I get a lot of puzzled looks when people outside of digital marketing ask me what I do and I say I’m a ‘Content Creator’. The brief explanation I give is that I’m in charge of creating a variety of different content for websites, whether that be articles, blogs, infographics or videos. If like me, you’re a creative who would love to be able to say that they love their job and may be considering a role in content creation, then this article is specifically for you.
For me, it’s a privilege to do what I do as a profession. There’s hardly ever a dull moment as I spend a lot of my time writing and researching different subjects and topics to keep me on my toes.
For you to get a better understanding of exactly what a content creation role in the digital marketing industry involves, I’m going to talk you through what a typical working day in the life is like for me to see whether being a content creator is for you.
Starting the day
Content creation doesn’t begin when I get into the office. In fact, it starts earlier than you’d think. Generally, I wake up around 6:30am and start getting ready for the day. I take a look at my RSS feed while I’m eating my breakfast.
As a content creator, it’s essential for me to stay on top of all of the latest innovations to stay current. So, depending on which topic I’m writing on, I create an RSS feed on Feedly and have a quick read in the morning. If something’s particularly caught my eye and has given me a source of inspiration, then I’ll usually jot it down. Then propose it as an idea to my colleagues a bit later once I’ve got to work and done a little bit more research.
Commuting
I’m yet to meet anyone who is a massive fan of their morning commute into the city during rush hour. While I am quite content to listen to my music on the way into work, I’m usually thinking about what needs to be done when I get into the office. It helps me to get going on my workload as soon as possible. You need to plan carefully for everything that needs to be completed that day.
Into the office
Once I’ve reached the office and greeted my fellow colleagues, my first task of the day is to check the performance of my content. Usually, I’ll use Google Analytics to see how many hits and impressions the content is getting and where that traffic is coming from. That might be from organic traffic, from the search engine results pages (SERPs), from social media, referral or direct traffic. Then I like to keep a note of any pages or pieces of content that are performing particularly well or doing the complete opposite.
On to the creation
Personally, I feel that I am my most creative and on the ball in the mornings, but this can and does vary for everyone. So, for anyone who is looking for a career in content creation, note when you feel most productive and prioritise your tasks accordingly.
At Dojono, we have all our posts and content scheduled in advance for ease of content creation. It ensures we can meet our deadlines and have a constant flow of content creation. Therefore, we plan our content for at least 1 to 3 months at a time, so it’s easy for me to finish one task and move swiftly onto the next priority.
Lunch
When hunger kicks in and distracts my concentration, I take my lunch break. We catch up on some office talk and give our hard-working brains a bit of a rest.
Another great thing about working within the digital marketing industry is that it’s a relatively young industry. Which means that the office dynamic and company culture is a fun and lively one.
Back to work
Lunch over and it’s back to work for the whole office. I’ll usually find that I’ve got a second wind and will strive to finish off whatever piece of content I’m working on, depending on the size of the task. More substantial pieces of content can take anything up to 2 weeks to a month to pull off successfully while maintaining a high standard.
Generally, I find it’s always better to overestimate a little how long it will take you to complete a task rather than underestimating it. As a content creator, you want to ensure your material is of a high standard. Also, in my experience, it’s a lot better to tell a client or your manager that you’ve finished a piece of content before your deadline as opposed to needing an extension. It’s essential that we meet deadlines.
Work Completed
My next step is to ensure that there are no mistakes in the content or copy. Therefore, I’ll usually proofread what I’ve created and then send it to one of my colleagues for them to have a little look over to see whether I’ve missed anything.
Once it has been checked and any issues rectified, the next step is to upload it to the site and send it over to the social media team for them to post and promote on our social media platforms. Uploading the post can take time, but it’s essential that all images are in the correct format. That means ensuring that headings, subheadings, page titles and pictures on the page appear precisely as intended.
End of the day
By the time I’ve finished uploading everything, it will usually be time for me to leave the office. However, work doesn’t always stop there. Once I’ve made my way home, greeted my dogs and had something to eat, I will sometimes do a little light research on the topic that gave me inspiration in the morning. I try and learn more and see if there could be any possibility of creating some content around the idea. This will typically involve some keyword, competitor and topical research.
And that’s just a typical day for me! Although, it must be said that my typical day can change on a day-to-day basis, depending on what content is a priority and which clients or topics I’m working on. There’s certainly never a dull moment being a content creator, but I’m not complaining!
Thanks for this post go to our friend Charlotte Ross, Content Creator for the Digital Marketing and SEO Agency Dojono.com.
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