🚀Entering Tech #42: Building a career in content marketing

Some tech trivia to get the brain juices flowing.

Google will likely answer this question in a number of ways, but in summary, a content marketer is a storyteller. You remember that one kid in school who’d narrate movies and season films during break time to a crowd of attentive listeners? That’s kinda like what a content marketer does.

They identify, create and distribute engaging content to attract a target audience and get them to interact with the products or services that a business offers. Content marketers employ various processes like market research, content strategy, copywriting and search engine optimization to convert prospects into customers.

It’s a bit similar to copywriting, but they’re not exactly the same thing. 

Copywriting is more direct and is written to persuade, sell or trigger immediate action. But content marketing involves content that provides long-term value and is a gradual attempt to build relationships with the target audience and generate leads for the business. A content marketer knows when to apply copywriting, but their entire content strategy isn’t designed to only produce short-term results.

Content marketing is also sometimes considered to be digital marketing, but while they work hand-in-hand, there are slight differences in the sense that while all content marketing is digital marketing, not all digital marketing can be said to be content marketing.

In content marketing, providing information to build trust is a major component of marketing. In digital marketing, online promotion is the main strategy. This involves pay-per-click advertising, like some of those (slightly annoying) unskippable ads on YouTube and other social media marketing efforts. 

In summary, many of the strategies in digital marketing don’t include informational content, which is central to content marketing. 

Writing is a key skill in content marketing. Remember, you’re telling a story, so you’ll need to know the most compelling and engaging way to tell it. 

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is also necessary to help you push the content you create higher in search engine results pages. Other must-have skills include content strategy and management, social media content creation, analytics and social listening.

A degree in marketing is beneficial, but not a strict requirement. You can always take content marketing courses and explore freelance or entry-level content marking opportunities to build your skills and experience.

The day to day of a content marketer’s life may contain any or all of the following—depending on whether their line manager believes they deserve rest or not. 

1. Content Planning and Strategy:

   • Review content marketing strategy and goals.
   • Conduct keyword research to identify content opportunities.
   • Plan content topics and themes.

2. Content Creation:

   • Write blog posts, articles, social media updates, or other types of content.
   • Edit and proofread content for accuracy and quality.
   • Create visual content like infographics or images if necessary.
   • Collaborate with graphic designers, video producers, or other content creators.

3. SEO Optimisation:

   • Optimise content for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords.
   • Ensure proper meta tags, headers, and formatting are used.
   • Implement internal and external linking strategies.

4. Content Promotion:

   • Share content on social media platforms.
   • Schedule and manage content distribution using social media management tools.
   • Engage with the audience, respond to comments, and address questions.

5. Email Marketing:

   • Create and send email campaigns to subscribers.
   • Segment email lists for targeted messaging.
   • Analyze email campaign performance and make adjustments.

6. Analytics and Reporting:

   • Monitor website and content performance using analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics).
   • Track key metrics such as traffic, engagement, and conversions.
   • Generate reports to assess the effectiveness of content efforts.

7. Content Optimization:

   • A/B test headlines, images, and calls to action to improve content performance.
   • Update and refresh evergreen content to keep it relevant.
   • Conduct content audits to identify areas for improvement.

8. Content Collaboration:

   • Coordinate with other team members, such as designers, SEO specialists, and social media managers.
   • Attend meetings to discuss content strategy and progress.

9. Research and Learning:

   • Stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices.
   • Research competitors’ content strategies.
   • Attend webinars, read industry blogs, and participate in relevant courses.

10. Content Ideation and Brainstorming:

    • Brainstorm new content ideas and formats.
    • Collaborate with team members to generate fresh and innovative concepts.

11. Content Management:

    • Use content management systems (CMS) to upload, format, and publish content.
    • Ensure content is organized and tagged correctly for easy retrieval.

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