Author: Kristen Poli / Source: The Content Strategist
As of today, 40,427 people have the title of content strategist on LinkedIn. Another 1,389 open roles await the right candidate. And according to recent research from The Creative Group, content strategists currently hold one of the top-paying jobs in the tech and creative fields. Strategists typically earn between $81,000 and $115,000, a jump of more than 5 percent from last year.
Clearly, the strategy field is thriving, and plenty of people who used to promote themselves as marketers, writers, editors, etc. now want to be become strategists. But since the title can encompass a lot of responsibilities, people often ask a basic question: What, exactly, do content strategists do?
At Contently, our strategy team helps prospects and clients build the blueprint for connecting content to their business goals. Since our strategic expertise is a crucial part of how we close deals, we asked Kristen Poli, Contently’s manager of strategy services, to break down her day of meetings, pitch decks, and data analysis.
8:45 a.m.
After waking up, getting ready, and drinking a requisite iced coffee, I arrive at the office a little before nine to prep for the marketing team’s weekly standup. Content strategists can collaborate with every part of the business, but our strategy team falls under the umbrella of the marketing department.
During the standup, I hear what everyone is working on for the week, which makes it easy to identify areas we can help each other out. Editors are working on upcoming webinars and copy for sales enablement assets. Sales development reps mention brands on their radar. This week, I’m focused on two key tasks: completing a set of strategy proposals and preparing to launch a new content strategy workshop. The workshop will give companies a chance to learn how to analyze the tone of their current content and determine if they should shift their brand voice to reach their target audience.
10:00 a.m.
Today gets off to a quick start. I take some time after our standup to answer high-priority emails, but I also have to review a competitive analysis deck I created for a B2B technology client. Competitive analysis is one of my favorite parts of my job because clients really grasp the importance of content strategy when they can pinpoint exactly where they have an advantage over their rivals. An added bonus: I end up learning a lot about different niche industries like 3D printing, digital health, genomic tech, and data mining.
11:15 a.m.
After my presentation, I work on a formal strategy proposal with a salesperson. The client in question already uses our technology, but it needs help creating a solid content strategy that can guide the company’s marketing team long term. I’ve already had multiple phone consultations with our point of contact about the direction of the strategy and feel confident that we can provide exactly what they need.
For this proposal, we’re offering a large package of competitive research, a fully formed…
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