content creator - Express Writers

The Modern-Day Content Creator: What They Do & Why You Need One

June 19, 2024March 24, 2020 by Adam Oakley

do content marketing – and ALL of those employ content creators of some kind. That said, for brands and businesses, not just any content will do – and not just any content creator will do. The content you publish on your website, on social media, and everywhere else needs to be purposeful, targeted, and valuable. It must be goal-oriented. It has to be search engine optimized. Without those essentials, your content WILL fail. ??? So, how do you make sure you hit all the right notes with content? You need the right content creator. But what IS a content creator, exactly? What makes them unique as professionals in the content marketing industry? More importantly, WHY do you need one (or a whole team of them) for your content? (Can’t you just DIY? Spoiler alert: NO. ?) That’s precisely what we’re exploring today: What a modern-day content creator looks like, what they do, why you need one, and the 5 indispensable habits every great content creator nurtures in their work life. Let’s explore this modern-day profession that’s gaining in importance as we deal with content overload and the difficulty of standing out from the slush pile. ? [bctt tweet=”How do you ensure you hit all the right notes with content? ? You need the right content creator. But what IS a content creator, exactly? ?‍? Learn it all on the Write Blog via @JuliaEMcCoy.” username=”ExpWriters”] The Modern Content Creator: Everything You Need to Know – Table of Contents The Definition of a Modern-Day Content Creator What Kinds of Digital Content Do They Create? Freelance vs. In-House vs. Agency Content Creators The Mega-Growth of the Content Creator Role Why Do You Need a Content Creator? Content That Gets Results Is Tough to DIY Crafted Content Increases Traffic to Your Site & Generates High-Quality Leads Targeted Content Reaches Your Audience Like Nothing Else When Do You Need a Content Creation Agency or Team? You Need ALL of Your Content Taken Care Of You Need Multiple Content Formats Created, Not Just Blogs 5 Key Habits of Successful Content Creators Use Skills to Improve Skills Stay Current on Digital Trends, Including SEO Best-Practices Make Researching an Instinct Clearly and Effectively Communicate Ideas and Information Read Up on the Best Industry Content Regularly The Definition of a Modern-Day Content Creator For a proper description of a content creator, we need to first define “content”. As you know, content is simply information wrapped up and presented in a shiny package. That package can be physical (such as the content within a book, newspaper, or magazine) OR digital (such as the content you’ll find on a website, blog, or social media platform). Thus, a content creator is the person responsible for creating that information. And, when we talk about modern-day content creators, we mean anyone who creates content for the digital, online realm of information. In general, content creators are always aware of 3 main elements when carrying out their jobs: The combination of the audience and platform they’re creating content for (Who are they talking to? Where will the content be published?) The point-of-view they’re representing in the content (Who’s speaking to the audience? A brand or company? An individual?) The main idea or topic they’re trying to explain or get across (including target keywords when relevant) [bctt tweet=”#Contentcreators are always thinking about 3 elements: 1) Their audience + platform ? 2) The point-of-view they’re representing ? 3) The main idea or topic they’re trying to get across ?” username=”ExpWriters”] What Kinds of Digital Content Do They Create? Digital content spans a wide range of media types and platforms. In general, if you can read it or view it online, then a content creator probably created it. Here is a basic list of digital content types that content creators have a hand in: Blogs and articles Ebooks Web pages (about pages, product pages, homepage copy) Graphic design (infographics, branding, logos, and blog images) Photos (photojournalism, Instagram posts, stock photos, and brand photography) Social media copy (tweets, Facebook and LinkedIn posts, Instagram captions, etc.) Videos Email newsletters and promotional email copy [bctt tweet=”Blogs and articles ?, web pages ?, emails ?, social media copy ?, videos ?, and more: If you can read it or view it online, then a content creator probably created it. ?” username=”ExpWriters”] Freelance vs. In-House vs. Agency Content Creators Beyond the type of content they specialize in creating, you also can distinguish content creators by the way they work. Here’s a quick rundown: Freelance content creators are not tied to any single company or brand. Instead, they serve a wide range of clients across multiple industries. They are usually paid by the work they complete, though hourly pay isn’t uncommon. (Type and method of pay depend on the relationship between content creator and client.) Where do they work? Freelance content creators tend to be remote workers. In-house content creators, meanwhile, are employed by one specific company. These content creators get a salary, report to an office daily, and may work in a content marketing department (even with small teams of 1-3 people). Where do they work? In-house content creators may work remotely, too, but a more common set-up is to work part-time in an office and part-time from home. Content creators working for an agency represent the middle-ground between freelancers and in-house employees. They aren’t permanent staff, but they do have an investment in your content. If you work with one agency, you’ll get the same creators working on your content from project to project. This means they’ll have deeper insight and knowledge into your brand voice and guidelines than a one-off freelance hire. That consistency makes a HUGE difference in the end-product. Where do they work? Most agencies will handle your content projects remotely. For an example of an agency workflow, check out our process at EW. The Mega-Growth of the Content Creator Role Content creators are more in-demand these days than ever before. 84% of marketers outsource content creation, and … Read more

