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If you have a penchant for writing, you might be looking to make a career in this industry. But how do you begin this search? There are many job titles that might confuse you even more. You must have heard of a ‘content strategist’ and ‘content manager,’ terms which people mistakenly use interchangeably. But are they the same? No! Understanding the difference between a content marketing strategist and a content manager is crucial not just for applicants but for businesses as well.

Content marketing has become very effective in 2022 as a vital part of a business’s marketing strategy. If you’re a business looking for guest blogging services for your website, you must know to whom you’re entrusting the task. While both content strategists and content managers are essential to content marketing, they have their own set of duties. This guide will tell you all you need to know about what a content strategist and a content manager are and what you should expect from each post.  

What is a Content Strategist?

The most straightforward answer is someone who creates and curates content for a business for marketing purposes. As the name suggests, a content marketing strategist needs to view content from a marketing standpoint, i.e., is this content strategy suitable to retain existing customers? They also ensure this content is engaging enough to attract new clients. As a result, content strategists are central to a company’s content marketing strategy. 

A content strategist uses the latest findings, the company’s position in the industry, and user psychology to create a content experience targeted to your audience. They don’t just write what needs to be told; they develop the science behind this storytelling. They do more than write content, but that’s also part of their job duties. Content marketing strategists research the topic, understand the company and then write and edit content for the business to meet its goals, whether it’s client engagement, client retention, or visibility.

As content strategists deal with content placement, they must also collaborate with the design and sales team. For example, they might communicate a brief to the design team, so the content’s formatting and design match the brand image and meet the outlined project objective. They may also need to dictate to the sales team when to release or post content for it to have the maximum impact.

What is a Content Manager?

A content manager oversees the content marketing team and its day-to-day operations. Content managers usually work with content writers, editors and designers, and videographers to create content that matches the brand’s image and meets its business goals. Content managers may be required to write, edit, and post a range of content, including eBooks, blogs, articles, reports, and more. 

They are responsible for developing and distributing content that will achieve the best results. Their management duties include analyzing results from existing content and then deciding what changes are needed to get optimal efficacy. They keep the target audience central to the content marketing strategy to ensure the business meets its objectives, whatever they may be.

The content manager job may be seen as a tactical expert. As they have to distribute tasks to team members according to their skills, they must understand skills like search engine optimization (SEO), growing website traffic, email marketing, writing, graphic design, web design, social media management, content management software, and copywriting. They should also have solid communication skills to ensure seamless collaboration between various departments of the content marketing team like writing, editing, designing, and sales. They oversee the content production process, ensuring smooth flow from start to finish, addressing roadblocks, and developing contingencies.  

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Content Strategist vs. Content Manager: What’s the Difference?

You may have noticed some similarities between a content strategist and a content manager, meaning some overlapping duties. However, that doesn’t mean the two titles are the same. To help you understand, we will highlight the key differences between a content marketing strategist and a content manager.

Skills

There are some skills that both content strategists and content managers need to fulfill their duties. A content strategist and content manager both need to write proficiently, and edit and proofread to spot any errors in the text. These basic skills are essential for them to operate in a content marketing business. However, there are more differences between the primary skills the two need.

A content strategist should have analytical skills to understand the type of content a company needs to meet its business goals. They should be adept at creating a content marketing strategy to achieve the specific project objective, like creating visibility or acquiring new leads. They would do this with research skills on what works and doesn’t. Content strategists must also be good at communication, informing the design and sales team on how to design and post content.  

On the other hand, a content manager need not possess researching and analytical skills. If they have them, good enough, but that’s not their area of expertise. They should have expert management skills, as they will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the strategy created by the content strategist. They must possess excellent organizational skills to ensure seamless communication across all departments. Content managers should also have time management skills to ensure the team meets project deadlines. Content managers need to be all-rounders in content marketing and be able to foster a healthy, collaborative environment. They should also know how to keep a consistent brand identity across the various channels they manage.

SKILLS	CONTENT STRATEGIST	CONTENT MANAGER
Writing and Editing	✔	✔
Research Skills	✔
Communication Skills	✔	✔
Analytical Skills	✔
Project Management		✔
Organization Skills		✔
Time Management		✔
Leadership		✔

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Job Duties

The duties of a content marketing strategist and content manager differ because they work at different stages of the content creation process. A content strategist is more relevant at the inception phase. In contrast, content managers are responsible for ensuring this strategy is being implemented and checking if any changes are needed in new or existing content. Their job roles might be different but are equally important in creating high-quality content for individuals and businesses. 

A content strategist is responsible for conducting in-depth research to understand the business, its goals, the target audience, and the latest content strategies. They will then develop a custom content marketing strategy to ensure it achieves the business goals outlined by the company. They are also responsible for creating guidelines for other departments, like the design and sales team, to follow. But what happens after that?

This is where the role of a content manager kicks in. Content managers work from start to end to ensure every person is doing their job. They also study existing content to measure its performance through tools like Google Analytics. For example, they might decide to remove old content from a company’s website and replace it with new, better-performing content. They need to be on their toes as team members and departments would address any problems to them. They must channel their administrative skills to ensure smooth workflow.

CONTENT STRATEGIST	CONTENT MANAGER
Perform in-depth research to acquire data about the target market, and the latest industry trends	Ensure implementation of the content marketing strategy
Develop content guidelines for design and sales team	Oversee content marketing operations from start to finish
Strategize to improve performance and delivery	Use performance metrics to analyze existing data, and update and replace content as required
Create and manage social media campaigns	Act as the mode of communication between the writing, design and sales department
Analyze changes in consumer trends and update content marketing strategy accordingly	Audit content marketing strategies to ensure business objectives are meet

Qualifications

While content strategists and content managers require a bachelor’s degree, employers will prefer the former if they majored in English, marketing, or communications. Content managers can also hold degrees in English, but they will benefit from a degree in business administration and marketing due to the nature of their role.

Both roles would require around two years of experience in the relevant field. However, some companies may need additional experience for content managers as they have more responsibility than content strategists. Their experience should be in the content marketing industry or any project management role.

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Salary

The exact salary of either role will vary depending on the employee’s expertise, experience, and the size of the company at which they work. As a general rule, a content marketing strategist can expect to earn $64,932 per year, while a content manager can earn $69,598 annually.

Content Writing to Suit All Your Business Needs

Content has become an essential aspect of every business’s marketing strategy in today’s digital age. You’ll miss out on new leads and traffic if you don’t create and update content regularly. Content marketing is a specialized field requiring professional content writing and marketing services.

Content Development Pros offers professional content writing services for businesses from all industries. Their dedicated team of content marketing strategists and content managers create fresh content with SEO with a quick turnaround. While you sit back and relax, they will create a bespoke content marketing strategy and implement it to meet every business’s needs. Blogs, eBooks, articles, design, and publishing-they do it all.