Content Developer Job Description, Skills and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a content developer. Feel free to use our content developer job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a content developer.
Who is a Content Developer?
A profession as a content developer gives whoever engages in it, a feeling of a kind of fulfillment. Both in ancient times and in the present times, contents have always been the fundamental tool to thrive in any set business or industry. The need for a content developer has increased more in this recent times and has the potential to increase by over 50% in the coming years. That a company does well more than the other, is a result of the various content they put out to customers and potential customers. That is why every success-seeking organization is out there looking for good and professional content developers to create content for them, thereby boosting their brand and portfolio.
In understanding who a content developer is, it is pertinent to understand first what make-up terms are; content and developer. Generally, content is defined as things or elements that are in a container. It can also be seen as things inside a particular thing. In the light of digitalism, it could be defined as information contained within a media, in form of write-ups, audio, video, etc, targeted at an audience of particular interest. To develop is to create, grow, incubate and advance. A developer is one who develops, that is, one who creates grows, and advances ideas and content. A content developer, therefore, is an individual who creates and develops great ideas and content, and/or advances ideas for a particular organization or firm to boost the value and worth of such organization and drive organic traffic to their websites and brand.
Content developers make research, write articles and blog posts, and edit online content for marketing and website purposes, including SEOs, SEMs, and HTML formatting. They create information for firms and can also develop this content through the use of graphics, videos, photos, social media posts, and ad copies. A content developer is responsible for developing unique content for press releases, websites, blogs, newsletters, articles, and advertising marketing materials based on the need of a client or an organization. Content developers make use of their acquired skills, understanding, and experience in programming as well as web-based technology, to develop and update content for websites. Content developers need to be up to date with trends, and know what is available in the market at the moment, and what people are interested in at any given point in time; that is why they are known to be researchers. You can be a good content developer and have excellent content, and still not drive the needed traffic; this may be a result of outdated content.
Content developers could work for various organizations as employed staff, and can also be self-employed. The self-employed content developers will have to build and maintain a strong customer base to have long-term success in their careers. This career is simply about developing unique and clear content in a simple and easy assimilating form. Hence, a content developer should have strong writing skills and be able to command the English language or the stated language in a way that gives no understanding difficulty to the reader or listener.
While surfing the net, you find interesting and fancy blogs and adverts and you are tempted to look into their contents; they are made by a content developer. The role of a content developer demands that he acquire certain skills, which include, excellent writing skills, researching skills, and innovative skills. To become a professional content developer, you should have qualifications like a bachelor’s degree in communication or journalism and a few years of experience. One advantage of a content developer is the ability to work from anywhere and at any time.
Content Developer Job Description
Below are the content developer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a content developer job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
Your job description as a content developer is depending on the organization where you work. Your basic duties as a content developer are to develop and organize content on the internet, and to build an online presence for organizations. This could be done via blog posts, newsletters, graphics, videos, and so many others. Nevertheless, the best way to have a great content development is by first determining a target audience and then watchfully selecting highly searched phrases and keywords, this strategy is aimed at getting your content to your intended audience. This is otherwise known as search engine optimization (SEO). Even though the duty of a content developer may vary based on the employer, their general job description may include:
- Thinking out new content objectives and strategies to the marketing directors.
- Collaborating with team members and other teams like the digital marketing team, to brainstorm on innovative content.
- Creating clear, easy-assimilating, and friendly content.
- Developing website content and also editing already existing ones.
- Proofreading contents and posts before they are published.
- Managing content on social media.
- Staying updated with new engaging content and marketing strategy.
- Analyzing and giving reports on the progress of content created and its effectiveness.
- Creating goals and determining the desired reaction.
- Having an eye for details.
- Researching target audience.
Qualifications
Your qualification in any given field determines how far you will go, and how successful you will be in that field. The more qualifications you possess, the greater chance you have to secure a better slot in good organizations. As a content developer, you are meant to have achieved and obtained some set qualifications before you are considered for employment in certain organizations, even though some organizations employ a few novices with little experience. Nevertheless, your dream as a successful content developer can be realistic if you obtain as many qualifications as relevant to the profession. These qualifications include:
- Bachelors or associate degree in marketing, mass communication, journalism, linguistics, or other related disciplines.
- High school diploma or a GED (General Education Development) certificate.
- 2 to 3 years of working experience in marketing, copywriting, journalism, and any other related field.
- Knowledge of graphic design mostly with Adobe Photoshop, and programming will be an added advantage.
- Adequate knowledge of software like WordPress and Asana.
- Advanced knowledge of Search Engine Optimization and HTML.
- A collection of previous works and publications.
- Ability to work independently and with a team when necessary.
- Excellent communications skills.
Essential Skills
Content developers are those involved in the writing, editing, creating, and designing of the content of a particular organization. They are responsible for the building of a company’s online presence. They are held in high esteem by their employers because they contribute to the growth of the company. This role demands that you have a clear knowledge of the company you work for; their products and services to enable you to know the type of content to develop and upload. Not just knowing about the company you work for, but also studying your target audience; their desires, and objectives. Once this step is done, you can then go ahead to develop friendly and easy assimilating content for them, while making proper use of search engine optimization. However, whatever content you chose to develop must be engaging and persuasive, to enable the audience and potential customers to take expected actions.
