How to Effectively Measure the ROI of Agency Contractors vs. In-House Copywriters for Your Copywriting Projects
Content quality directly drives marketing success, brand messaging, and conversion rates, making copywriting a critical marketing investment. To make informed decisions between hiring agency contractors versus relying on in-house copywriters, you need to measure the ROI of each option effectively. This guide outlines actionable steps and essential metrics to help you compare these resources and maximize your copywriting investment.
Why Measuring ROI of Copywriting Resources is Essential
Accurately measuring ROI for agency contractors and in-house copywriters enables you to:
- Optimize budget allocation by identifying the most cost-effective resource
- Compare performance in speed, quality, and scalability
- Improve workflows by uncovering process inefficiencies
- Align content output to business goals like lead generation or revenue growth
- Make strategic scaling decisions for staffing versus agency contracts
Focusing on ROI helps transform your copywriting function from a cost center into a measurable driver of business results.
Step 1: Define Clear Objectives and Copywriting KPIs
Establish copywriting goals aligned with your marketing and sales objectives, then identify KPIs to track performance:
- Traffic & Engagement: Pageviews, unique visitors, bounce rates, social shares
- Conversion Metrics: Lead volume, conversion rate, sales qualified leads (SQLs)
- Revenue Metrics: Attributed sales revenue, average deal size tied to content assets
- Efficiency Metrics: Content delivery turnaround time and revision cycles
For SEO-driven content, focus heavily on organic rankings, CTR, and time on page. For lead gen-focused projects, prioritize conversion and lead quality metrics.
Step 2: Establish a Baseline with Historical Data
Gather data on past copywriting projects for both in-house and agency teams:
- Collect performance metrics such as traffic, conversion, and revenue attribution per content piece
- Calculate total costs including salaries, overhead, agency fees, and related expenses
- Analyze productivity in terms of content volume and speed of delivery
If switching to agency contractors without historical data, leverage industry benchmarks to estimate expected performance and costs.
Step 3: Calculate Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Precisely quantify all costs to compare financial investment:
In-House Copywriters Include:
- Salaries, benefits, and payroll taxes
- Recruitment and onboarding expenses
- Training and professional development
- Equipment, software (e.g., Grammarly, CMS), and licenses
- Workspace and utilities
- Management and HR overhead
Agency Contractors Include:
- Project fees (fixed, hourly, or retainer)
- Onboarding and communication overhead
- Revision fees or additional charges
- Possible technology integrations and platform costs
Calculate unit costs, such as cost per word or per project, to normalize comparison.
Step 4: Use Tracking and Attribution Tools to Connect Copy to Performance
Implement robust tracking to attribute outcomes accurately:
- Employ UTM parameters and tracking URLs to identify traffic sources
- Use analytics tools like Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager for detailed user behavior and conversion tracking
- Leverage CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) to connect leads and sales to specific content
- Use multi-touch attribution models within marketing automation software such as Marketo or Pardot to map content influence throughout the buyer’s journey
- Collect qualitative feedback from sales and customer support teams to gauge copy effectiveness
These methods ensure precise performance attribution to agency or in-house work.
Step 5: Calculate ROI with the Standard Formula
Use the formula:
[ \text{ROI} = \frac{\text{Revenue Attributed to Copywriting} - \text{Copywriting Cost}}{\text{Copywriting Cost}} \times 100 ]
Example:
| Resource | Cost | Revenue Attributed | ROI Calculation | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agency Contractor | $10,000 | $60,000 | (60,000 - 10,000) / 10,000 * 100 | 500% |
| In-House | $15,000 | $50,000 | (50,000 - 15,000) / 15,000 * 100 | 233% |
Calculate separately for agency and in-house projects to identify maximum ROI contributors.
Step 6: Factor in Qualitative Impact on ROI
Numbers alone don't capture the full value; consider:
- Creativity & Expertise: Agencies may bring diverse skills and innovation
- Speed & Scalability: Agencies can often deliver faster and handle larger workloads
- Brand Authenticity: In-house writers have deeper brand knowledge and alignment
- Communication Efficiency: In-house teams typically experience fewer communication delays
- Long-Term Strategic Alignment: In-house resources may better support enduring content strategies
Balancing these qualitative aspects ensures holistic ROI evaluation.
