If you’re considering a career in content marketing and are a strategic thinker with a love of writing, you may be a perfect fit for the content strategist role. But to make an informed decision, you’ll need to understand the content strategist job description and the responsibilities this role entails.
There are many reasons why businesses need a long-term content strategy as part of their marketing plan. It promotes brand awareness, builds lasting customer relationships, improves search engine rankings, and doesn’t just focus on short-term wins or quick sales.
In other words, content strategy is what brings a business’s vision, core messaging, and business goals to life in an effective and sustainable way. So, no wonder content strategists are in high demand!
To help you decide if content strategy is the career path for you, we’ll give you an overview of the content strategist job description by covering the following questions:
- What is content strategy?
- What does a content strategist do?
- Content strategist job description
- How to become a content strategist
- Key takeaways
You can use the clickable menu to skip ahead to any section. With that, let’s dive in.
1. What is content strategy?
Content strategy is the practice of developing, executing, and managing various forms of content to achieve specific business objectives, such as increased sales, higher engagement rates, better customer loyalty, and improved brand recognition. It involves carefully crafting a plan with an understanding of the brand’s mission, values, target audience, industry trends, and more.
An effective content strategy requires continual management, regularly auditing existing content, and developing an editorial calendar for future releases. With these tactics in place, companies can be one step ahead of their competitors by creating quality content that resonates with their audiences and provides maximum impact.
2. What does a content strategist do?
A content strategist is responsible for devising creative concepts and implementing content plans that captivate audiences on multiple digital channels. This includes crafting effective content for social media, websites, blogs, podcasts, and other online sources.
Content strategists must also keep abreast of current trends and best practices to ensure all content is optimized for search engine performance. Additionally, they monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and other marketing metrics to assess the impact of their work. The goal is to maximize their content’s reach and impact while staying within budget.
You can learn more about the daily tasks of a content strategist by reading the following blog post: What does a content strategist do?
3. Content strategist job description
So, we’ve covered the basics—but if you’re serious about pursuing a career in this field, you’ll probably want to examine typical content strategist job descriptions in more detail.
That said, going through the vast array of job postings available on sites like Indeed, Glassdoor or LinkedIn is a disproportionately time-consuming task, especially if you’re just hoping to get a general idea of the profession.
To facilitate your research, we’ve produced a summary of the most common tasks and responsibilities listed in current job descriptions, as well as the skills and experiences they often require. Take a look:
Key tasks and responsibilities
The primary tasks and responsibilities of a content strategist include:
- Market research: analysis of competitor content and customer feedback to inform the development of winning strategies
- Audience analysis: regular checking of analytics data to identify trends in reader engagement and adapt accordingly
- Strategy development: brainstorming and implementing innovative ideas for engaging content that aligns with the key brand messages and objectives
- Content planning: mapping out an editorial workflow and using content management systems to ensure timely and efficient digital content creation
- Content audits: evaluating existing platforms for gaps in consistency or areas which can be improved upon
- Content creation: writing, developing, and updating SEO-friendly content for multiple channels, such as websites, blogs, and social media channels
- Content optimization: editing existing materials, repurposing them as required, performing keyword research using various tools, optimizing with relevant key phrases, and increasing engagement through SEO optimization measures
- Product promotion: creating promotional copy for products or services in line with branding guidelines
- Performance tracking: monitoring and reporting on the performance of content across multiple channels, adjusting as necessary to maximize reach
- Data analysis: using analytics tools to assess trends in reader engagement and make data-driven decisions
Key skills and experience requirements
In addition to fulfilling these tasks, content strategists need a range of technical and soft skills, as well as relevant work experience. Here are the most important requirements:
- Technological know-how: familiarity with content management systems (CMS), HTML coding, and SEO optimization tools
- Strategic thinking skills: ability to develop thorough, long-term content strategies that align with business goals
- Communication skills: strong verbal and written communication abilities, including the ability to collaborate effectively both within and outside the organization
- Understanding of UX design principles: knowledge of how user experience affects content strategy development
- Analytical skills: capacity to understand readership behavior through analytics, then use data to shape strategic decisions
- Writing and editing skills: expertise at creating compelling content across multiple marketing channels, as well as editing existing materials for clarity or relevance
- Knowledge of SEO best practices: understanding of the fundamentals of SEO and ability to use tools to increase visibility on search engines
- Teamwork experience: demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic environment
- Digital marketing experience: exposure to digital marketing initiatives, such as email campaigns and paid advertising, to optimize content usage and reach
- Project management experience: proven record of success at planning and executing projects according to timeline and budget constraints
4. How to become a content strategist
As with most digital marketing jobs, there are different paths to becoming a content strategist. For example, you could start out as an in-house content writer, then move up to an editorial role and eventually transition into content strategy. Alternatively, you could pursue professional qualifications in digital marketing, content development, or media management before looking for a content strategist role.
Either way, you’ll find these tips helpful in building a successful career in content strategy:
Educate yourself
Why not try a free digital marketing course to see if the field is right for you? You could also make use of free online resources such as blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels related to the topic of content strategy. If you don’t know where to start, the following resources could be worth exploring:
- Search Engine Journal
- Ahrefs Blog
- HubSpot Marketing Blog
- Neil Patel’s YouTube channel
- Semrush YouTube channel
- This Old Marketing podcast
- Marketing Made Easy podcast
Get work experience
Gain practical experience in the field of content strategy by taking on internships or part-time work related to content creation or digital marketing. This could be anything from writing blog posts for a small business to helping with SEO optimization of a website to managing social media accounts. Freelance projects are also a great way to get your foot in the door and demonstrate your capabilities to potential employers.
Build your portfolio
Start collecting evidence of your work in the form of case studies, reports, or other material that demonstrates how you’ve used content to achieve measurable business results. Even if you have little experience, a portfolio can set you apart in job interviews and show employers you understand the fundamentals of content strategy.
Need help putting together your portfolio? Our comprehensive Digital Marketing program helps you acquire the skills and experience you need to launch your content strategy career. The program features content marketing as one of its key modules, allowing you to create a portfolio project highlighting your expertise in action.
Grow your network
Attend relevant industry events or join professional groups on LinkedIn. Networking with like-minded people will help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and open up more job prospects in the future.
Admittedly, putting yourself out there can be intimidating, but there is nothing more powerful than connecting with people who understand what you do and can help you reach your goals. So, don’t be afraid to reach out and make those connections.
5. Key takeaways
Content strategy is a critical component of any digital marketing plan, so talented content strategists are increasingly sought-after in today’s marketplace.
In this blog post, we’ve looked at the content strategist job description to provide insight into the tasks, responsibilities, and skills you need to pursue this career path. We’ve also outlined how to become a content strategist, from building your knowledge base and gaining experience to creating a portfolio project and growing your network.
If you’re interested in pursuing content strategy as a career, why not first try out our free, 5-day short course to see if it’s a good fit?
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