In today’s competitive marketing scene, content reigns supreme. Content marketing is an important marketing tactic that businesses use to boost brand recognition and conversion rates. As a result, there is a continual rising demand for experts who can create and manage content.
Is content marketing something you’d like to pursue? Well get comfortable where you’re seated, because this piece is going to be worth your time.
But seriously, if you’re passionate about creating and managing content that aligns with a company’s business goals and effectively communicates its message to its target audience, then being a content strategist might be the perfect career for you.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what it means to be a content strategist, including the job role, skills required, salary expectations, and different types of content strategists (yes, there’s more than one type).
Plus, we’ll give you the lowdown on why you should even bother considering this career path in the first place.
What is a Content Strategist?
A content strategist is essentially a content wizard, responsible for planning, developing, and managing all types of content – often for digital media.
This includes creating content calendars, determining the most effective content formats, and working with content creators to ensure that all content is on brand and aligned with business goals.
Content strategists play a crucial role in helping companies effectively communicate their message to their target audience and achieve their business objectives through content marketing. This might include increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or establishing thought leadership in a particular industry.
Job Role and Responsibilities of a Content Strategist
According to HubSpot, 82 percent of marketers intend to use content marketing actively in 2022. This figure is up 70% from 2021, indicating that the demand for content strategists is on the rise.
As a content strategist, your job role and responsibilities might include:
- Creating a content strategy that is in line with business objectives and the target audience
- Choosing the best content formats (such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and so on) for each stage of the customer journey
- Making a content marketing calendar and managing content production
- Collaboration with content creators (such as writers, designers, and video producers) to ensure that all content is consistent and of high quality.
- Using data analysis to maximize content performance and inform content strategy
- Collaborating with other teams (such as marketing, sales, and customer service) to ensure that content supports overall business objectives
- Keeping up with industry trends and best practices in content creation and distribution
Skills Required for Content Strategy
To excel as a content strategist, you’ll need a diverse set of skills, including:
- Strong writing skills: As a content strategist, you’ll be in charge of creating or overseeing the creation of various types of written content, so you’ll need to be able to write well.
- Analytical skills: The ability to analyze data and use it to inform content strategy is essential for a content strategist. This includes tracking key metrics like engagement, traffic, and conversion rates and using this information to optimize content performance.
- Strategic thinking: A content strategist must be able to think strategically in order to create a content plan that is aligned with business goals and targets the appropriate audience. This necessitates the ability to recognize opportunities and challenges and to devise innovative solutions.
- Project management skills: As a content strategist, you’ll be in charge of managing content production, which necessitates strong project management abilities. This includes the ability to create and manage a content marketing calendar, assign tasks, and meet deadlines.
- Creativity: A content strategist must be able to generate creative content ideas and figure out how to make them stand out in a crowded online space.
- Strong collaboration skills are required as a content strategist because you will be working with a variety of different teams and stakeholders. This includes being able to effectively communicate your ideas and collaborate with others.
Content Strategist Salary
According to salary data from payscale, the average annual salary for a content strategist in Nigeria is around N2,100,000.
However, your salary as a content strategist can vary based on a number of factors, including your level of experience, the industry you work in, and the size of the company you work for.
So if you’re looking to get paid to flex your creative muscles, being a content strategist might just be the gig for you.
Types of Content Strategists
There are several different types of content strategists, each with their own unique set of skills and responsibilities:
- Digital content strategists are in charge of creating and implementing a content strategy for digital media such as websites, social media, and email marketing.
- UX content strategists: UX (user experience) content strategists focus on the content that appears on websites and other digital platforms. They work closely with UX designers to ensure that the content is relevant, easy to navigate, and helps to achieve business objectives.
- SEO content strategists: SEO (search engine optimization) content strategists focus on creating and optimizing content to improve a website’s ranking in search engine results. This includes conducting keyword research, creating high-quality content, and optimizing meta tags and descriptions.
- Technical content strategists: Technical content strategists are responsible for creating and managing technical documentation and other types of content for a company’s products or services. This might include user manuals, help articles, and online tutorials. Technical content strategists must have a strong understanding of the company’s products and be able to communicate technical information in a clear and concise manner.
- Marketing content strategists: Marketing content strategists work with marketing teams to develop and implement a content strategy that supports marketing campaigns and drives business objectives. This might include creating sales collateral, email marketing campaigns, and social media content.
Why You Should Care About Being a Content Strategist
You might be wondering, “Why should I even bother considering a career as a content strategist?” Well, here are a few reasons why:
- The demand for content strategists is on the rise: As more and more companies recognize the importance of having a strong online presence and effective content marketing strategies, the demand for content strategists is increasing.
- It’s a diverse and flexible career: As a content strategist, you’ll have the opportunity to work on a variety of different types of content and projects, making it a flexible and diverse career choice.
- It’s rewarding: Being a content strategist means that you get to be a key player in helping companies effectively communicate their message to their target audience and achieve their business objectives. And there’s no better feeling than knowing that your work is making a difference.
- It pays well: As mentioned before, the median annual salary for a content strategist is around N2,100,00 per year, which is nothing to sneeze at.
How to Become a Content Strategist
If you’re ready to take the plunge and become a content strategist, here are the steps you can take to make it happen:
- Build your skills: Make sure you have the skills necessary to excel in this role, including strong writing skills, analytical skills, and strategic thinking. Consider taking courses or learning on your own through online resources to build these skills.
- Gain experience: Having experience in content creation and strategy, either through internships or personal projects, can be helpful when it comes to landing a job as a content strategist. Consider starting a personal blog or working on freelance projects to build your portfolio.
- Build your online presence: As a content strategist, it’s important to have a strong online presence. Make sure your personal website or portfolio showcases your skills and experience.
- Network: Networking is an important part of any job search, and the world of content strategy is no different. Consider joining industry groups or attending events to meet other professionals in the field and learn about job opportunities.
- Look for job openings: Once you’ve built up your skills and experience, it’s time to start looking for job openings. Keep an eye on job boards and company websites, and consider reaching out to companies directly to inquire about open positions.
Becoming a content strategist can be a challenging but rewarding career path for those who are passionate about creating compelling and effective content. By building the necessary skills, gaining experience, and networking, you can land a job in this field and start making an impact.
If you are looking for something more comprehensive in the field of digital marketing, check out our Digital Marketing course which is designed for beginners and professionals.