Why You Need a Content Marketing Manager for Your Business

by Keith Gutierrez on Mar 15, 2023

A strong content marketing strategy is essential for businesses to differentiate themselves from the competition, as content has become a primary driver of success.

Developing and executing a successful content marketing plan takes work, and it requires a dedicated team member. 

This is where a content marketing manager comes in.

A content marketing manager is responsible for developing and implementing a content strategy that aligns with a company's overall marketing goals. 

As experts in creating high-quality, engaging, and relevant content that answers buyer questions, these individuals are also responsible for managing and analyzing the content's performance to ensure that it drives traffic, increases engagement, and generates leads.

Let's explore why you should hire an in-house content marketing manager and the help they can bring to your organization.

We'll cover:

• Why you should hire in-house staff
• If you should hire or transition an existing team member into the role
• What to look for in a content marketing manager
• How to find the right person
• Benefits a content marketing manager can provide 
• How a content marketing manager helps develop and implement a content strategy
• Next steps for hiring

Why In-House Staff

Most businesses need help to create high-quality content that effectively reaches their marketing goals. 

Related: How to Use Content in the Sales Process [Assignment Selling]

If you find yourself questioning whether or not you need to hire a content marketing manager, you may also find that these content-related problems apply to you:

• 54% of businesses have difficulty generating high-quality leads from content
• 52% of firms aren’t creating content that attracts more traffic
• 45% of companies grapple with content that speaks to their target audience

Content marketing managers merge the craft of captivating content with the technical aspects of SEO and analytics to address these challenges.

Hiring in-house can be advantageous, as it allows you to gain a more profound knowledge of your industry and target audience, better collaboration within your organization, and consistency with your brand's voice.

Related: 97 Topics for Engaging Blog Content 

You'll want to look for someone who:

• Is part of your organizational culture and can represent your brand and message in the way the organization wants to be seen
• Knows the consistency of your brand's voice and tone 
• Is entirely dedicated to overseeing the content creation and publication process, and that is their only role 
• Can develop their internal processes around creating content that leverages internal content interviews with sales team members or other subject matter experts.

Should You Hire or Transition In-House?

Deciding to hire or transition in-house for a content marketing manager position depends on various factors, such as your company's goals, resources, and current staffing situation. 

Here are some considerations to remember:

• Cost: Hiring an in-house content marketing manager can cost anywhere from $60,000 to $75,000 annually, as you must provide benefits, training, and development opportunities.
  Why? It is more cost-effective in the long run than working with an external agency or freelancer.

• Expertise: If you need a content marketing manager with a specific skill set, it is more effective to hire someone in-house.
  Why? This can give you more control over the hiring process and ensure that the person you bring on board has the necessary experience and expertise.

• Timeframe: Hiring someone in-house may be more efficient if you quickly need a content marketing manager.
  Why? Working with an external agency or freelancer can take longer as you must find a partner, establish a working relationship, and develop a strategy.

• Company culture: Hiring in-house can help ensure your content marketing manager is aligned with your company's culture and values.
  Why? This can be important for building a cohesive team and developing a consistent brand voice.
• Resources: If you already have staff members with relevant skills and experience, it may be more efficient to transition someone in-house to a content marketing manager role.
  Why? This can help you maximize your existing resources and save on hiring and training costs.

If you are going to transition, the key is to make sure the individual can stop what they are doing previously and focus solely on their new role as content marketing managers.

This will require proper planning and coordination to ensure a smooth transition. 

The individual must be able to dedicate the necessary time and energy to the new role to be effective.

What to Look for in a Content Marketing Manager

A content marketing manager must be a passionate brand storyteller with a journalistic mindset and an obsession with content performance, reporting, and analytics. 

With close to 7.5 million blog posts published on the web in a single day, finding a content marketing manager who is driven by ambition and wants to create the best content regardless of the topic is a top quality to look for.

Also, they need to recognize each team member's value and foster a comfortable environment that encourages individuals to express their unique stories and share their experiences with their audience.

Other team members' expertise should be integrated into the content creation to provide valuable insights and perspectives.

Find the Right Person for the Job

The best things to look for when hiring a content marketing manager:

• Impeccable writing and editorial skills with an outstanding command of the English language.
• Understanding standard editorial style guides, e.g., AP Style, Chicago Manual of Style, etc.
• Training as a print or broadcast journalist is a bonus. You should be great at telling a story using words, images, or audio and understand how to create content that draws an audience.
• The ability to think like an educator, intuitively understanding what the audience needs to know and how they want to consume it.
• A passion for new technology tools and using those tools within your blogs and social media outreach. 
• Clear articulation of the business goal behind creating a piece (or series) of content.
• Project management skills to manage editorial schedules and deadlines within corporate and ongoing campaigns. 
• Familiarity with principles of marketing.
• Incredible people skills.
• Needs to be continually learning the latest platforms, technology tools, and marketing solutions through partnerships.
• Able to screen out sales pitches and look for the relevant brand and customer story. [source]

The right candidate will also possess the heart of a teacher with a love for learning, writing, and communication. 

