Content Management and Creation
Web sites are all about content. Very few people would buy
Time Magazine or the New York Times if they only
contained advertisements. People generally either want entertainment,
information or to purchase products from web sites. And just
like Time Magazine, you need fresh content on a continual
basis to attract people to your web site.
So who supplies this content? Think carefully about the web
sites you have seen lately or go out onto any site on the web.
Look at it carefully. You will notice it is mostly text. Therefore,
the main suppliers of content are writers. There are other types
of content on the web (multimedia, graphics and games) that
are created by multimedia designers, graphic artists and programmers,
but the overwhelming majority of content is text-based.
What types of writers are in demand? Virtually all types should
be able to find employment on the web. In the 21st
century, there are web sites spanning almost every imaginable
topic. Therefore, writers of conventional print products should
have an easy time making a living on the web…shouldn’t
they?
Writers have many things to consider when making a career transition
to web publishing. First, the advent of publishing on the web
has virtually eliminated time to press. The expectation is the
content will be created and immediately published. Second, feedback
on content tends to be immediate. Many web sites foster a community
environment with newsgroups and bulletin boards. Content managers
can be assigned to moderate bulletin boards and respond to thoughts
and concerns of the community.xiv Monitoring the
community can provide a great deal of insight into what type
of content the community would prefer to see on the site. Lastly,
if the web site is a commercial site (i.e. selling or promoting
a product), the content creator must work with personnel from
other company departments (sales, marketing, inventory management,
shipping, accounting) to determine the nature of the promotional
messages that need to be developed.
Since content is so vital, content managers and creators must
be highly paid, right? Unfortunately, just as many print-based
writers have found out, it can be difficult to make a good living
writing. However, with the speed at which the Internet moves,
content professionals that work on the web are given a lot more
autonomy and responsibility than their print-based counterparts.
You may very well be called upon (especially at smaller companies)
to act as your own editor and researcher while generating quality
content. This freedom is attractive to a great many individuals
who value the ability to "take the ball and run with it."
However, others might be put off by the lack of structure and
rigidity that is present in most print-based establishments.
Entry Level Job Profile - Web Content
Manager
Equivalent Job Titles - Web Content Creator, Web Writer,
Technical Writer, Web Content Producer.
Entry Level Compensation - Low 20’s to low 30’s.xv
The good news is that salaries for experienced creators can
range up to $60,000 or higher. Salaries vary widely from industry
to industry depending upon need and the level of education required
to produce the content. For instance, generating medical content
for a pharmaceutical web site might require an experienced medical
writer with an advanced degree (possibly an M.D. or Ph.D.) in
the life sciences. Experienced medical writers can earn between
$60,000 and $90,000 per year. Obviously, writing advertising
copy for a dry cleaner would probably not require the same level
of education and expertise…and hence would command a much
lower salary.
Responsibilities - At small companies, tasks can overlap
with the web publishing group. At medium size and large organizations,
these tasks are typical:
- Write and edit quality content to strict deadlines.
- Monitor community groups to determine attitudes and trends
to assist in identifying content needs for the site.
- Work closely with the publishing group to ensure content
is placed on the site in an effective and engaging manner,
consistent with its original intent.
- In conjunction with the publishing group, develop a consistent
"look and feel" for the web site.
- Maintain currency on basic HTML and web page development
tools as necessary – This requirement varies greatly
from company to company. At some companies, content creators
are also expected to act as publishers at least part of the
time. In large organizations, your only job may be content
creation.
- Monitor competing web sites to gather competitive intelligence.
Skills - To successfully perform these duties, you would
need to possess the following skills:xvi
- Exceptional writing and communication skills.
- Ability to assimilate information quickly.
- Time Management - Juggling multiple projects will often
be necessary.
- Solid HTML skills, other web development skills as needed.
- Effective research and interviewing skills.
- Ability to work well with others - You will constantly need
to communicate with customers and other departments in your
organization.
Education - A two- or four-year college degree, usually
in journalism, is preferable. However, solid industry experience
(in the particular industry you will be working in) combined
with an ability to write well and another type of degree could
be a substitute for a journalism degree.
Career Changers - Up until the mid 1990’s, there
were no careers in web content. Therefore, many people who enter
this field are changing careers. Industry expertise can be extremely
valuable in landing a content job, especially when supplemented
by formal training in writing and communications.
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