Don’t Hire a Content Strategist, Yet.

For many companies it is no longer a question of whether to invest in original, owned content but how to invest, who to hire and how to think about content within your existing org structure.

Why? Habits are changing and technology is making it hard to depend on paid spends to continue to deliver leads and brand loyalty. Consumers are growing accustom to doing their own research, discovering their own answers and making their own decisions without the heavy influence of advertising.

If content is truly king and you know you need to start building a content practice, where do you start and how do you start? Well, the answer is both simple and complicated, as most answers are.

But before we get into who to hire, let’s start by dispelling a myth.

The Mythical Content Unicorn

If you’re not sure who to hire or what you want them to do then your first instinct may be to craft a position for a Content Unicorn. What’s a Content Unicorn? Someone who can do everything you MIGHT want including strategy, writing, marketing, analytics and SEO.

It would probably be great if they could also lead, manage, and influence your organization in a way that builds content as a strategic asset, right?

This approach is a horrible idea. Here’s why:

1. Content is a multi-faceted field. Very few can do it all and you would be wise to be wary of anyone who claims they can.
2. Content Strategy and Content Marketing are complementary but very different in terms of the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Know which you are hiring for.
3. Content creation is critical but without a strategy and vision it is unlikely to produce sustainable results. Without a compass it’s hard to know where you are going.
4. Content is highly dependent on the systems that are used to manage, maintain and make it available. These systems can make or break even the best content.

If you do find a “unicorn” who can do it all including setting up the technical platforms necessary to manage your content then hire them and pay them a fortune so that the NEVER, EVER leave.

For the rest of us, follow these three steps to make sure you are hiring the right role.

Hiring Your First Content Role

Rather than trying to hire someone who can do it all, start by:

1. Understanding your internal ecosystem
2. Defining your goals
3. Defining the skills you need

Understanding Your Internal Ecosystem

The ecosystem within your organization will play a critical part in hiring the right role and the right person. In relation to content, the key parts of your ecosystem or spheres of influence to consider are design, development, copywriting, marketing and marketing strategy.

If you do find a “unicorn” who can do it all including setting up the technical platforms necessary to manage your content then hire them and pay them a fortune so that the NEVER, EVER leave.

Design & Development: While content can certainly add value on its own, it will add the most value when paired with healthy design and development teams. Without strong design and development disciplines, even great content is likely to be hampered and its impact limited.

Copywriting: Do you already have resources that work on content? If so, how will this new role work with this existing team? Do those individuals know about and support this new role?

If you have people already writing content then include them before you do anything else. First, they can help you understand what is needed and what’s not. Second, they can help you understand where and how to find the right candidate. Third, they can provide enthusiastic support for whomever you hire — but are less likely to do so if they aren’t involved and participating in the process.

Marketing/Marketing Strategy: If you have strong players in these roles and you have a strong strategy that may make hiring a content strategist a lower priority. Marketing strategy is NOT content strategy but if you have a strong strategy in place and obvious gaps in other roles then hiring for a Content Strategist may not be your most immediate need.

If you don’t have a strong marketing strategy function or if you do and content remains a gap then hiring a Content Strategist may be right for your org, if that position aligns with your goals.

So, if you have strong leads in design, development and marketing strategy you are likely well on your way to leveraging content as a strategic asset. If not, then you should be considering multiple hires and someone to lead this new team.

Define Your Goals

This one is a bit easier. You do know what you are trying to accomplish, right? I hope so but based on the growing popularity of content it is not unlikely that in some cases you will know you need to hire someone without an immediate sense of why. If so, I strongly suggest you spend some time discussing your goals before you write or post a single job opening.

Your goals could be many but likely fall into three categories:

1. Strategy: You may already be producing content that isn’t delivering on expectations OR you want to start with a solid strategy. Either way, you know you need a solid content strategy in place and you’ve decided that is where to start.
2. Marketing/Lead Generation: You’re an early-stage start-up, a SMB, or even an enterprise, that needs to generate leads and you have a competitive advantage you can leverage to create unique and valuable content. Makes sense because unique content is critical to SEO and it can be a critical component to building awareness of your expertise and experience.
3. Creation: You’re ready to start producing great content for marketing, editorial or Product and you don’t have the resources.

These categories will help you narrow your search but it’s always a good idea to nail down specific objectives that are actionable, measurable and produce ROI. Without specific objectives it is very hard to ensure you are hiring the right role or the right person.

Define The Skills

If you’ve thought about your ecosystem, defined your goals and now understand what you want to accomplish, then this step is critical.

The skills you need are defined by your goals, objectives and existing ecosystem.

As an example, if you believe that building a content as a strategic asset is critical to your long-term success then you need to hire a strategy lead — someone who has vision, can influence, persuade, and who can lead organizational change.

On the other hand, if you want to build a Content Marketing team, then you should look for someone who has experience in that space with specific experience in SEO, lead generation, content promotion, etc.

Find the skills needed by reviewing similar job postings, searching for comparable positions on LinkedIn, talking to colleagues, or by hiring a consultant to help you understand the mix of skills you need.

Caution: It is very easy to think of your new hire as equal parts strategist, marketer, and writer. Many (most?) Content Strategists grew up as writers but not all and you should hire for the unique needs of your organization. Is your goal to hire a writer or a Strategist?

Also, while you are defining skills, don’t forget to include soft skills like influencing, which can be critical to success if your role will need to help establish content as part of your organization.

That’s it. If you are considering hiring your first content role then following these steps is sure to help you define the right role, find the right person, and evaluate candidates based on your needs.

Despite the fun title of this post, you may need Content Strategist. Or you may need a Product Content Designer, Content Creator or even a UX Writer but understanding your needs and your goals is critical to making the right choice and hiring the right person. Choose wisely to ensure you and your new hire are set up for success.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences below in the comments. If you liked this post, don’t forget to recommend it by clicking on the heart icon.