How to Become a Content Marketer in 2023

Content marketing is a great tech skill that allows you to productively create and market content ideas and projects to a vast audience around the world.

Content marketing has emerged as one of the most effective ways for businesses to engage with their target audience and build brand awareness. It involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.

The average salary for a content marketer is $64,040 in the U.S., CAD$66,088 in Canada, £30,917 in the UK, S$44,400 in Singapore and ₦1,002,985NGN in Nigeria, according to salary data estimates.

In this article, we will highlight the skills, steps and key resources required to become a well-sought-after content marketer in 2023.

What skills do you need to become a content marketer?

Becoming a content marketer is not that difficult, since you may not require formal education, although a degree in either English Literature, Mass Communication or Journalism can be an advantage. To be a content marketer in 2023, here are the skills and tools that you need:

• have a general knowledge of content marketing
• understand the various channels to distribute your content effectively;
• have a knack for problem-solving and storytelling. this would help you in creating relatable content;
• a good knowledge of how to analyze and interpret data;
• a high level of networking skills;
• know how to create and edit content;
• have strong communication skills. this would help you in communicating with your audience;
• know how to conduct good research;
• have an understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) and know how to input it;
• know how to edit and optimize content across all platforms;
• know Google analytical tools;
• understanding how to set up content calendars;
• know content marketing system (CMS) tools and how to work them;
• ensure that creativity is a tool at your disposal;
• maintaining brand guidelines across all channels and working with team members to ensure brand messaging is consistent.

Steps to Becoming a Content Marketer

To become a content marketer, here are six steps you can follow:

1. Understand the role of a content marketer

Content marketing involves creating, publishing, and distributing content that is valuable and relevant to a specific audience. As a content marketer, you'll need to understand your target audience's interests, pain points, and motivations to create content that resonates with them.

2. Build your knowledge and skills

You'll need a solid understanding of content marketing strategy, copywriting, SEO, social media, and analytics. You can start by reading blogs and books on content marketing, attending conferences and workshops, and taking online courses.

3. Create a portfolio

Build a portfolio of your work that showcases your skills in content creation and marketing. This could include blog posts, social media content, case studies, white papers, or any other relevant pieces that demonstrate your ability to create engaging content that resonates with a target audience.

4. Network

Attend industry events and meet other content marketers to build your network. Join online communities and participate in discussions to learn from other professionals and get your name out there.

5. Look for job opportunities

Search for job openings in content marketing, and tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills. You can also consider freelance or contract work to gain experience and build your portfolio.

6. Keep learning and growing

The field of content marketing is constantly evolving, so it's essential to keep up with industry trends and developments. Continuously learning and growing your skills will help you stay relevant and successful in your career as a content marketer.

Key Resources for Content Marketers

As earlier stated, one step to content marketing is by learning and this can be achieved through books, blogs, videos, and courses. In this article, we curated some of our recommended resources available. Of course, the list is by no means exhaustive.

Videos

• Content Marketing Full Course | Content Marketing Tutorial for Beginners | Simplilearn: In this 2-hour-long video, Simplilearn offers a full content marketing course for beginners. It is a blend of basic and in-depth content marketing strategies.
• Content Marketing Strategy for 2023 | Your Ultimate Planning Guide: Content creator and YouTuber, Adam Erhart gives a plan on content marketing and the ultimate planning guide for content marketers in 2023.
• How Content Marketing Works in 2023: Exposure Ninja gives a detailed explanation as to how content marketing works especially in 2023.
• Create a Content Marketing Plan in 15 Minutes: HubSpot Marketing provides a 4-minute video guide that enables content marketers beginners and experts to create a plan in 15 minutes.

Courses

• HubSpot Academy: HubSpot Academy is providing a free certification course for beginners. This can also serve as a refresher course.
• Coursera: This course by Coursera teaches content marketers the core strategies to use to acquire and retain customers profitably.
• Udemy: Udemy is offering content marketers a free guide for beginners and experts in the field of content marketing.
• Great Learning: Great Learning is offering a free content marketing course, which will provide insights into the basics of content marketing, the processes, technologies, and best practices associated with creating and distributing content.

Books

• Inbound Content: A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing Content Marketing the Inbound Way by Justin Champion: This book is a step-by-step content strategy that will guide you in developing effective content strategies and implementing these strategies flawlessly. The book will help you to create compelling content that attracts the right prospect until they become customers. Justin Champion shows you what makes content valuable and relevant. Your strategy must consistently deliver valuable content to the right audience at the right time.
• Content Machine: Use Content Marketing to Build a 7-Figure Business with Zero Advertising by Dan Norris: This is a strategic book that will help you grow your organization into a seven-figure business without relying on advertising. Dan Norris breaks down the process of creating great content that will stand out from the crowd. The author also chronicles how he built his business and the mistakes that can hamper your content marketing efforts resulting in a more consistent producer of great, high-converting content that facilitates scaling.
• Content That Converts: How to Build A Profitable and Predictable B2B Content Marketing Strategy by Laura Hanly: This book serves as an expose on how to generate a predictable and consistent income stream through your sales pipeline. This step-by-step guide will improve your content marketing’s conversion rate. This book is highly suited for business-to-business (B2B) owners needing a predictable sales cycle. It provides an understanding of who your audience is, what to offer, and how to communicate with your audience.

Final Thoughts

Overall, content marketing can be a great role for those who are passionate about creating high-quality content that helps businesses connect with their audience.

If you have strong writing and communication skills, are creative, and analytical, and enjoy working in a collaborative environment, content marketing may be a good career choice for you.