Web Content Strategy may be one of the best writing/editing jobs out there. I’ve done everything from technical writing, to book authoring, to freelance writing and, so far, Web Content Strategy offers the best mix of creativity, autonomy, and a fun team environment that I’ve found in any job.In the context of a large Web site development project, Web Content Strategy is a repeatable system that defines the entire editorial content development process, from very early tasks such as analyzing and classifying readers to the very last tasks, such as planning for the ongoing content maintenance after the project launches.It is the Web content strategist’s job is to:Make sure that every individual piece of content on the proposed site is recorded, accounted for, assigned, and trackedAssign a specific person (not a department) for creation, editing, copy approval, translation, translation approval, legal approval, meta data definition, electronic storage and retrieval, periodic review, etc. for each content itemWrite site content and edit content submitted by othersTrack the ongoing progress of each task
Create, and get approval for, contingency plans for major content milestonesTrain and supervise the content staff and possibly create an editorial style guide for the Web if none existsWork with the technical leads to represent the end users when creating Web Content Management Systems, templates, and automated workflowMost Web content strategists work for creative, Web site design and development studios. Here work is done by the project so each project team is like a small company, working independently from all the other project teams. So you really feel that you have a say in how things get done and you get the credit for doing a good job. You get the stability of a larger company, and lots of great social interaction with team members, without being completely independent and working alone in your house all day.So who can be a Web content strategist? I’ve seen writers with proven backgrounds in technical writing, PR writing, copywriting, corporate communications, journalism, and book editing all be very successful in this field. If you are a proven, smart, well-organized writer, with an interest in the Web, you have a good shot at a career in Web content strategy.
Monster.com, Career Builder, and Dice.com all list web content strategy jobs as do many local web sites devoted to tech writing, interactive marketing, and Web development. A good first step in towards getting a job in the field is to re-label work you may have already done and listed in your resume. If you have written Web content, and helped the client figure out what needed to be written, or helped plan the writing project, then you have already done some content strategy work! Change, or add these items to your resume and you already have one foot in the door. A second good tactic is to look for work as a contractor. Most companies would rather work with you on a contract basis before hiring you anyway, so work with a local technical contract placement company to get your resume out for contract only positions.The outlook for web content strategy work is good and growing as web sites get larger and contain more content. Salaries and hourly rates are also good. I know web content strategists with a few year experience who are making six figures! Remember, this field is not yet ten years old, so no one has all that much experience. Many companies are just now figuring out they want to standardize how they do content strategy so this is a great time to get started!
Today, many people want to get paid to write, whether it’s articles, web pages or other content online. Why? Because fresh content is in demand, and it’s a very profitable career to get in to. The internet is growing at an almost unbelievable pace, and web masters need new content in order to stay competitive. If you’re looking to earn some extra money or want to replace your 9 to 5 job, keep reading.Writing for the web is very basic, and something anyone can do. You do not have to be an exceptional writer, or have any type of degree; in fact, if you can write simple sentences and Microsoft Project Scheduling decent spelling skills, you can make money online as a writer. I do it myself, and I have no training or special skills at all – and my income today triples what I ever earned working outside my home.
There are many different methods that can be used to make money writing. You may decide to join some of the sites that are content providers to online businesses, or you may want to submit articles on your favorite topics to some of the “consignment” sites that allow you to set your own price and get paid when your article sells. Alternatively, you can build your own list of clients by writing sample articles and submitting them to website owners, informing them that if they like your work you would be glad to write for them on future projects.The internet provides a huge sea of opportunities for you to choose from, and the chance to build a secure financial future for yourself and your family. Remember, you’re not writing a novel – just informational articles and web content that can be easily researched online. Ready to get started?