With abundant AI tools available, creating great content has never been easier. Or cheaper. Or faster.

At least, that’s the illusion a lot of people have bought into lately.

The reality?

AI can absolutely help you create content faster and at scale. It can streamline production, support ideation, and save hours in execution.

But it still needs an operator—someone who knows what they’re doing—to make it sing.

Not all efficiency gains are created equal. And when it comes to content that actually drives results, quality still costs.

The hidden labor behind AI-augmented content

When you see a polished piece of content from a brand, what you don’t see is the team behind it—or the time, expertise, and systems that make it possible.

Over the past few months, Kevin Whelan and I have been hosting 2 Marketers and a Coworking Podcast. Since we kicked things off, I’ve been personally managing production for the pod.

And despite having:

• Well-defined SOPs
• Solid tech and AI tools (hello, ChatGPT)
• Streamlined workflows for pre-production, production, editing, and distribution

...it’s still a heavy lift.

Why?

Because producing content that feels right—that sounds like us, reflects our standards, and delivers actual value—takes more than automation.

It also takes:

• Clear distribution planning to make sure each piece goes to the right place, in the right way, at the right time.
• Finding the right guests (stay tuned!)
• Crafting strong outlines
• Building content that’s thoughtful from the start

That’s not something you can fake—or farm out on the cheap. Trust me. I've crunched the numbers based on the rates I pay my contractors on client accounts.

Why I’m not outsourcing this podcast quite yet

As a content agency owner, I work with a trusted roster of freelancers for client engagements. Writers. Editors. Strategists. People who are really good at what they do.

But this podcast doesn’t generate revenue—not yet. So, for now, I’m doing the production work myself.

Why?

Because I want it done right.

And that means:

• Social posts that reflect our voice and tone
• Highlights that speak to the heart of each episode
• Clips that feel authentic to how Kevin and I actually talk

But we don't want to spend the costs out-of-pocket just yet.

Could I hand off the SOPs to someone cheap on Fiverr or Upwork? Technically, yes. But we’d lose what makes it great (in our humble opinions).

AI is a lever, not a magic wand

Even with AI tools and frameworks in place, you still need someone who:

• Knows what good content looks like
• Understands the nuance of tone and message
• Can decide what matters and what doesn’t

Those people don’t come cheap. And that's for good reason.

They have core skills and expertise that can't be replicated by robots—they've just learned to fuse those skills with expertise for using AI tools as a lever.

So, if you’re thinking about outsourcing content because AI has made it "easy," pause and ask:

• Who’s ensuring this work still meets your standards?
• Do they understand your business, your voice, and your goals?
• Are you willing to pay what that level of care is worth?

That’s the real question. You can outsource tasks, but you can’t outsource judgment, nuance, or standards. If you want work that reflects the quality of your brand—and delivers real business results—you either need to do it yourself or pay someone who truly gets it. There’s no shortcut around that.

And if content isn’t really your thing—or something you’ve had to do much of—it might take more time, energy, and frustration than you bargained for.

Even with great tools, the DIY route still demands a lot if you want the end result to be good.

Content is still an investment

Systems help. AI helps. But quality content—the kind that actually moves the needle—still requires:

• Time
• Judgment
• A commitment to doing it right

If you’re trying to scale your content without scaling your standards, you’re not saving money. You’re just cutting corners.

I’m not saying you have to do everything yourself. But if you want content that builds trust, earns attention, and converts leads, you have to treat it like the investment it is.

And that’s true whether it’s for a client campaign or a passion project like a podcast.

Want content that actually works? It might not be free. But it’s worth it. Book a free consultation today if you'd like to learn more.

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