How to Become a Content Marketer

Content marketing is one of the most promising and stable careers available if you have a background as a writer. If you are a good communicator and have an instinct for online trends and strong creative abilities, you might be a strong candidate for a content marketer role.

A content creator knows how crucial online platforms are to building brand reputation, generating leads, and establishing an online presence. It can be a challenging but exciting career path that could lead you to a job as a creative director, marketing specialist, or senior copywriter. If you want to know how to become a content strategist and marketer, you’ll want to read this article.

What Is a Content Marketer?

A content marketer works with a content creator to plan their online strategies and editorial calendar. This planning may include writing emails or doing research, as well as making graphics, videos, and blog posts. As a strategist, you need to ensure that content is high quality, increases readership, and aligns with the brand’s goals.

Content Marketer Job Description

Content marketers are creative thinkers because their job involves conceptualizing unique and dynamic content to grab the interest of their target audience. Once they have an idea in mind, the work involves market research, search engine optimization (SEO), social media posts, and other web content.

Content marketers need to have strong writing and editorial skills because they are responsible for ensuring consistency in every piece of content. They monitor how the audience responds to content and make data-driven decisions on how to increase its online traction. Marketers also need good communication and leadership skills to articulate a campaign’s direction to the content team.

Content Marketer Salary and Job Outlook

A content marketer has a relatively average annual salary of $51,883, according to Payscale, and $60,842 according to Indeed. If you work an entry-level job, you can expect an average salary of around $42,000, but if you level up your skills, you can be promoted to a managerial or executive position and make a higher salary.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have a content marketers page. However, we can use its promotions, advertising, and marketing managers page for reference. Job openings in this category are projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029. Expertise in this line of work can get you a median pay of $141,490 per year, according to BLS.

Top Reasons to Become a Content Marketer in 2021

If you think your skillset lends itself well to a career in content marketing, there’s no better time to start working on your credentials. With social media and online platforms playing such an important role in our lives, many companies are interested in hiring content marketers in 2021. Read on for a list of reasons to become a content marketer.

• Be part of a thriving industry. Content marketing is set to become a $412.88 billion industry with a growth rate of 16 percent. The future job market looks promising.
• Plenty of career paths to pursue. Just because you chose to become a content marketer does not mean you are stuck with that job for life. Your skills are applicable to other interesting roles, such as editor, technical writer, marketing manager, copywriter, or social media manager.
• In high demand across industries. In our Internet-reliant society, companies will always need content marketers. Whether your interest lies in sports, education, commerce, or politics, your sets of skills will always be in demand.
• Plenty of educational pathways. Whether you’re just starting your career or vying for promotion, there are plenty of ways to learn industry-relevant skills. Online videos and articles, certificate programs, and bootcamps are just a few of the materials and courses you can use to upskill.

Content Marketer Job Requirements

Companies that hire content marketers look for people with experience as copywriters, bloggers, content managers, and social media managers. They want someone who is enthusiastic about keeping a finger on the pulse of their target audience. Below are some other job requirements that companies look for in candidates.

• Bachelor’s degree. A Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Marketing, Communication, or IT is preferred for this role, but some companies prefer candidates with equivalent job experience.
• Writing and editing experience. Writing online content is very different from traditional print. Content marketers need to have excellent writing skills and be well versed in copywriting and content calendar creation.
• Data analytics skills. When you are in charge of content, every decision should be data-driven. Knowledge of Google Analytics and social media analytics is a common job requirement.
• SEO knowledge. Companies want someone who knows SEO best practices and can apply them when creating content.

Types of Content Marketer Careers

‘Content marketer’ is a general term and not many job postings use it. Companies generally like to use more specific job titles that better reflect what the job entails. Here are some related job titles you may want to learn more about if you are considering a career in this industry.

Marketing Content Specialist

The primary role of a marketing content specialist is to create an editorial calendar and a content strategy for brands and products. These professionals are also tasked with writing and editing marketing content.

Content Marketing Coordinator

The primary responsibility of a content marketing coordinator is to conceptualize promotional content and improve rankings in Google and other search engines. They are also responsible for orchestrating content marketing efforts for future campaigns.

Technical Content Marketer

A technical content marketer should have the skills to turn technical data into more palatable information for the general audience through excellent writing. These professionals may rely on visual aids like infographics and charts.

Content Marketer Meaning: What Does a Content Marketer Do?

A content marketer plans and strategically schedules the posting of quality content to increase online presence and interaction. The work involves writing compelling content and doing research and analysis to determine the best type of content to post online. The marketer will decide what types of materials are appropriate, then plot them in an editorial calendar.

Plots an Editorial Calendar

An editorial calendar is a workflow schedule created by the content marketer to be followed by content creators. This schedule directs the team on the content they will make for the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Uses SEO Techniques

A content marketer knows effective SEO practices. They have a command of strategies like keyword research and title tag and meta description optimization and are constantly tracking post performance.

Monitors Data Analytics

An effective content marketer is familiar with basic concepts in data analytics and knows how to interpret relevant data. These professionals use tools to locate and track online trends to make decisions on content creation and plot an effective editorial calendar.

Essential Content Marketer Skills

To be an effective content marketer, you will need a specific set of skills that allows you to understand how the Internet interprets the content you put out online. The more advanced your skills become, the more job opportunities will be available to you, and the higher your salary will be. Here are some essential skills you need to master if you want to become a content marketer.

Writing and Editing

Advanced writing and editing skills are essential for content marketers. They must have a background in online writing or copywriting to design an effective content strategy and easily spot content revisions.

Technical skills

There is a wide range of tools out there that can make you more effective at your job. Content marketers use specific software for editing, researching trends, generating leads, and SEO optimization. Master these tools and you will become a very attractive candidate for any content marketer job.

