Legal Steps To Take When Outsourcing Content Creation

Content is king, and consistent quality content is all you need to be relevant on the internet. Since you may be busy doing other aspects of your business that requires more of your attention, you will need to outsource your content creation tasks.

You need to be at the top of your game with content, because a great content will drive leads result to more sales. But there are a few things to consider before you go into outsourcing content creation, so you can do things right as well as protect yourself and your business:

1. What are your content needs?

In order to hire great content creators not to mention put together the kind of contract we’ll discuss shortly, you have to first define what types of content you need.

Finding a great contractor begins with knowing what you want. Define the type of content you need and specify it. For example, you could include:

• Email marketing
• Social media updates
• Weekly blog posts
• Guest blogging
• Pay-per-click ad copywriting

Specifying the types of content needed may not initially appear to be a legal step. But you should know that at the outset, these are very important things to consider, and will enable you to outline them clearly in your job advertisement and your contractual agreement and the work itself.

2. Copyright Assignment

Paying someone for content does not automatically turn over copyright of the content to you. You need to list the terms of use specifically in your contract. If you do not state expressly that you retain full rights to the work, the content writer will be able to re-use it. Also you may not be authorized to re-purpose it for other uses.

You should also consider protection against indemnification content or images that may be the property of others, so that if the material in your website is found to breach copyright law, you will not be held responsible.

Using a plagiarism checking service such as Copy cape is idea for text-based copy. It is a bit more di1cult with images.

3. Outline the outsourcing requirements clearly

When outlining requirements for your project, be as specific as possible so that freelancers will know and understand your expectations, and be able to benchmark and measure success or failure. It is also wise to include a Service Level Agreement outlining the performance details and acceptable standards.

4. Consider legal liabilities in your content

Some content you are outsourcing may be subject to some regulatory requirements. You may need to take precautions against this. Ensure your content meet such requirements. Relevant disclaimers may be needed if you’re publishing medical content or some financial advice, to protect yourself legally.

5. Prepare in advance for termination

The termination clause should be included in your agreement and needs to outline the reasons that give you and your company rights to terminate, along with the contractor’s rights. Ensure you include both party’s respective rights upon termination regarding ongoing privacy and protection as well.

Now having covered all your legal bases, it’s time to write a formal written contract that both you and your freelancers will sign. You may want to consult with an actual lawyer to do this, or just find sample contract agreements templates to work from.

Daven Michaels is a New York Times Best Selling Author and CEO of premiere global outsourcing company, 123Employee. The company employs hundreds of young bright individuals on three continents. His International event, Beyond Marketing Live! inspires entrepreneurs to build & grow their business with revolutionary new theories and systems allowing them to design the business and personal lifestyle of their dreams.