Being paid to come up with content ideas is your dream. But where do you start? And how do you get from the idea stage to becoming a proper Content Marketing Specialist?
It’s easy for anyone to develop a few generic blog posts about content marketing. Still, if you want to specialize in it and make a name for yourself, you’ll need to stand out from the other writers.
There is no secret formula. There’s no one path to take toward becoming a content marketing specialist. But that doesn’t mean you can’t approach this goal with some processes and content marketing tools in mind that will help your journey along. And that’s precisely what I’m going to share with you today.
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Content Marketing Specialists Job Description
Content marketers are professionals who know how to create and deliver quality, measurable content that their audiences can use to promote the brand, the company, or the product.
As incredible as these new specialist jobs sound, they’re not exactly a cakewalk. Suppose you want to specialize in this field and start making a name for yourself as a content marketer. In that case, you’ll need to keep in mind some of the responsibilities of a content marketing specialist:
- Researching content and consumer trends
- Developing content marketing strategies
- Creating content for a variety of platforms
- Editing content and proofreading
- Managing content calendars
- Tracking content analytics
That is just a short list of what a content marketing specialist should be able to do. It’s not a simple job, and it can be highly time-consuming.
But if you want to make it your business and focus on being a content marketing specialist, you’ll need to give up some of your time to keep the wheels turning.
What Skills Should Content Marketing Specialists Have?
When you’re starting, there will be a lot of firsts in your field. You’ll need to learn what type of content is valuable to your audience and how to create it.
There are a few skills that you should have before you start working as a content marketer:
- Content Writing Skills
- Keyword Research Skills
- Search Engine Optimization Skills
- Analytics Skills
Content marketing specialists should have at least these skills before they start.
If you already have these skills, then you are ready to start your career as a content marketing specialist. If not, I highly recommend that you learn these first. Otherwise, it will be hard to build up your content marketing expertise.
Here Are 8 Tips On How To Become A Content Marketing Specialist Starting From Scratch
1. Know How Content Marketing Works
Content marketing isn’t rocket science. It’s a promotional technique that focuses on creating valuable, educational piece of content and the distribution of that content to help market your products and services.
Content marketing is also called inbound marketing. It’s a great way to build brand loyalty and gain more followers. It starts with providing value to your audience rather than asking for something in return.
To become a content marketing specialist, you must understand how content marketing works. While creating your niche blog content can sound appealing, you’ll never be able to build your brand if you don’t know what you’re doing.
2. Know The Latest Trends In Content Marketing
Part of being a content marketing specialist is always looking for the best trends in the field. You don’t want to be left behind when it comes to content marketing because the new tools and methods are constantly changing.
The easiest way to stay updated on the latest trends is by reading blogs. If you aren’t well versed in online marketing, this might seem like a daunting task. But don’t let that stop you. The more work you put into your education and knowledge, the quicker your career will progress.
Content marketing specialists need to be up on the latest trends. Make it a hobby to keep up with them, and you’ll be surprised what you can learn about content marketing.
3. Practice Content Writing
You shouldn’t expect to become a content marketing specialist right away. You’ll need to go through the learning process like everyone else. But there’s no point in giving up if you want to succeed.
The easiest way to learn is through practice, so that’s precisely what I suggest you do. Try writing your blog posts and see how it goes before trying to publish them on a site like WordPress. If you feel comfortable creating a valuable content, use this experience as proof that you’re ready to move forward in your career as a content marketing specialist.
4. Learn The Basics Of Marketing
To get the most out of your experience as a content marketing specialist, you need a solid understanding of marketing. It is the basis for all promotional techniques, and it’s essential to know how it works to be more effective at your job.
Keep in mind that marketing doesn’t always mean advertising. It’s any technique that drives attention towards your brand or product.
Marketing has a broad range of areas, and you’ll need to learn them all to be more successful as a content marketing specialist.
5. Develop Your Technical Skills
Once you’ve figured out the marketing basics, you’ll need to take it further and develop your technical skills. A content marketing specialist must be able to write, create graphics, shoot videos, and pretty much anything else that makes sense for your niche or business.
I highly recommend that you have a solid graphic design background. If not, you’ll need to find someone to help you with this element of your job. A content marketing specialist requires more than just content to be successful. You’ll also need to offer something visually appealing, which may be the most challenging part of your job since it requires many technical skills.
Google Analytics is also an invaluable tool for any successful content marketer to use when gauging the success of their work and measuring the data so that they know what areas need improvement or reworking.
6. Build A portfolio
I can’t stress this enough. To become a successful content marketing specialist, you must build a portfolio. A portfolio will show prospective employers that you’re serious about your work, help clients remember who you are, and help give your brand identity.
You don’t need to be a pro graphic designer or writer to start building your portfolio. You can use free graphic design software like Canva to create infographics or edit images you already have to get started. Just remember that the work you put into this part of your job is essential for helping others recognize who you are as a professional.
7. Start By Guest Blogging
Guest blogging is one of the best ways to get your name out there while learning how to become a content marketing specialist. If you’re new to this aspect of the field, start by writing about relevant guest posts for your target audience.
It is an excellent place to gain some experience before beginning your own content marketing. Your job will be more accessible, and you’ll gain more instant credibility if people recognize that they’ve read something you’ve written through guest blogging.
While guest blogging is good practice, it’s not the end to becoming a successful content marketing specialist. It will help if you put as much effort into professional writing as possible before going full steam ahead with creating your content marketing career.
8. Work As A Content Marketing Freelancer
To become a professional content marketing specialist, you’ll need to seek opportunities as a freelancer. They’re not easy to find, but once you do, you’ll have a chance of getting clients with bigger budgets and more exposure.
If you’re starting as a content marketing specialist, it’s essential that you offer your clients quality work. There’s no point in putting all the effort into becoming a content marketing expert in your field if no one notices it or even cares that they’ve read what you’ve created.
Freelancing is a great way to get your name and experience working in a business environment. It’s also a great way to make money while learning how to become the best content marketing specialist that you can be.
Final Thoughts
This list of steps is not a one-and-done process. Sure, you could work your way up to becoming a content marketing specialist and then say goodbye to it once you’ve achieved success. But that’s why I think taking your time and doing things right at first is essential.
Keep in mind the steps that I outline above. It will be easy for you to become a successful content marketing specialist. The best part about this process is that it doesn’t have a set timeline and time frame. You can work on becoming more professional and improving your skills as needed.