For you to achieve all these and become a successful content developer, there are essentials skills that you should acquire, and they include:
- Excellent verbal and writing skills.
- Excellent listening skills.
- Versatility skills.
- Reading ability.
- Basic computer skills, like typing.
- Graphic design skills.
- Analytical and report writing skills.
- Creative and innovative skills.
- Great presentation skills.
- Time management skills.
- Attention to detail.
- Ability to carry out multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Outstanding research skills.
- Organizational skills.
- Documentation skills.
- Customer service skills.
- Website-related skills.
Constant communication with people through content requires that a content developer should have excellent communications skill. He/she should be able to write without errors and also be able to read and assimilate well; this is because he will be involved in editing and proofreading works. A good communication skill ensures that you give friendly and engaging content to your page visitors or customers. There are so many incoming trends in the digital market and as such, being versatile as a content developer would help you meet up with current trends and carry your clients along.
Furthermore, people tend to be more attracted to pictographic representations than typed words, and as such, a content developer should have skills in graphic design. Having a design skill would help you pass a more engaging and clearer message to your target audience, and this skill gives you an edge over your competitors. After posting these contents, you need to know how the contents performed over a set period, to enable you to know where to improve or blend; this is done using analytics, and being ignorant of analytics leaves a negative imprint on your profession.
Content developers are researchers, but that does not mean that they get all their content online, they are innovative and creative, having the ability to take initiative. Hence, as a content developer, you ought to be creative and be able to think out new ideas often. Sometimes, you are assigned to multiple tasks simultaneously and expected to deliver in a particular period; having time management skills and multi-task ability would help you achieve the target and furthermore, give you additional confidence and portfolio before your employer.
Finally, with these skills, your job as a content developer would be easily scalable, and occupying positions like this could scale you up in an organization and can place you in higher positions like account manager and some other executive positions.
How to Become a Content Developer
Content development is a flourishing career that gives room for creative and innovative individuals and minds to showcase their innovative talents, design, and writing skills. Content developers develop engaging marketing content for various organizations and businesses to reach the desired level or achieve a set goal.
If you have a passion for creating something new, a passion for creativity, content development is a career you should try going into. There are steps to follow if you want to become a content developer.
Firstly, you would need to obtain an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree, but if not within your reach, a high school diploma could be accepted. This degree should be in journalism, mass communication, computer science, advertising, marketing, English, or any other related discipline. The educational requirements vary based on the intended position and the company; some companies may be strict with accepting only bachelor’s degrees, while some others might be flexible and accept high school diplomas. Some positions may also follow the same process.
Secondly, you would need to gain some years of experience, and this is possible through completing an internship in a relevant position. This internship allows you to become experienced in the field, and also allows you to build connections in the content development field. You can search for companies close to you, even online, and at times apply to occupy the position as a volunteer; this increases your experience and recommendation chances.
Furthermore, you would need to build a portfolio. A portfolio displays your previous works to your employer and shows him what you are capable of doing. Having a portfolio is very important and is a powerful decision-making tool that assists employers to make employment decisions. To create a portfolio, begin by gathering your best projects and works in different formats. Include more samples and always update your portfolio whenever you gain more experience.
You should also consider obtaining voluntary certifications. There are so many courses online that are relevant to content development where you can earn recognized certificates. These certificates are obtained after passing an examination.
One important step towards becoming a successful content developer is networking with other content developers, especially senior colleagues, or those who have more experience than you. This network with content developers can increase your chance of getting job opportunities. You can meet them at your place of internship or while obtaining a degree.
A step you should consider next is to begin acquiring the necessary relevant skills, like communication, writing, use of the related software, analytical skills, and so many others. These skills will help you strike a balance in your career, and give you a competitive advantage.
Finally, you should customize your resume and begin applying for jobs while still developing your experience and skills. The application of the above steps builds you and makes you an expert in the field.
Where to Work as a Content Developer
The world has gone digital, so every success-seeking company is embracing digitalism. So many companies recognize the importance of building an online presence which is why the digital market is competitive, while better marketing strategies play a key factor in this competition. To this effect, companies employ the aid of content developers to help them with marketing content to give them an edge over their so many competitors.
Hence, content developers are employed by practically every organization. They can work either as a direct employee or as a digital marketing agency. They can work in telecommunications companies, social organizations or companies, technological companies, academic institutions, and even churches, and so on.
Content Developer Salary Scale
The salary of a content developer may vary based on the position, the location, years of experience of the employee, educational level attained, skills acquired, the financial strength of the company, and some others.
The average salary of a content developer in the United States falls between $47,150 and $61, 245 annually. A content developer can also earn up to $136,000 per year but depends on the company and your level of professionalism. Microsoft pays its content developers $136,233 annually. Amazon pays $78,188 annually, while Apple pays $105,594.
In the United Kingdom, content developers receive an estimated salary of £31,500 per year. Novices earn £28,500, while more experienced content developers earn more than £39,600 per year.
It is quite different in Nigeria, as content developers earn an approximated amount of ₦708,703 per year, while some other companies or more educated and skilled employees earn above ₦1,920,000 annually.