The main ingredient to a successful content team is creativity. If you’re in the digital marketing industry, you may have heard the phrase “content is king” a time or two. But in this case, creativity is king — so content can be queen for now. Data shows that  78% of CMOs now believe content is the future of marketing, but in order to have good content, you must get down to the source of creativity: your team.

If you don’t live under a rock, you’ll know that David Letterman has retired, and with him, his famous Top 10 lists.  Today, we would like to share our top ten list of who to hire on your content team in order to bring value to your content marketing strategy.

Here’s what to look for when hiring your next writer:

  1. The Visual Artist: Adding value to your content doesn’t just mean a long word count; it can also mean images and videos.  These multimedia elements really add dimension to what you’re putting out there and can solidify your brand.
  1. The Language Lover: They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but how creative are those words?  With a language lover, they are definitely going to be expressive and desriptive words.  A wordsmith is what you need to hire, and one that is extremely versatile in their writing portfolio.
  1. The Storyteller: This person won’t just write any ol’ post, they’ll draw them into the story and make them stay until the end. This type of person is gets more readers to share their content with the world.
  1.  The Reporter: Having a real-life component is crucial to increasing your effectiveness.  Have someone who’s on top of what’s going on outside of their cubicle or company. Reporters know how to write, edit, and publish on a deadline without batting an eyelash.  They also know how to check sources and pull quotes, which is crucial for being reputable.
  1. The SEO Analyst: These analysts don’t have to be the ones you see on CNN, but the ones who aren’t afraid to give creative insights and reports about the SEO value of the content on hand. It’s very important to know how your content is ranking in search, and this type of person will be at the forefront to see what’s working, and what isn’t.
  1. The Big Picture Planner: You can’t just aimlessly throw content at people; there has to be an end game, a purpose.  You need someone who can see that final puzzle come to together and where every piece fits.  Your content strategy should be furthering your overall marketing initiatives and long-term business goals.
  1. The Details Guy/Girl: You already have a macro manager in the Big Picture Person mentioned above, but you are going to need a micro manager, as well.  This person takes the precision of a good job seriously.  They are the ones who will take the time to troubleshoot and tweak little details to make sure everything is accounted for.
  1. The Event Guru: You may be wondering how events relate to content, but hear us out.  Events are to web pages as event planners are to content writers.  They create the right environment for people to have a great time or serve a purpose. This translates into their content, as they will foster the right audience and the right tone to keep the ROI at a higher level.
  1. The Editor: You need someone to pull back the reins of creativity when it gets too unruly.  This person will not be afraid to cut the words down to size and spot a character out of place.  Editors are the polish on your shiny exterior of a brand.
  1. The Big Data Person: Crunching the numbers takes more than an ‘A’ in math.  It takes someone who can fit a large amount of figures and data from several campaigns, as well demographic trends, to pull together for a long-term goal.  This person also has to keep in mind that they have to meet their budget and technological capabilities.  You shouldn’t risk your company’s vitals in the hands of someone who can only handle one-digit equations.

With all of that in mind, make sure you also look beyond the resume and get to know potential candidates before deciding to bring them on to your team. Personality is hard to show on a resume, so ask weighty questions and assess where they fit into the team’s overall dynamic.  One team member can wear many hats, but don’t overburden one person with too many responsibilities, or the finished product will suffer.  Hiring these 10 types of people will lead your content team to success, and contribute to the effectiveness of your overall digital marketing strategy.

About the Author

PCG Digital Marketing is an award winning digital agency headquartered in Eatontown, NJ. We help our clients get found online through innovative search, social and online advertising campaigns.