The Contently Network Now Has 100,000 Freelance Creatives

If, like me, you’ve been watching the HBO show Westworld, you may be convinced that robots will soon be able to do pretty much anything. While artificial intelligence is already transporting beer and diagnosing cancer patients, in order to tell creative stories, brands still need creative people. In fact, Contently is grounded in the idea that storytelling is a uniquely human skill.

So while it’s true that we’re a software company that loves data, algorithms, and automation, we’re thrilled to announce a new landmark: Our freelance talent network has now grown to more than 100,000 writers, photographers, designers, videographers, and creatives.

The breadth and quality of our freelance talent network, combined with our proprietary technology, allows our customers to access the right humans, in the right places, with the right expertise. In other words, to help them do what humans do best—share stories.

So who are these people?

Spread across more than 1,000 cities in 60 countries, our creatives’ locales are as diverse as our customers. This means we can help our multinational clients, such as Marriott Traveler and LEGO, tell their stories in markets around the world.

Our global network includes writers who specialize in topics that you may expect: B2B tech, insurance, healthcare, retail, and so on–but because the network is so big, we’re also able to boast subject matter experts in topics as obscure as powder metallurgy, mortuary science, and strategic beta. (Haven’t heard of those? Try writing a 3,000-word white paper about them!)

The network’s visual creatives bring copy to life. Crazy-talented video producers, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, artists, and animators have joined our network to help our customers compete in an increasingly multimedia world.

Collectively, our network is an award-winning bunch. We have Pulitzer winners, National Magazine Award recipients, Emmy winners, Peabody honorees, Cannes nominees, and Webby winners.

How does Contently find such great talent?

It’s simple: We give them something valuable in exchange. Each month, thousands of freelancers sign up for a free Contently portfolio, which they use to display their work to potential clients. Our talent team then uses our programmatic matching technology—combined with a healthy dose of good old-fashioned human smarts—to match clients with the right content creators.

I thought you said you sell software?

While content will always be driven by talented people like the ones in our network, we think that software can help make the creative process even better.

Once a freelancer is matched with a Contently customer, everything—planning, creation, communication—happens in the Contently platform. Our technology even offers data-driven recommendations for which freelancers to choose for specific content types and channels, and we’re building tons of exciting tools to optimize how our talent works with our clients.

To learn more, visit contently.com/solutions to see how our technology and talent can help tell your brand’s story.

Alli Manning is the senior manager of the creative network at Contently.