In my last post, I wrote that we live in a golden era for content marketing. But what skills do you need to take advantage of this new opportunity for writing? Do you have what it takes to apply for a job as a content writer?

This guest post by Tom Siani of Social Supplement answers just that. Tom is an online marketing expert with up to 4 years of experience in this digital industry. He is also collaborating with some well-known brands in order to generate traffic, create sales funnels, and increase online sales. He has written a considerable number of articles about marketing via social media, brand marketing, blogging, search visibility, etc.

His point is that you’ll need to work as a content generator for firms. But great writing isn’t all you’ll need. The most successful content writers will also be aware of what content marketing entails. In short, how to think like a content marketer.

How to be a good content marketer in 2019

While old-fashioned marketing careers are becoming less attractive and, of course, worse paid, newly invented online writing jobs are spreading like wildfire. Attitudes towards media jobs have significantly shifted to content-generating jobs over the past decade.

Social media platforms have provided businesses with a great audience reach opportunity. Accordingly, many brands are seeking content generators for marketing positions as part of their social media strategies. Therefore, one of the most sought-after job titles in 2019 is “Content Marketer.” In recent years, there has been a constant increase of about 30 percent in job positions related to content marketing each year.

Content Marketing | From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's books

As a job becomes more and more attractive in the public eye, more competitive skills will inevitably be required for the position. Content marketing is not an exception and job candidates need to have several multi-discipline skills to be employed. If you want to work in this field, you need to combine the skills of:

  • a creative copywriter,
  • fluent storyteller,
  • meticulous data analyst,
  • graphic designer,
  • public relations strategist,
  • IT expert, and
  • a good manager on social media.

As you can see, this wide list of skills may well leave you bemused. So, we have sorted the most prevalent characteristics many employers seek in candidates:

Mastery in social media

Many of us assume that we have a deep literacy in social media simply because of being able to create accounts and post on different platforms.

Content Marketing | From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's books

But the truth is that we should stop considering social media as an entertaining field without any professional requirements. Many content marketers are smart, diligent persons with a bright educational background.

So, instead of considering advertised social media jobs as low-level positions, understand that you are expected to be part of a business booming.

To succeed, you have to understand the routine procedures of content marketing in professional teams.

Usually, each social media platform will be assigned to each team member. All members need to regularly post content in compliance with other members. Afterward, they should conduct competitor analyses and thorough examination of their metrics to track their performance such as reach, engagement, and generally all social media actions that create value. Then, each team member should respond to customers on their platform as the brand’s representative.

So, if you want to be hired as a content marketer for social media, you should first understand the responsibilities above.

Content generation

Content creation is about producing suitable content for websites, blogs, or social media platforms to increase visitors. Content is more than simple text, so you have to get creative.

For example, many times you need an infographic content creation. This requires an extra set of skills in addition to your command in writing text. First, you have to be creative enough to come up with an idea for the infographic. Then, you should find a reliable source and analyze its data. Afterward, you need to be familiar with creating a graphic using various tools. The art of using more attractive graphics and also utilizing more sought-after keywords can make a big difference in the end result.

A similar process could be applied for video, blog, podcast, and social media content. So, if you want to be hired as a content marketer, it would be great if you possess the skills to generate these kinds of content. Pixpa recently published a comprehensive review of the Best Graphic Design Software for 2020; check it out for more information on the tools you can use to create and edit your graphics.

Failing at that is why many influencer marketing experts are unable to sell their accounts at a high price due to their lack of skills in content generation.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

It is necessary to be an expert on SEO when looking for a good position as a content marketer. This skill has been mentioned in more than 40 percent of job positions. SEO stands for search engine optimization and means using the more repetitive and linkable keywords to appear in search results. In other words, you should think of key elements people are googling when generating content.

Say you’re hired by an agency to promote the keywords “SEO Toronto.” You need to be able to come up with original content that somehow includes both this specific keyphrase and be of interest to your readers. This can be challenging but you should always remember that we write for people; not search engines. However, it’s the mark of a great SEO copywriter that they can do just that. For example, you could write a list of SEO agencies in Toronto, a review of a specific agency, or a study on the state of SEO in Canada: all of these provide ample opportunities to include the required keyphrase.

If you want to become knowledgeable in SEO, you should start by learning about SEO strategies and tactics. Read about case studies and common SEO mistakes, search SEO-related websites and blogs, and read the content generated by SEO experts on social media.

Final word

The top three most important matters you must be skilled in were mentioned above. It can be difficult to include all the skills you might be asked during the interview process. According to the experience of previous candidates, you may also be asked about:

  • Ability to work with others,
  • Time management ability,
  • Your effort to contribute to the core strategies of the company,
  • Your working ethos,
  • Ability to work independently,
  • Ability to adapt to changes,
  • And, most importantly, the ability to learn!