A Guide to Content Marketing Jobs

Content marketing goes a long way in helping Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) promote the awareness of various brands. In this day and age, content must meet customers’ needs in order for brands to attract, engage, and retain a potential audience. As such, CMOs are expected to allocate more funds to content marketing campaigns from 2023 moving forward.

In most companies, a significant portion of money set aside for content marketing goes to the pockets of individuals with much-needed skills in the industry, while the rest may go to technology and advertising.

As such, there are many positions in the content marketing world you can build a career with, especially in 2023, where remote jobs are becoming a norm.

This guide discusses the career paths in content marketing, whether it’s a promising career, how much you can earn from it, and the skills you need to get started. There are a wide range of content marketing jobs you can pick from.

Let’s start by understanding what content marketing is.

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing refers to the efforts directed towards the creation and distribution of relevant, valuable, and up-to-date content in order to attract, engage, and retain a potential audience. If done right, a brand can drive a profitable customer base in the long run.

Companies use content marketing to help solve the issues of their prospects and customers while showcasing the value of their products. Excellent examples of content marketing include blogs, newsletters, videos, podcasts, and social media posts.

An effective content marketing strategy involves making prospective and existing customers feel like partners in your company and that you are more interested in their success. You can achieve this by offering valuable information to solve their issues.

A well-thought strategy can increase the chances of customers choosing your brand when it’s time to buy.

What are the Jobs in the Content Marketing World?

Content marketing is a dynamic industry with lots of opportunities for skilled individuals looking to build careers. Let’s take a detailed look at the most commonly available content marketing jobs in 2023:

1.    SEO Specialist

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is one of the most crucial aspects of content marketing. It plays a significant role in the visibility of content on the internet to boost the online presence of a defined company.

You can build a career around Search Engine Optimization by becoming an SEO expert in content marketing. Many companies are looking for content marketing professionals who can optimize their content to boost their rankings in search engine results.

As an SEO expert, you might be required to use the latest tools to create compelling content that can match the latest search engine algorithms. Depending on your employer, you may be required to create the content yourself or optimize content created by others.

The best part is that you can work as a freelancer or become an in-house member of the SEO team of the company you are working with.

On average, you can earn around $54,000 annually, depending on your state and the company you are working for.

2.    Content Marketing Writer

A content marketing copywriter is a professional specializing in creating online written content for brands to use in their marketing campaigns. This includes blogs, newsletters, articles, infographic copies, ebooks, white papers, social media copies, etc.

To become a copywriter in content marketing, you must possess specific skills, including SEO knowledge, mastery of the language you will be writing in, and some experience in the industry.

Besides, you need to possess impeccable research, writing, proofreading, and editing skills to make it as a professional content marketing writer.

You can earn between $45,000 and $60,000 per year as a marketing copywriter.

3.    Social Media Manager

Social media has become an integral part of our lives, which is why many brands rely heavily on it to reach their target audiences.

It also explains why many companies hire social media managers to oversee their social media campaigns. This includes the creation of content for their social media channels and taking advantage of social media platforms to meet a company’s overall goals in content marketing.

Some of the skills you need as a social media manager include written and visual marketing. These skills can help you attract, engage, and inform your target audience.

You can earn around $70,000 per year as a social media manager.

4.    Content Marketing Agency

A content marketing agency comprises a team of marketing experts working together to help brands achieve their marketing goals. This includes SEO experts, project managers, content writers, content strategists, editors, graphic designers, salespeople, and other content marketing professionals.

That means although getting a reliable content marketing agency is relatively uncommon, these agencies have many jobs you can build a career around.

A content marketing agency’s main tasks are planning, developing, and executing content marketing strategies for various brands.

Depending on your position, you can earn between $42,000 and 77,000 per year working for a content marketing agency.

5.    Content Marketing Manager

As a content marketing manager, your work is to manage other team members to ensure your client’s marketing strategies are executed according to plan.

In that case, you must have exceptional skills in content creation, team management, supervision, and relationship building.

The client may ask you to supervise a team of freelance content writers or a small in-house group of content marketing professionals.

You may also be required to create content or hold meetings with other managers to strategize on marketing initiatives. However, this depends on the size of the team and workload.

In the US, a content marketing manager’s salary ranges between $65,000 and $70,000.

6.    Content Marketing Strategist

A content marketing strategist is a marketing professional responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies to meet a company’s goals. They are usually mandated to manage many aspects of a content marketing campaign.

Although content strategists may perform the same tasks as other team members, their primary responsibility is to oversee the overall goals of a project or client.

This includes understanding how to create relevant content and ensuring it is done according to plan. Some of the strengths you must possess for this role include analytical skills, creativity, and SEO knowledge.

Depending on your client and location, you can earn an average of $72,000 per year.

7.    Graphics Designer

Graphic designers are creative professionals who create visual content to be used alongside written content. This includes logos, illustrations, and layouts.

They usually use digital art and designs to develop compelling content for content marketing campaigns and other industries.

In content marketing, they are responsible for creating website visuals, animations for videos, infographics, and art to be used alongside articles.

There exists a high demand for this position because many industries are looking to harness the power of technology to reach their target audiences.

Depending on your location, you can earn an average of $44,000 per year working as a graphics designer.

8.    Content Marketing Specialist

Also known as a content marketer, a content marketing specialist is a professional capable of managing many aspects of a content marketing campaign, depending on the client’s needs.

As a content marketer, the client may require you to work with the software and systems used to convey content to the public. They may also put you in charge of content creation. Therefore, paying attention to detail is crucial when applying for a content marketer position.

In most cases, brands looking for content marketers want individuals with writing skills and knowledge of using different media channels where content is displayed for the target audience. This includes websites, email marketing software, and social media profiles.

