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Do Digital Marketing Agencies Create Content? Here’s What You Need to Know

  • Writer: DM Monticello
    DM Monticello
  • Jun 25
  • 7 min read

What Is a Digital Marketing Agency?

The Scope of Services They Provide

A digital marketing agency helps businesses boost their online presence through a variety of services, which often include:

  • Search engine optimization (SEO)

  • Content creation (blogs, social media, video, etc.)

  • Email marketing

  • Social media management

  • Paid advertising (Google Ads, Meta Ads)

  • Website and landing page design

  • Marketing analytics and reporting

Content plays a role in nearly all of these services, making it a critical part of any agency’s offering.


Why Businesses Choose Agencies Over Freelancers

Many companies prefer hiring agencies because they offer cohesive strategies, cross-functional teams, and scalable support. Unlike freelancers, agencies provide:

  • Project managers to oversee timelines

  • Specialized talent for design, writing, and SEO

  • Tools and platforms for performance tracking



Yes, They Do—Here’s What Kind of Content They Create

Blog Articles and SEO Content

One of the most common content services agencies provide is blog writing. These articles are optimized for search engines and tailored to customer questions. They help establish brand authority and bring in organic traffic.


For instance, Your Ultimate Growth Strategy Guide shows how thought-leadership content can fuel business expansion.


Email Marketing Campaigns

Agencies create drip sequences, newsletters, and promotional emails that nurture leads and drive conversions. They ensure emails are well-written, mobile-optimized, and aligned with campaign goals.


Social Media Posts

From creative visuals to clever captions, agencies manage the full lifecycle of social media content. They schedule, post, and analyze engagement, often across multiple platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok.


Video and Multimedia Content

Modern agencies produce videos to explain products, introduce teams, or share customer stories. These videos are used in ads, YouTube channels, and landing pages to boost engagement.


Landing Pages and Website Copy

Whether launching a new product or capturing leads from a paid ad, agencies create persuasive landing pages with strong calls-to-action. They also refine or rewrite web copy to improve clarity and drive conversions.

For tools and growth support, visit Top 7 Business Platforms for Startups.



How Content Strategy Ties into Broader Marketing Goals

Importance of SEO in Content Creation

Agencies don’t just write—they research and optimize. That means targeting keywords, adding internal links, writing meta descriptions, and ensuring content meets Google’s ranking guidelines.

If SEO is part of your growth plan, check out How to Run SEO Accurately.


Aligning Content with Branding and Messaging

Your brand voice matters. Agencies follow brand guidelines to maintain consistency in tone, style, and messaging across all channels—ensuring customers always recognize your brand.


Converting Leads Through Strategic Storytelling

Content without conversion is wasted effort. Agencies understand how to use storytelling to create emotional resonance, highlight benefits, and guide users toward a decision.



Content Creation vs. Content Strategy: What’s the Difference?

While content creation and strategy often go hand-in-hand, they serve different purposes in a successful marketing campaign.


Who Does What—Writers vs. Strategists

A content creator is someone who produces materials—writing blog posts, designing graphics, or editing videos. A content strategist, on the other hand, determines what should be created, why it matters, and how it aligns with your business goals.

Agencies that provide both roles typically:

  • Map out customer journeys

  • Identify SEO gaps and opportunities

  • Develop publishing calendars

  • Audit and optimize existing content

They also assign creators to fulfill specific objectives, like lead generation or brand awareness.


Agencies That Offer Both

Not every agency is built equally. Some offer only content writing without strategic oversight, while others provide strategy but outsource creation. The most valuable agencies provide both seamlessly, allowing businesses to execute quickly and effectively.

A hybrid model—strategy from the agency and execution via a virtual assistant—can also work. Learn more about how VAs support marketing in Delegate Your Business PR to a Virtual Assistant.



Do All Agencies Offer Content Creation?

What to Ask When Hiring a Digital Agency

When evaluating agencies, don't assume content creation is included. Ask:

  • Do you produce blogs, emails, and social content in-house?

  • How do you ensure quality and consistency?

  • Will we have access to a dedicated strategist or point of contact?

  • What industries do you have experience with?

Also ask for sample reports and past campaigns, especially those tied to measurable growth.

Check out How to Choose a Digital Marketing Agency for a deeper hiring checklist.


Red Flags and Must-Haves

Red Flags 🚩 They rely on AI-generated content with minimal human editing. 🚩 No content calendar or publishing roadmap. 🚩 Limited portfolio or lack of case studies.

Must-Haves ✅ Proven track record in SEO and lead generation. ✅ Flexibility to tailor content to your business niche. ✅ An established review and approval workflow.

