Have you decided to take your business online?
You're going to need more than a website and a can-do attitude.
Digital marketing takes a different mindset than what is needed offline. The same principles of marketing apply to both worlds, but the execution is different.
To be successful online, you'll need a content marketing manager.
In digital marketing, content is king. It's what attracts visitors to your business to drive sales and raise brand awareness.
Here are seven questions you must ask potential content managers and why they matter.
1. What Is Your Understanding Of SEO?
Content is only as valuable as its results. There's no point in putting content on your page if it doesn't have a purpose.
The purpose is always getting people to your website.
SEO is what brings in new customers. A content marketing manager should have a good understanding of Google's algorithm changes. If they don't understand Google's changes or Pagerank, they can't help you.
2. How Do You Layout Online Content?
Content must have three things to drive content: keywords, information, and a call-to-action.
Keywords are phrases that search engines look for to determine the value of content. They are what people search for online.
The information is the body of the content, and it determines whether a reader will come back to your page. If they click on an article expecting to learn about dog care but find a giant sales piece, they aren't coming back.
The CTA is where you make your pitch. Decide beforehand what you want the reader to do, and tell them at the end.
Without these three things in an article, content will only make your website look nice. It will not improve your SEO score, and will not bring visitors to your page.
3. What Content Marketing Blogs Do You Follow?
Content marketing is essential, but it's not the most glamorous work in the world.
To be effective at content marketing, they have to be passionate about the industry. There's more to marketing than showing up, writing a piece here and there and calling it a day.
In it's purest form, content marketing is data-driven. Google makes changes to their algorithm three times a day, on average. Most of these changes are minor and won't affect your day-to-day operations.
Sometimes there are changes made by Google that can send online stores into a tailspin. When these happen, you'll need a content marketing manager that can make adjustments.
It's hard to do that if they don't know what's going on. The best way to get the information needed is through blogs.
Look for specific answers. "All of them" or "anything I can get my hands on" is the same as "what do you think?" It's a non-answer and should be a non-starter.
4. How Do You Respond To Content Rejections?
Rejections happen to everyone.
If a candidate says their work is never rejected, they are lying or they're the greatest writer ever.
You should operate under the assumption that it's the first possibility.
The most important part of the question is why the rejection happened and their response to it.
There are two types of people in content marketing: the internalizers and externalizers.
People that internalize look at a rejection as an opportunity to make it right for their client. They view it as a challenge and point the finger of blame at themselves.
Externalizers think the client doesn't know what they are talking about. How could someone not like what they've written?
You want someone that internalizes. Look for phrases like "My CTA wasn't strong enough" or "I didn't convey my point well enough."
Avoid someone that blames the client. Remember, once you hire them, you're their client too.
5. How Will You Decide On Content As A Content Marketing Manager?
The answer to this question will let you know where the candidate's head is at.
Finding content by talking to a sales manager happens sometimes. Stumbling upon ideas shouldn't be the norm though.
The best content comes from data-driven decision making. Analytics and research should always be the driving factor.
You also want a content marketing manager that can make decisions on their own. If they are always coming to you for ideas, you might as well run the department yourself.
6. What Makes Content Successful?
This question lets you know the candidate's priorities and tests their knowledge.
Posting content on a website is only half of the job. A successful content marketing writer follows through. The job of a content marketing manager is more than producing content.
The manager has to gauge its success.
Are views their only gauge? Do they go into detail about social media shares, sales, and search engine rankings?
The more signs of success they mention, the better. Also, if they talk about linkbacks, they're a keeper.
7. Do You Have A Portfolio Of Your Work?
A content marketing manager's portfolio contains their best work. They select the pieces they show you because they are the best representation of their skill.
If you go through their portfolio and it's filled with errors or lacks imagination, it's a sign of things to come.
Look for articles that relate to your business. See how well they follow the ideal content blueprint discussed earlier. Ask them what the keyword was for each piece and see if they've put it in the article in a natural way or stuffed it.
If the work has a relevant image and internal and external links, you've got yourself a winner.
You should also ask for references or testimonials from people they have worked with in the past.
How We Can Help
If you are looking for assistance in building a marketing strategy, Seeger Consulting is here to help.
Our service will free up business owners to do what they do best: instill their passion into the company.
If you want to take your marketing to the next level, set up a consultation today.
