When it comes to creating web content you will find that you get what you paid for. While you are starting up your business, it may initially seem best to opt for some cheap content that gets the job done rather than spend some dough to really sell your brand.
These days the internet is overflowing with all kinds of low-priced writing options that help you find low price writers who can do the bare minimum and who ultimately deliver very little bang for your buck. An auction based freelance service may get you a writer who can churn out high volumes of content for as low as $5 per page, but you’ll find that the work it takes to rework their content into unique web friendly words will end up costing you a lot more in terms of both time and money.
HOW DOES CHEAP WEB CONTENT HURT YOUR SMALL BUSINESS?
Here are some of the issues you may find with cheap web content writers:
You need content that uniquely represents your business! Plagiarism is a huge issue with low rent writers. Rather than create new and unique content for a small paycheck, these content churners often reuse or even steal content just to get the job done. The damage created from plagiarized content can cost your business huge in terms of damage to your reputation and to your page rank.
You could end up in some legal hot water. If you end up using some “borrowed” content, you can find yourself at the wrong end of a copyright infringement lawsuit. All that cheap content can end up costing you big time if you end up in court.
You need a native speaker. Many of the writers offering cheap content are based overseas and are not native English speakers. While some of these enterprising writers can be great contributors to your team, you need to make sure that they are truly fluent with the written word before hiring them to represent your company. The last thing you need is web content that leaves your potential customers constantly scratching their heads wondering what the heck you are talking about.
While I completely understand the appeal of paying the minimum for creating your web content, you should always remember that your website is often the first experience a potential customers has with your business. The best choice should be to hire a professional business writer who knows your business and your industry in order to create words that will represent your company in the most positive light.
About the author: The Business Girl is Terri Sullivan Biehn. I have been a professional business writer and management consultant for more than fifteen years. As a management consultant, I work with entrepreneurs to develop business plans and other documents. Through my consulting practice, I coach entrepreneurs and small business owners on their general start-up, marketing, financial, operational and management issues.