What is a Content Developer?

First, you need to learn about the company for which you’ll be writing. What products and/or services do they sell? Who is their target audience (or audiences)? What are the company’s goals for the content you’ll be developing? Sometimes, the client can’t articulate what goals they have or the goals are not realistic. So, a content developer needs to work with the client to develop an effective strategy; analyze how effective the strategy is; and then adjust as needed. There are a number of disciplines connected to content development, including organic search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, video marketing, link building and more. Not all Content Developers offer all of these services, but those who can offer the spectrum are typically more in demand. At an agency, sometimes different people specialize in different aspects of the content developing umbrella, while freelancers often partner with other professionals to be strong in all relevant areas.

There are significant numbers of people offering content services, so it can be a challenge to break into the industry unless you obtain an internship or entry level job at a marketing agency. Then, some clients – as mentioned above – can have unrealistic expectations about what website content can do for their company, often wanting very fast results (higher rankings in the search engines, increased targeted traffic to the site and so forth). Because so many companies are competing for consumer attention through content development, there is plenty of online noise to break through to get your content noticed.

Content development is a hybrid of journalism and marketing, so it’s important that a content developer becomes skilled in both areas. Being good at writing but not marketing can mean your great content never gets noticed; being good at marketing but not at writing means you will fall short in presenting a client’s story well. People skills are also important because you’ll work with clients to develop strategies and content; researching skills are crucial to find quality information; discernment is necessary with so much inaccurate information available; and self-discipline and motivation are important, as well, since you need to stay on task and on time.

If you enjoy writing, that’s great, because that’s at the core of content development. But many people discover that, yes, they enjoy writing – but only on topics that interest them. With content development, you need to brainstorm what types of content would appeal to a client’s customers and prospects, and that may include topics not typically considered glamorous.

I am a lifelong learner with a passion for research and writing, and I love it when a piece of content works well for a client.