It was 2019. I was marketing a data science school.
"We are 100% organic! We drive traffic with SEO and social media content. No cost, baby!"
Our monthly ad spend barely touched RM5,000. We sold data science courses at RM4,799 a pop.
Because of some weird ego – it was nice to say, "We don't spend much on ads!"
I didn't see it then. But, if we count our time, staff, and equipment, the cost to putting out YouTube videos and social posts... is a lot
The cost of hiring a media team.
Want to get serious about creating organic content? Here's what you're looking at. (With data from Jobstreet)
1/ Social Media Manager – RM 5,650 (Source)
This person is in charge of planning, writing, scheduling, posting, and monitoring content. Depending on how many platforms you want to post on – you may need more than one person on the job.
2/ Video Editor – RM3,300 (Source)
Yes, AI has made the video editing process faster. Still, you'll need someone to edit your videos for the different platforms. Oh, it's also a plus if this person has videography skills.
3/ Copywriter - RM3,800 (Source)
Writing is a skill. AI cannot replace good writing. Good writers are good thinkers. This person writes relatable, engaging, and compelling copy for content.
4/ Video & Audio Equipments – RM2,000
I'm not even talking about purchasing a camera, lighting, or anything. In this setup, I'm assuming you use whatever smartphone you have on you – and buy a couple of microphones to make it work.
Your total investment: RM14,750
That's RM12,750 per month, minus equipment and any other software or platform you'll need.
It doesn't matter what you define "organic content" as:
- SEO articles
- Videos
- Social media posts
- User-generated content
- Infographics/quotes
Realize that organic content isn't free. Marketing teams must view content creation as an investment of time, energy, and money.
And please – you can't hire ONE guy and expect him to handle every single task above. It doesn't work that way.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying don't create organic content.
I'm saying – be clear about how much it costs you to create organic content. Then allocate that into your marketing budget and see if it makes sense.
And remember, it's not either-or. It's not doing organic content or running paid ads. Growth potential lies when you do both.
How to build & scale a content team
Peter Yong a.k.a Mr Money, started as one guy, creating content on personal finance. Today, he runs a successful media business with more than 10+ people on his team.
What worked for him as a solo creator didn't get him to where he is today. To build a content team, he had to put systems & processes in place.
We've gotten him to share lessons going from a solo creator to a full-fledged content team at Underdog Content Con.
And speaking about organic content...
Woof My Roof is an example of content marketing done right. No content team. No expensive equipment. No content hacks.
Shan, single-handedly runs Woof My Roof (with help from occasional volunteers). But every single post is created by one person - herself.
The secret? 3 things:
- Consistency.
- Passion.
- Purpose
We're currently supporting Woof My Roof's fundraiser. All proceeds go into feeding strays and building shelters for them.
Get a T-shirt on Yeefu to support. Reply to my email here with your receipt, and I'll feature your business on Daily CMO.
