Content marketing is responsible for an astounding $63 billion in annual revenue as of 2022. Brands capitalize on this medium to connect with their audiences at a global scale while maintaining an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship.
At least, brands with a stellar content marketing team do.
In this article, we’ll explore how to structure a high-performing content marketing team, from hiring to developing a team and company culture.
Recruiting Top Talent
When trying to attract top talent to a content marketing team, brands must approach the process as though they’re trying to attract customers. While the end goal is different, the purpose is the same: making your brand compelling.
Start by working with your existing marketing team or a consultant to clearly define roles and responsibilities. Highlight your company’s weak points and bottlenecks to determine which roles would help the most.
Once the structure is created, engage your employees in the recruitment process. Ask for employee referrals and recommendations and place value on existing professional relationships. If one of your employees worked well with another marketer previously, they already have the spark needed for collaboration.
Some key considerations for attracting top talent include:
- Craft a narrative – tell a brand story that connects with potential employees. Address common pain points and offer a solution with a vision that’s aligned with their goals.
- Talk about the company culture – ensure the narrative you present delves into your company culture, values, and perks.
- Use social media and video – connect with content marketers through content marketing. This approach also presents an opportunity to ask them what they’d improve in your strategy.
- Prioritize passion and drive – look beyond experience and evaluate potential. The only way to avoid repeating history is to break the mould and get a fresh perspective. This is a must in the oversaturated world of content marketing.
It’s also valuable to partake in networking events, both online and in-person, to scout avid job seekers.
Content Team Hiring Strategies
Getting the right person in the right role will help your brand build a high-performance content marketing team. It’s important to look for someone who knows how to market themselves with an ATS-optimized resume that includes tangible metrics and KPIs.
Several skills and qualities also contribute to an excellent marketing professional, including:
- Passion – passion sparks creativity and motivates individuals to stay up-to-date with the latest content marketing trends.
- Creativity – team members should enjoy being creative and innovative to keep things fresh.
- Analytical – content marketers need a balance of creativity and logic to make data-driven decisions about the content they create.
- Teamwork – content marketers must be able to collaborate and create a supportive environment.
- Organization – content marketing requires ample planning and execution. Organization and project management skills are a must.
Prioritizing these skills is paramount to creating a high-performance content marketing team. Look beyond experience with specific tools and systems; while programs can be taught, passion cannot.
Structuring the Team for Success
The team’s structure will also play a role in performance and success. Developing a clear reporting structure will help everyone understand their responsibilities so nothing falls through the cracks.
Many companies are shifting away from the traditional hierarchy for a holacracy setup. This alternative structure can be beneficial in creative settings, but the lack of clear leadership and ownership can stifle execution. Consider creating a clear reporting structure with flexibility in the roles and responsibilities to encourage autonomy and growth.
Clear project management structures and workflows are also essential for creating an effective content marketing strategy and productive team. Work with a project management expert to put systems and tools in place for better communication.
Finally, find a balance between individual and team goals.
Each team member has their own unique strengths and expertise that they bring to the table. However, ensuring that individual responsibilities and goals align with the team’s goals and overall strategy is vital.
When team members work towards a shared goal, they can collaborate and share their ideas and insights to create more compelling content. This balance helps to promote accountability and teamwork, ultimately leading to better results for the organization via creating content that resonates with its target audience.
Creating a Collaborative Environment
For a content marketing team to be successful, everyone must feel valued and heard. In other words, it’s crucial to create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing all of their ideas.
Building trust and respect among content marketing team members is essential for creating a cohesive and effective team. Team-building activities can help foster a sense of community and collaboration — even something as simple as shared coffee breaks — yet only 33% of companies currently plan these activities.
Similarly, transparency in communication and decision-making promotes trust and respect. Both elements contribute to a positive team culture, where team members feel valued and motivated to work together toward common goals.
Final Thoughts
Building a high-performing content marketing team requires developing a welcoming company culture that’s conducive to collaboration and hiring passionate, skilled employees. These two factors have a reciprocal relationship that will make your business better.