Every week, Zikoko will share the hustle stories of Nigerians making it big in and out of the country. With each story, we’ll ask one crucial question in several ways: “How you do am?”
Who is a content marketer?
Google will likely answer this question in a number of ways, but in summary, a content marketer is a storyteller. You remember that one kid in school who’d narrate movies and season films during break time to a crowd of attentive listeners? That’s kinda like what a content marketer does.
They identify, create and distribute engaging content to attract a target audience and get them to interact with the products or services that a business offers. Content marketers employ various processes like market research, content strategy, copywriting and search engine optimization to convert prospects into customers.
Is that similar to being a copywriter or digital marketer?
A little, but they’re not exactly the same thing.
Copywriting is more direct and is written to persuade, sell or trigger immediate action. But content marketing involves content that provides long-term value and is a gradual attempt to build relationships with the target audience and generate leads for the business. A content marketer knows when to apply copywriting, but their entire content strategy isn’t designed to only produce short-term results.
Content marketing is also sometimes considered to be digital marketing, but while they work hand-in-hand, there are slight differences in the sense that while all content marketing is digital marketing, not all digital marketing can be said to be content marketing.
Wait. I’ll explain
In content marketing, providing information to build trust is a major component of marketing. In digital marketing, online promotion is the main strategy. This involves pay-per-click advertising, like some of those (slightly annoying) unskippable ads on YouTube and other social media marketing efforts.
In summary, many of the strategies in digital marketing don’t include informational content, which is central to content marketing.
What skills do you need?
Writing is a key skill in content marketing. Remember, you’re telling a story, so you’ll need to know the most compelling and engaging way to tell it.
Not like this, but you get the picture
Search engine optimization is also necessary to help you push the content you create higher in search engine results pages. Other must-have skills include content strategy and management, social media content creation, analytics and social listening.
A degree in marketing is beneficial, but not a strict requirement. You can always take content marketing courses and explore freelance or entry-level content marking opportunities to build your skill and experience.
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Where can a content marketer work?
The entire business industry has come to the point where they know excellent content equals brand awareness. So, content marketing has a place in almost every industry, especially tech, media, health and FMCGs.
How much do they make?
Content marketers are in reasonably-high demand these days, and while earning power depends on experience and the company or industry you work with, you can still make good money. On average, a newbie can earn around ₦100-200k/month, and a more experienced marketer can earn about ₦400-500k/month.
In conclusion
If you hope to build a career in content marketing, note that strong storytelling and strategy need to be part of your skill set. For newbies just starting out, consider seeking out marketing communities and consciously network with other professionals to grow professionally and increase your earning potential.
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