What can the gig economy do for you? Well, it depends on who you are. If you’re a business leader, you can benefit in dozens of ways by cashing on the unique skills and expertise freelancers bring to the table. But, what kind of people live on the service-provider side of the screen in this new gig economy? Depending on the type of talents they possess, they could be up to all sorts of interesting endeavors. It’s all about taking existing abilities and reinforcing them with the power of technology, networking, and ongoing education.
People who are inspired by everything the marketing universe brings have plenty of ways they can make names for themselves as independent contractors. Let’s take a look at three popular content marketing careers borne out of the gig economy.
1. Full-Time Copywriter
These days, content is king, and copywriters are the people behind the powerhouse we know as the internet.
Copywriters write…well…copy. Back in the days when Donald Draper was the guy to bring brand awareness to the forefront of consumers’ attention, copywriters were the folks who wrote the snazzy taglines and intriguing advertisements that got people talking.
Today, brand recognition is largely fueled by a combination of social media and getting in good with Google. In both cases, somebody has to write the words that ultimately get shared, liked, followed, and presented on the prized front page of search engine results pages (SERPs). The copywriters of the 21st century encompass a plethora of skills, including:
- Niche expertise in specific industries;
- Knowledge of SEO best practices;
- The ability to present a variety of narratives, tones, and voices to fit brands’ personalities;
- A way with words that can captivate audiences by way of web pages, blogs, product descriptions, press releases, marketing collateral, business presentations, and anything else that requires copy of one form or another.
The revolution of digital marketing has caused a complete evolution in the way copywriters operate. Thanks to WiFi, laptops, and coffee shops with electrical outlets, talented copywriters have taken their skills on the road, leaving traditional office environments in favor of full-time gig work. According to Payscale.com, the average copywriter in the United States makes just shy of $50,000 annually.
2. Full-Time Content Strategist
The days of churning out content and sending it out into cyberspace without a roadmap are long gone. Today’s words need to have a solid direction long before the pen is put to virtual paper. They need a why, a who, and a how. In other words, they need a strategy.
That’s where content strategists come in. As Byron White puts it, “Content strategists are the MVPs and champions of content marketing.” These are the people who plot the places where your content needs to be and monitor the effectiveness of companies’ campaigns. They understand their clients’ audiences, and they make sure the words their writers are producing adhere to the brands’ visions while giving visitors valuable information that’ll direct them further down the sales funnel.
They’re the gatekeepers and direction-givers of great content.
Payscale.com reports an average annual income of about $60,000 for content strategists in the U.S.
3. Owner of a Content Marketing Agency
Some people aren’t satisfied with operating a single aspect of content marketing. These are the people who think big, love to network, and can’t get enough of a good challenge. These are the people who bring talents of several sorts together to form their own content marketing agencies.
People who own content marketing agencies understand big picture of the digital marketing world, but they also know how to get into the nitty gritty of the details that’ll make the difference in the long run. They love learning about the analytics of their campaigns and spend tons of time evaluating, designing, and reworking strategies to ensure the success of their clients’ marketing missions.
These are the people who:
- Can’t live a day without socializing on various sites;
- Intimately understand the importance of online engagement;
- Have the resources to ensure graphics, logos, fonts, and site navigation is on-point;
- Aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty in the digital world.
Like any other business, owning a content marketing agency isn’t easy, but for those who are willing to put in the work, the rewards can be incredible.
What kind of gig work gets you going? At WriterAccess, there are 25,000 clients who could use your expertise! Apply now to join our small army of content marketers who are doing big things for our clients!
Kristin B is interested in anything that teaches her something new or gives her a different perspective on something she already knew. She’s a self-proclaimed Learn Nerd, which means the world is her educational oyster, and she’s always seeking opportunities to learn from life’s experiences and her clients’ assignments.