Look for someone who has the desire to do this precise role.  

Most of all, they will see the value in every person on their team and put them at ease, empowering them to tell their stories and share their expertise with their audience.

Benefits a Content Marketing Manager Can Provide

With their expertise, a content marketing manager can help develop a content strategy that aligns with the company's goals and target audience. 

This can lead to the creation of high-quality and relevant content that resonates with the audience and helps establish the company's authority in its industry.

The content marketing manager can also coordinate and optimize the distribution of this content across different channels, such as social media, email, and the company website, to maximize its reach and impact. 

In addition, they can track and analyze the content's performance and adjust the strategy accordingly, using metrics such as engagement, traffic, and conversions.

A good content marketing manager should be an asset to the team and provide the following benefits:

• Consistent and frequent publishing 
• Available to capture content within the timeline of the organization
• An additional knowledge resource for the team
• SEO and social media knowledge for the organization

By staying current with the latest trends and techniques in content marketing and collaborating effectively with other teams within the company, a content marketing manager can help create a consistent and engaging brand message that resonates with the target audience.

Related: How Companies Can Tie Content to Revenue Growth

How Can a Content Marketing Manager Help Develop & Implement a Content Strategy?

They own the strategy through the proper training and coaching.

They will be able to develop an ongoing strategy focused on answering buyers' most important questions, helping them make a purchasing decision about the organization's products and services.

The strategy itself isn't that complicated. 

It is about answering customer questions that may be difficult or that other organizations won’t answer. Think questions around cost, comparisons, and problems with your offerings.

The content marketing manager can play a key role in developing and implementing content strategy by:

By taking a strategic and data-driven approach, a content marketing manager can ensure that the content strategy aligns with the company's overall goals and provides a strong return on investment.

So, how does content play a role in boosting engagement levels and driving business revenue growth?

• Answering buyers' common questions: The sales team will win more deals because they have content supporting the buying process.
• Help shorten the sales cycle: Buyers are now better educated before talking to sales because the marketing materials help them decide.
• Create more opportunities: You’re now seen as an educator in the space, building trust and credibility and winning more opportunities.
• Increase engagement: Prospects have multiple touchpoints, including your website, social media, digital assets, webinars, podcasts, and email newsletters.
• Meeting target audience where they are: Share content where your audience prefers to consume it and ensure it aids in their buying journey.

Your content marketing manager will be seen as a thought leader, helping your organization stand out in a crowded marketplace. 

Next Steps for Hiring

An effective content strategy can be implemented without requiring a large marketing department.

78% of companies have no more than three content specialists within their content marketing team. [source]

Bringing on board an experienced content marketing manager can help streamline the workflow of your small marketing team and ensure coherence.

But how do you find a good content marketing manager? 

We’re glad you asked.

You will want to understand the job description for a content marketing manager.

• What type of skills do they have? Content creation, analytics, SEO, social media, and project management
• What will their typical week look like? Planning and strategy, content creation and distribution, analytics and reporting, and team collaboration
• What type of background do they need to have? Experience, technical skills, soft skills, and industry knowledge

From here, you will want to source candidates for this position using a social media platform, such as LinkedIn.

This will allow you to source candidates and see their profiles and activities to see what they create, whether content, videos, or writing.

Remember, never exclude someone because they might not know your particular industry. 

By hiring a content marketing manager with the right skills, they quickly acquire the knowledge and expertise necessary to excel simply by performing their duties. 

It's advisable to be selective about the number of candidates you bring in for the selection process to avoid wasting time.

Try to start with the top 4 to 6 candidates and, from there, narrow it down to 1 to 2 out of this group for a follow-up interview. 

Here, you can provide the candidate with an assessment they need to complete, showing that they can conduct an interview and create content from that interview.

For example, the candidate can interview you on a specific topic and write a short piece.

From here, you can determine the best cultural fit for this position and have the candidate meet other employees within the organization. 

This will be a great way to assess their personalities and determine whether everyone is on the same page. 

Ultimately, it is essential to seek a candidate who demonstrates enthusiasm and genuine interest in the subject matter while relying on your intuition to make a final decision.

Final Thoughts

A dedicated in-house content marketing manager can bring numerous benefits to your business. 

By leveraging their expertise, you can develop and execute a comprehensive content marketing strategy that aligns with your business goals and resonates with your target audience. 

From planning and creating content to monitoring and analyzing its performance, a content marketing manager can help you stay ahead of the competition and build a strong brand presence in the digital landscape. 

If you want to improve your content marketing efforts, consider hiring a skilled and experienced content marketing manager for your team.

Have questions?

Do you need more information on why hiring a content marketing manager is beneficial or about content marketing in general?

Schedule some time to talk with us today!