Content Management

Having strong organization, management, and planning skills is essential for a successful career as a content marketer. Knowledge of content management applications can increase your value as a marketer because you will be better at automating processes and organizing digital content.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Content Marketer?

Most companies require at least one year of experience as a writer or editor when hiring a marketer. You will also need to take the time to learn technical skills such as SEO, data analysis, content management, lead generation, and research.

You can start your career as a content writer to gain experience while you acquire technical skills. About six months to one year of experience in content writing or copywriting will also serve to polish your editing skills. You can learn technical skills through bootcamps, online courses, or vocational schools.

Can a Coding Bootcamp Help Me Become a Content Marketer?

A coding bootcamp can help you develop the technical skills you need to become a content marketer. Many bootcamps offer classes in digital marketing, data science, and web development. The best data analytics bootcamps can help you better understand the analytical side of content marketing and allow you to execute digital strategies.

Learning technical skills in a bootcamp is an effective way to become a content marketer in just a few weeks. Bootcamps offer a hands-on learning experience to develop practical skills more quickly and for less money than traditional education methods.

Can I Become a Content Marketer From Home?

Yes, it is possible to learn everything you need to know to start your content marketer career from home. There are a lot of online resources you can read, or you can enroll in online courses. You can learn and polish every aspect of the job online, including writing, conceptualizing, and researching.

How to Become a Content Marketer: A Step-by-Step Guide

Learning the basics of content marketing does not happen with just one course. You will need to understand various technical skills such as SEO, data analytics, and web development. You also need experience with various digital channels and content strategies. Combine all this knowledge with your writing and organizational skills and creativity, and you’ll be ready to get a job in content marketing.

Step 1: Improve Your Writing and Editing Skills

Even if you are already an experienced writer, there’s always room for improvement. As a content marketing expert, you constantly need to brush up on your grammar and vocabulary as well as improve your outlines and writing style.

Step 2: Learn Technical Skills

As a content strategist, you will be judged mainly by your ability to conceptualize and execute digital strategies. You should put all your effort into learning technical skills and the fastest way to do this is through short online courses or bootcamps.

Step 3: Create a Personal Blog or Website

A great way to combine everything you have learned is to create a web page or blog to practice your content marketing skills and interact with online audiences. A personal website will also allow you to market yourself and your services.

Best Schools and Education for a Content Marketer Career

Content marketing is all about making your content stand out. To do this, you need very specific skills, including writing, researching, team management, and SEO. You can acquire these skills in a number of ways. Below, we take a close look at some of the organizations and institutions you can attend to boost your content marketing skills.

Content Marketer Bootcamps

Bootcamps provide an intensive learning experience packed with hands-on training. Attending a bootcamp requires your full commitment, and getting into one may feel like applying for a job or a university.

A bootcamp will teach you technical skills, including strategy and editorial calendar creation, SEO, content planning, and data analysis. Part-time content marketing bootcamps can cost between $2,000 and $8,000 depending on the length of the course. Full-time programs generally cost around $10,000.

Vocational School

Vocational schools combine skills-intensive learning with lectures. There are not many vocational schools with content management-specific curricula, but you can easily find marketing management and digital marketing courses.

Vocational programs take around two years to complete, with an average annual tuition fee of about $11,000. You can use the credits you earn toward a four-year degree program at a university.

Community College

Community colleges have an environment similar to universities but with a more skills-centric learning style, similar to trade schools. They offer certificate courses and associate degrees, which you can finish in about two years.

The average tuition for community college is $3,400 for in-district students, but this figure is much higher for out-of-state students. To become a content marketer, you can take courses on marketing and sales, digital marketing, web design, or digital applications.

Content Marketer Degrees

There is no bachelor’s degree in content marketing specifically, but any four-year marketing or digital technology program will serve you well. Good majors for becoming a content marketer are multimedia marketing, marketing communication, transmedia communication, and marketing management.

The average cost of a four-year degree in the US is around $28,123. If you have a four-year degree, you have a better chance of getting a higher marketing position, such as a creative director or senior copywriter.

The Most Important Content Marketer Certificates

There are plenty of organizations that offer certificate programs covering different aspects of the job, from SEO to content marketing. Having one of these credentials in your resume can make you a more attractive candidate for a job marketer position. Below we take a look at some of the main certificate programs in the industry.

Content Marketing Course by HubSpot

This certification course, offered by a leader in the industry, will give you the foundation you need to become an effective content marketer. You will learn about good storytelling, generating ideas, promoting content, and building an SEO strategy as well as key concepts like repurposing and topic clusters.

Google Analytics Certification

Passing this certification exam offered by the biggest search engine on the planet will greatly increase your value as a content marketer. There are many courses out there to help you prepare for this exam, including Udemy’s Google Analytics Certification - 1 Day Certification Guide.

SEO Essentials Certification by Moz Academy

This course is offered by another industry leader with plenty to teach. This is an on-demand instructor-led program where you’ll learn SEO essentials and receive a credential to enhance your resume.

How to Prepare for Your Content Marketer Job Interview

Content marketing jobs are skills-based, so aside from what they read on your resume, employers want to see a high level of communication skills and knowledge in the different areas the job entails. A job interview is a great place to show you have these skills and expertise. Below are some common questions you can practice to prepare for your next interview.

Content Marketer Job Interview Practice Questions

• Why do you love writing?
• What is your process when choosing which topics and formats to use?
• What do you consider valuable content?
• Has your work been criticized in the past? If so, how did you handle the criticism?

Should I Become a Content Marketer in 2021?

Starting your career as a content marketer in 2021 is a good idea. The content marketing industry is thriving and there is plenty of growth ahead, which means that you will always have plenty of job opportunities. In addition, acquiring the skills you need for this career is easy due to the many learning resources available and institutions that offer affordable technical skills training.