajtezovic, Senior VP of Operations at Vertical Measures, every one of the 60+ employees that make up the agency “cares about the end outcome, and that shows in the quality of work that we provide.”

19. SmartBug Media

SmartBug Media prides itself on providing comprehensive inbound marketing strategies personally recommended by Hubspot’s co-founder and CEO, Brian Halligan.

Much of this lies in its methodology of working with its clients. It explains on its website that it focuses “not just on getting campaigns up and running—we’re all in until the results roll in.”

On top of that, the people working at SmartBug Media hail from different parts of the US and various industries. That means they’re experienced in developing content marketing strategies that resonate with your audience.

More importantly, they also understand what it’s like being a client as well, so they understand precisely where you’re coming from.

20. Boostability

Boostability is a content marketing agency that offers content creation, mobile web design, link building, SEO, and local search marketing services.

Its clientele is predominantly comprised of eCommerce business owners, traditional brick and mortar businesses, and professionals.

Boostability prides itself in providing its clients with personalized strategies as part of its mission to “build the online presence of small businesses throughout the world by providing effective, affordable, online marketing solutions.”

21. Brandpoint

Since 1996, Brandpoint has provided content creation services to its clients using what they call the Entrepreneurial Operating System, or EOS. 

The system’s four stages–evaluation, planning, creating, measuring, and optimizing–allows Brandpoint to collaborate with its clients in each step, further involving them in the process.

In 2015, Brandpoint launched its own workflow software called BrandpointHUB. This content marketing platform was designed to streamline its collaborative process with its clients further.

22. Webprofits 

Webprofits considers itself more as a “hit squad” rather than a content marketing agency. The reason is that it “attacks your goal with laser focus.”

For over a decade, Webprofits successfully helped clients exponentially increase their bookings and ARR through its content marketing strategies.

Webprofits doesn’t cater to all businesses. As it explains in its website, it specializes in developing strategies for SaaS startups who already have a product/market fit, have a runway of at least a year, and are ready to scale.

23. Teknicks

Teknicks is an online marketing agency that delivers analytics-driven strategies and marketing programs to its clients. 

Its executive team is made up of some of the most respected industry leaders in Internet marketing. This includes Neil Patel, who serves as its Chief Strategy Officer.

Each marketing strategy Teknicks creates for its clients follows the Agile Internet Marketing (AIM) methodology. 

The reason: this system observes a scientific process for growing its clients’ traffic and conversion rates. At the same time, it uses a framework that uses marketing experiment sprints. This makes the system both repeatable and produces substantial results.

With this, Teknicks empowers its clients to quickly evaluate if the marketing strategy is should be continued or stopped.

24. BAMF

BAMF is a growth marketing agency with an edgy vibe. After all, it did name its exclusive Facebook group “Badass Marketers and Founders.” 

But that’s not what makes BAMF unique from other content marketing agencies for hire. It’s the way it helps its clients.

BAMF doesn’t stop in developing and implementing high-converting content marketing strategies. It transforms clients into industry influencers and thought leaders in their respective niches through its LinkedIn Influencer program.

Through this program, BAMF empowers these clients to generate qualified leads and opportunities for growth in autopilot.

Content marketing agencies for hire are here to give you a helping hand.

In this blog post, I’ve shared several content marketing agencies for hire you can outsource your content marketing to. 

I’ve also given you some tips to help you choose the right one for your business.

Whether you choose to work with me or another content marketing agency, there’s one crucial thing you’ll need to remember.

And that’s this:

The results of a content marketing agency’s depends how clear you are about your business and your goals.

All the content marketing agencies for hire listed here have one thing in common: to help you reach your goals.

Understand who your target market is inside out. Have a clear picture of your brand’s personality and voice. And know what story you want to share with your audience.

Only then can you reap the fruits from your partnership with a content marketing agency.