Step 7: Assess Opportunity Cost and Strategic Business Fit
Beyond direct ROI, evaluate:
- Recruitment and management bandwidth required for in-house hires versus agency project managers
- Agility and scalability offered by agencies for fluctuating workload needs
- Control over brand voice and confidentiality, favoring in-house personnel in sensitive cases
- Flexibility to experiment, with agencies often providing specialized skills quickly
Align these strategic factors with your business goals to determine optimal resourcing.
Step 8: Use Feedback Tools for Continuous Performance Improvement
Integrate stakeholder and customer feedback to refine copywriting resource allocation:
- Conduct surveys with tools like Zigpoll to gather input from sales, marketing, and customers on copy effectiveness
- Analyze sentiment and clarity feedback to identify strengths and areas needing improvement
- Use ongoing feedback loops to enhance workflows and improve ROI over time
Feedback integration fosters a data-driven culture surrounding copywriting investments.
Step 9: Leverage Technology and Automation for Accurate Measurement
Advanced tools enable precise, efficient ROI tracking:
- Dashboards combining spend, traffic, conversions, and revenue for real-time insights
- AI-driven analytics assessing copy readability, engagement, and sentiment (e.g., ClearVoice, Contently)
- Automated reporting to streamline agency vs. in-house performance comparisons
Investing in automation enhances measurement precision and decision-making speed.
Step 10: Conduct Regular ROI Reviews and Adapt Resource Strategies
ROI assessment is ongoing due to market and business dynamics:
- Schedule quarterly or biannual ROI reviews comparing new data against baselines
- Adjust budget allocation, staffing, and agency contracts accordingly
- Experiment with hybrid models combining agency expertise for complex projects and in-house teams for continuity
Consistent evaluation and adaptability maximize long-term copywriting investments.
Case Study: SaaS Company Comparing In-House and Agency Copywriting ROI
- In-House: $60,000 for 6 months, produced 20 pieces (~1,000 words each), 15% traffic increase, $300,000 in revenue attributed, ROI 400%
- Agency: $50,000 for 6 months, produced 5 pieces (~2,500 words each), 25% traffic increase, $250,000 revenue attributed, ROI 400%
Despite fewer pieces, the agency delivered higher traffic growth and scalability, balancing identical ROI with different strategic advantages. The company adopted a hybrid model leveraging agency expertise for strategic long-form content and in-house agility for quick tactical pieces.
Recommended Tools for Measuring Copywriting ROI
- Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager – for traffic and conversion tracking
- Salesforce, HubSpot – CRM attribution
- Marketo, Pardot – multi-touch attribution
- ClearVoice, Contently – content analytics
- Zigpoll – real-time stakeholder and customer feedback
- Asana, Trello – project tracking for cost and productivity analysis
Combining these platforms builds a comprehensive ROI measurement ecosystem.
Best Practices to Maximize Copywriting ROI Measurement
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| Align KPIs with business goals | Focus on metrics influencing revenue and lead generation |
| Accurately calculate full costs | Include direct, indirect, and overhead expenses |
| Use robust tracking and attribution | Link copywriting precisely to business outcomes |
| Combine quantitative and qualitative | Factor in quality, creativity, and strategic fit |
| Collect continuous feedback | Use surveys to gather stakeholder insights |
| Review ROI regularly | Adapt resource allocation based on up-to-date data |
| Test hybrid resourcing models | Leverage strengths of both agency and in-house copywriters |
Conclusion
Effectively measuring the ROI of agency contractors versus in-house copywriters requires a data-driven, multi-dimensional approach. By setting clear objectives, calculating true costs, implementing precise attribution, and considering qualitative factors, businesses can optimize their copywriting investments for maximum impact.
Incorporate tools like Zigpoll for real-time feedback and modern analytics platforms to track performance continuously. Regular ROI reviews empower marketing leaders to select the best resource blend—whether agency, in-house, or hybrid—to maximize copywriting effectiveness and drive sustainable growth.
Start measuring your copywriting ROI today with Zigpoll, integrating seamless survey and feedback tools to capture stakeholder insights and unlock actionable results that enhance your copywriting strategy.
