{"id":18509,"date":"2014-05-22T12:45:28","date_gmt":"2014-05-22T16:45:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.shareaholic.com\/?p=18509"},"modified":"2014-06-10T18:44:31","modified_gmt":"2014-06-10T22:44:31","slug":"new-content-marketer-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shareaholic.com\/blog\/new-content-marketer-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things Every New Content Marketer Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to be a better content marketer?\u00a0Use tools to help you at your job<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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When I took a content strategy position three months ago, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. Come in, look at my to-do list, and write for eight hours, right? Wrong.<\/p>\n

Content marketing may be a booming trend, and the number of content marketers and strategists is increasing weekly, but there aren\u2019t too many resources out there for anyone new to the job. Even with a solid understanding of the purpose of content marketing, and a strong affinity for writing, I was still caught off guard by how different \u2013 and sometimes difficult \u2013 my position turned out to be.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve compiled five important tips for new content marketers, or anyone who\u2019s thinking about entering the industry, that I hope will help clear some of that initial shock and better prepare you for your new job.<\/p>\n

You Do a Lot More than Write<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve run out of fingers and toes on which to count the number of times I\u2019ve relayed my title or brief job description to someone, only to hear, \u201cSo you just write all day? Gosh, I couldn\u2019t do that!\u201d It then inevitably becomes a ten minute struggle to explain that I do so much more than \u201cjust write.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are some handy pie charts that might help explain.<\/p>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

There are some days where I do maybe only an hour or two of writing, depending on my schedule. This isn\u2019t abnormal by any means<\/a>. Content marketers essentially have to run the show from start to finish, which means doing the research, drafting, writing, editing, and even going beyond that to outreach and social media promotion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2026 But You Still Need to Love Writing<\/h3>\n

On the other hand, there are days when I do come in, look at my to-do list, and pump out page content or blog posts for seven or eight hours. If writing tires you out, you hate editing, or you\u2019re in it just for the money<\/a>, content marketing may not be the right field for you.<\/p>\n

Loving the art of writing means you have to love it every step of the way. It\u2019s one thing to write ten new pages for your website, but it\u2019s another to mercilessly chop out paragraphs or full sections that aren\u2019t up to par, or even throw pieces away that aren\u2019t approved.<\/p>\n

On the bright side, content marketing can very quickly hone and refine your skills. In the last three months, my WPM has risen and I can now very easily write about 1500 words in an hour or so \u2013 and produce a quality piece, at that. So if you\u2019re really into writing, and aren\u2019t afraid of editing<\/a> or rejection, this is a great field to be in.<\/p>\n

You Need to Be Independent<\/h3>\n

Depending on what kind of position you hold, as a new content marketer, you may have someone providing direction on each and every piece you write. Or you may be told on your first day, \u201cOkay, you\u2019re here. Start producing content!\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of the type of situation you\u2019re in, content marketers need to be extremely independent workers. Chances are very high that you\u2019ll be assigned topics you know next to nothing about, or you may be left completely alone with the assumption that you\u2019ll know what to write and how it will make the company money. You\u2019ll need to spend time researching, identifying content gaps, composing outlines, and possibly even doing A\/B testing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A content marketer needs to be an independent worker, capable of making decisions with little to no advice or instruction. You\u2019ll have to manage your own time and to-do list effectively to ensure that everything you produce is not only high quality, but also filling gaps and meeting deadlines.<\/p>\n

You Need a Full Skill Set<\/h3>\n

Before I was a content strategist, I spent more than four years in a position as a digital marketing manager. My role involved managing a website and its social media accounts, copywriting, producing content, handling PR and outreach, and a variety of other tasks. Without that experience, I would probably be a horrible content marketer. Why? Because I still do all that now!<\/p>\n

As I already mentioned, content marketers do more than write. Great content marketers need to be agile, forward-thinking leaders<\/a> who are capable of doing everything from brainstorming to outreach. Someone entering the field of content marketing should have these skills at the very minimum:<\/p>\n