Use Best Practices for Hiring the Right Candidates to guide internal and external team selection.



Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Content to an Agency

Quality, Scalability, and Turnaround

Advantages

  • Expertise in multiple content formats, from thought leadership to TikTok shorts.

  • Consistency in publishing and tone of voice.

  • Efficiency with editing and approvals handled in-house.

Agencies also have access to premium tools like SEMrush, Grammarly Business, and Adobe Creative Cloud—tools many small businesses can’t afford individually.

Real-World Example: A SaaS startup hired an agency to repurpose a webinar into 1 blog post, 6 social media quotes, 2 email newsletters, and a lead magnet—delivered in 7 business days. That kind of efficiency is tough to replicate solo.


Budget Considerations

Hiring an agency can range from $3,000–$15,000/month depending on your needs. For some companies, especially bootstrapped startups, this may not be feasible.

In those cases, working with a platform like OpsArmy to onboard virtual assistants can give you access to affordable talent with strong execution skills.


Maintaining Brand Voice

Concerned an agency won’t “get” your brand tone? That’s where content style guides, persona briefs, and onboarding interviews make a difference.

Pro tip: Ask your agency to write a sample blog post or rewrite an existing page to test brand alignment before committing to a long-term contract.



Alternatives to Agencies: Freelancers and Virtual Assistants

Comparing Flexibility and Cost

Freelancers

  • Offer specialization (e.g., long-form blog writing, UX copy)

  • Work well for one-off or short-term projects

  • May require hand-holding if no strategist is involved

Virtual Assistants (VAs)

  • Ideal for managing repeatable content tasks

  • Great for scheduling blog posts, conducting keyword research, formatting newsletters, and tracking performance

  • Can support social media repurposing, internal linking, and even basic graphic design


Benefits of Hiring Virtual Assistants for Content

VAs can help with:

  • Uploading and formatting blog posts

  • Republishing content across platforms like Medium or LinkedIn

  • Managing social content queues in tools like Buffer or Hootsuite

  • Turning webinars into blogs, or blogs into social threads

  • Adding internal links to older content for SEO

Relevant links:



Final Thoughts: Should You Rely on a Digital Marketing Agency for Content?

The answer depends on your:

  • Budget

  • Internal bandwidth

  • Marketing goals

  • Need for strategy vs. execution

✅ If you want a complete, hands-off solution and have the budget, a digital marketing agency that offers both strategy and content creation is a strong investment.

✅ If you already have a strategy and need affordable execution, pairing an in-house marketer with skilled virtual assistants through OpsArmy is a powerful, scalable model.

✅ If you’re looking for a middle ground, hire a strategist to develop your content plan and then outsource the execution to freelancers or VAs.



How to Know If You’re Ready to Invest in Content Creation

Before deciding whether to outsource content creation or keep it in-house, it's important to evaluate your current marketing readiness. Many businesses leap into content production without clear goals or infrastructure, which leads to wasted time and budget.


Checklist: Signs You're Ready

  • You’ve identified your target audience and their needs

  • You have goals for your content (brand awareness, leads, SEO, etc.)

  • You can commit to consistency—either in-house or through partners

  • You’ve outlined a brand voice or messaging framework

  • You have a website or platform ready to publish content

  • You’re open to tracking performance with tools like Google Analytics or HubSpot

If most of the above are true, you're in a great position to get real value from content—whether you outsource to an agency or delegate to a skilled virtual assistant.


What Happens If You Start Too Soon?

Companies that start content marketing without preparation often face:

  • Mismatched brand messaging

  • Little or no traffic due to poor SEO

  • Inconsistent publishing cadence

  • Confusion over content ROI

In these cases, consider starting small—perhaps with a part-time content VA from OpsArmy or a pilot project with a boutique agency.

Also check out How to Run a Small Business Profitably for tips on building sustainable marketing habits.



Why Now Is the Right Time to Focus on Content

In today’s competitive digital landscape, businesses that prioritize content are winning—whether through higher Google rankings, better brand engagement, or lower customer acquisition costs. With platforms like OpsArmy offering access to affordable, global content support, there's never been a better time to invest in quality marketing assets. Even small efforts, executed consistently, can generate compounding returns over time.



About OpsArmy

If you're looking for a cost-effective alternative to expensive agencies, OpsArmy provides skilled virtual assistants who specialize in content creation, marketing support, and digital operations. Whether you need a blog writer, a content scheduler, or a virtual SEO assistant, OpsArmy helps you scale smarter with pre-vetted global talent.



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