How the Right Content Creator Can Completely Redefine Your Brand

June 19, 2024May 2, 2018 by Adam Oakley

Thinking about hiring a content creator for your business? Just do it. You’ve probably heard that line a few thousand times before. The magic of Nike’s signature call-to-action wasn’t built by accident. The content creators, writers and marketers behind the campaign crafted a line that would make the brand feel more inclusive. It speaks to everyone, not just athletes, by urging them to follow their aspirations. Plus, it’s catchy as heck. Would you want the same thing for your brand? A lot of your success and reach online comes down to finding the right content creator. This is a necessary step when it comes to building your brand. 91% of B2B marketers agree. Adding an expert content creator and writer to your creative team will save you time, money and shape your brand’s identity. So what are you waiting for? Just do it. Let’s talk more about the role of a content creator in business, why a content creator benefits you, and a brief history behind today’s modern content creator. What is a Content Creator? You may already be familiar of the job of content writing and content creation without ever having come across the terms. Unlike some of it’s comrades that disguise themselves in tricky acronyms – LBO, BT, BI, SQL, GN – content writing and creation is exactly what it sounds like. (By the way, at least one of those acronyms doesn’t exist, see if you can find it!) Content writers create content to garner interest in your brand. Blogs, web pages, ad copy, social media posts, ebooks, how-to guides, videos, this very paragraph you’re reading – it’s all the work of highly skilled content creators. The main difference between anyone simply making a WordPress site, creating a post and jotting down their feelings and a content writer is the hidden technicality of this type of writing. As you read this blog you’re coming across keywords, links and other techniques that content writers weave in to the content to optimize it for the web. Can you tell? I hope not. Content creators are ninjas of the written word. They adhere to the rules of SEO by sneaking them in without interrupting the natural flow of the content. No matter what, the ever-changing algorithms of optimizing online content will always fall behind the number one rule. The one rule to rule them all: creating high-quality content. Why You Need a Content Creator Unless you plan on heading up your company by day and transforming into a content writing ninja by night, the best solution is to hire an expert content writer. Fulfilling a detailed content strategy shouldn’t be another box to check on your daily to-do list. Gaining the full benefits of content writing requires 100% attention. You want someone passionate about growing your brand who can bring fresh eyes and follow through on your content strategy. Not convinced? Let us show you why you need to hire a content creator: 1. It’s Cost Effective How often do you come across ways to both grow your business and save money? Outsourcing content creation to a freelance writer or agency will save you the time and cost of training them. In fact, the highest percentage of outsourced content marketing is content creation. Content creators charge a multitude of prices, so the best strategy before hiring is to know what you want and how much you’re willing to pay. Remember that quality is key to successful online content. You may be able to get a cheap deal on Fiverr, but quality content isn’t something you bargain for. We break down our pricing into three quality levels to cover a range of content needs. 2. It Will Save You Time Content writing is more complex than churning out a few blogs when you feel like it. It takes time to produce high quality content because it’s more than just writing. This type of content creation is a mix of research, editing, proofreading and formatting to craft high-ranking and high-traffic content relevant to your brand. It’s okay that you don’t have time to memorize the latest SEO trends for 2018. This responsibility will be taken on by your content writer. 3. Fresh Content Will Keep Your Brand Relevant Bringing in a content writer to be the voice of your brand will give your audience a whole new perspective. Content creators are like students taking a course on what your company is. They will learn the ins and outs of your brand identity and turn it into a conversational piece to relay to your clientele. Consistent content will also keep your online presence up to date. Posting fresh content across all platforms will help you rank higher in search engines. Are you convinced yet? Before you hire a content creator it’s important to have a clear understanding of what you want. Set your goals so that you can communicate them: How do you want to sell your brand? What type of content do you need? What is your budget? Do you want someone in-house or outsourced? Answering these questions will point you in the right direction. How Did We Get Here? The History of Content Creators Content writing wasn’t born out of thin air. It comes from a long ancestry of using messages to communicate. Finding a connection between a blog centered on Apple’s new iPhone robot and Egyptian hieroglyphics may seem like a stretch, but just hear me out. From the prehistoric era to today, writing has been one of the top modes of disseminating information. Perhaps we’ve traded out wooden tablets for Android tablets since then, but at its core, the goals of writing have always remained. Where Today’s Content Writing Originated: Going Back to Mesopotamian Cuneiform in 8,000 B.C. The essence of all writing is described as a “system of graphic marks representing the units of a specific language.” The first recorded writing system was the Mesopotamian cuneiform, which evolved into four phases from 8000 to 1500 BC: Clay tokens: stood for … Read more