The annual average salary for a content marketing specialist in the US is around $54,000.

9.    Content Editor

The primary duties of content editors are to review and edit the work of others. They usually deal with written content and are part of a larger team of content marketing professionals.

A content editor ensures that written content is accurate, effective, and up to the client’s standards. They achieve this by correcting grammatical errors and matching the client’s tone to the audience.

Depending on location and company, the average salary of a content editor is around $55,000 per year.

10.    Content Marketing Research Analyst

The career path of this profession revolves around marketing analysis. For the most part, a content marketing analyst is tasked with managing marketing data related to existing content to help the entire workforce understand how it is performing. They achieve this through market research and result analysis.

Brands can use the results to allocate funds, set prices for products and services, positively influence marketing campaigns, as well as determine how to optimize their online presence.

Other duties a content marketing research analyst may attend to include developing metrics, identifying new opportunities, and benchmarking for future performance.

The most crucial skills you need as a marketing analyst include data analysis and management, expertise in big data, and above all, knowledge of how to use programs like SPSS Statistics, SAS, and Microsoft Excel.

Marketing analysts earn between $43,000 and $80,000 annually. This is an average of around $61,000 per year, depending on location and company.

Should You Choose a Career in Content Marketing?

Content marketing is one of the newest career options. It is predominantly popular among creative individuals looking to be part of an ever-changing industry.

If this sounds like you, stay with me to understand why a career path in content marketing can prove lucrative.

1.    Industry’s Growth

The content marketing landscape is an ever-growing industry simply because many companies are gravitating towards marketing strategies that can reach more customers.

In 2022, Statista estimated the revenue generated by the global content marketing industry to be worth around $63 billion and that the figures would reach $107 billion in 2026.

The previous growth translated into more hiring. This means that the industry will likely provide more job opportunities for marketing professionals in the future.

Furthermore, HubSpot suggests that content marketing is 13 times more likely to positively impact a business’s ROI compared to other forms of marketing. This sounds like another reason many companies would want to work with as many content marketing professionals as possible.

2.    Numerous Job Opportunities

Most traditional professions have limited roles, which is totally different when it comes to content marketing. As stated earlier, content marketing is able to present many job opportunities, allowing you to explore and find the most suitable career path for yourself.

Furthermore, content marketing is a dynamic industry. What you know today might change in the future, which can increase your value as a content marketer.

Of course, you must adapt to the changes in this industry to remain valuable in your profession.

3.    Decent Income

A job position in content marketing can earn you solid income all year long. Content marketing professionals are always in demand because companies need them to keep generating revenue.

And since content marketing can generate so much revenue for a company, professionals involved are compensated handsomely.

In fact, according to a 2020 survey, content marketers’ median salary is significantly higher than the average salary in professions like journalism.

However, content marketing salaries differ based on the company and the market you work in. Big cities like New York offer better salaries than smaller cities due to differences in the cost of living.

4.    It is an Excellent Role for Creative Minds

If you consider yourself a creative mind, then the content market will sit well with you.

For the most part, all content marketing roles revolve around creativity, regardless of your position as a content marketer.

Most of your daily tasks will involve showcasing your creativity to help brands scale brands to greater heights.

For instance, depending on your position, you may be required to research content strategies, write a YouTube script, manage other team members, or write a blog post. All these roles require you to sharpen your creative mind in order to develop innovative content marketing strategies.

How to Get Started as a Content Marketer

Choosing the right profession in content marketing can be daunting, especially if you are new in the industry. However, you can easily make the right choice if you have the right information and options.

The most important things you need to consider to get your foot in the door include your skill set, specific goals of the company you are interested in working for, your goals, and personal interests.

Here is the process of becoming an exceptional content marketer:

1.    Understand What Content Marketing is All About

First, you must get educated on content marketing by familiarizing yourself with the basics. This includes knowing how to create and share valuable content, keep the content consistent, and how to attract and retain a defined audience to drive profitable customer action in the long run.

Also, familiarize yourself with different roles in the content marketing world. This way, you can know which skills you need to learn for you to position yourself as a valuable professional in a particular field.

2.    Create a Portfolio

You can start by creating a website where you will be showcasing your skill set. It is also a great way of learning how to manage a client’s website. This includes how to upload content, manage uploaded content, and structure a website.

3.    Start Freelancing to Gain Experience

Freelancing is a great way of gaining experience while building your portfolio. You can start by taking freelancing projects and featuring the best tasks you have completed for clients in your portfolio.

This way, potential clients will be able to see that you can deliver compelling content in the marketing campaigns. The more tasks you complete, the more you hone your content marketing skills.

4.    Make Connections

While you position yourself as a freelancer, remember to connect with other professionals in your line of work. This includes joining content marketing groups, meeting other content marketers, and attending content marketing events.

The more you network, the more you increase your chances of landing your dream job.

5.    Develop Several Skills

There are many roles under the content marketing umbrella, and most of them are interrelated. For instance, a copywriter can create written content as well as edit content written by others.

In that case, you can learn as many skills as possible to prove yourself more valuable to potential employers. Furthermore, the industry is still evolving, and the more skills you have, the more valuable you become over time.

Final Thought

Whether you choose a career path in content marketing or not, there is no denying the fact that content is king. With the advent of technology, content has created more job opportunities than ever before.

Besides, traditional media is slowly becoming a thing of the past. People, especially the younger generation, are increasingly turning to online platforms for entertainment and information.

This has led to more businesses and employers turning to online platforms to pass messages to their target audiences. As a result, content marketing has created many job opportunities for individuals with various content marketing skills. From content creation to content management, job opportunities in this industry are endless.