Why a Content Strategist Will Make Your Life Easier
Who’s in charge of your content strategy? Ask many small businesses this question and you’ll probably get answers like, “Me,” “my administrative assistant,” or “my top sales person.” The correct answer? None of the above.
There are two types of businesses: web-based businesses that live and breathe on the web and brick-and-mortar businesses that capitalize the power of the World Wide Web to increase sales or customer base. Both need a content strategist.
Web-based businesses are more likely to invest in a content strategy, but not all do. On the other hand, brick-and-mortar businesses tend to focus more on making it easy for customers to contact them through their website.
Both types need a content strategist: Brick-and-mortar businesses because they’re less familiar overall with the internet and converting traffic and internet-based business because it’s essential for the website to have a strong presence to be profitable.
What Does a Content Strategist Do?
A content strategist can do for your content what a webmaster does for the look and feel of your website.
They will have a background in writing (or at least a flair with a pen!) and marketing, preferably with solid experience in search engine optimization (SEO). Some strategists leave complex SEO to another expert, but most have at least a basic understanding of the field.
The main duties of a content strategist include:
- Providing an in-depth analysis of existing content
- Building a comprehensive plan for overhauling current content
- Developing differentiating static (evergreen) and timely content
- Building an off-site content strategy
- Maximizing opportunities for backlinks
Why You Need a Content Strategist
Image by Intersection Consulting via Flickr
If you’re still not convinced that your content strategy is a worthy investment, ask yourself whether you’d trust the advice of a veterinarian to treat your own illness. Or whether you’d allow your dentist to remove your appendix.
Then you shouldn’t consider hiring or relying on anyone other than a content strategist to manage your online content marketing campaign.
A content strategist is skilled in writing engaging copy to draw your readers’ attention, creating sales pages that convert, and attracting users to your content using other outlets on the internet. Static web pages with no real content strategy, no plan in place, and no regularly-updated content tend to fade into the background.
A good content strategist:
- Lives and breathes internet marketing
- Is committed to continuing education
- Stays abreast of the latest trends and techniques in content marketing
- Gets incredibly excited to share the latest ideas with clients
Google’s PANDA Update Changes the Face of Writing for the Web
Most of you are probably familiar with Google’s PANDA update, a change to the search giant’s algorithm that caused hundreds of previously high-ranking sites to plummet in the rankings.
Medicore content, content accumulated through submissions by hundreds of authors, and content pieced together from elsewhere on the web doesn’t cut it anymore. Whatever Google’s strategy, they’ve identified a way to filter out websites like this, instead giving higher ratings to those with a consistent, original content strategy that informs and engages readers.
Google’s algorithm will forever remain a mystery, as the company remains committed to keeping their specifics under wraps. Company executives have made it clear, however, that a quality content strategy is essential for conquering rankings.
So what are you waiting for? Stop relying on employees without the proper expertise, and enlist the help of a content strategist to breathe new life into your campaign!
CopyPress writer
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