What is a Web Content Manager?
A Web Content Manager designs, develops, implements, and maintains web and intranet communication strategies to build brand recognition, educates internal and external audiences, and meet corporate goals. The Web Content Manager generally uses material management software (CMS) to post content and evaluate user traffic and interaction.
This type of specialist is responsible for the production of compelling content that is in line with the brand strategy and caters to the requirements and interests of a wide range of consumers. A Web Content Manager employs SEO strategies and CMS to enhance search rankings, optimise content, and evaluate user interaction and works closely with a technical team to maintain site standards.
A Web Content Manager is someone who writes, proofreads, and edits content; develops and manages an editorial calendar to ensure timely content, and collaborates with marketing and design teams to ensure consistent brand messages across all channels. A competent Web Content Manager must possess various technical and interpersonal abilities since their job frequently bounces between the website’s backend and meetings with website developers, marketing teams, and executives.
Responsibilities
As a Web Content Manager, you will generate digital content using your understanding of online and mobile communication tactics. More specifically, you’ll get to:
- Create, manage, and develop engaging content that is consistent with the company’s brand strategy and addresses the needs and interests of multiple stakeholders
- Collaborate with team members to develop a content strategy that promotes internal and external user engagement
- Use web metrics and your knowledge of digital technology to maximise search rankings, optimise content, and analyse user engagement
- Utilise your exceptional editorial skills to create and manage an editorial calendar, as well as collaborate with marketing and design.
- Team up to maintain consistent brand messages across all platforms, and advise internal and external customers on the most effective strategies for delivering information on the web
- Work on content promotion
- Identify new content opportunities and write blogs when necessary
- Monitor organic website
- Provide accountability for deadlines
Salary
The salary for a Web Content Manager is influenced by location, experience and the company that they work for.
The UK national average salary for a Web Content Manager is £45,704, ranging from £30,000 to £70,000. London-based Web Content Managers earn an average of £48,822, ranging from £34,000 to £70,000.
Working hours and work location
Web Content Managers work 9-5. Large marketing initiatives, events, product launches, or website construction may need occasional late and weekend effort. Web Content Managers can work part-time and share jobs since they create regulations, content plans, and schedules. Companies may hire on a fixed-term basis if they’re looking for a web content manager to come in and set up guidelines, or to accomplish a specific project, such as moving content to a new website.
What to expect
Web Content Managers are geniuses who fill website pages with material. Then, they advertise it via email, social media, and other marketing channels after planning, writing, editing, and uploading the content, data, and pictures. Of course, this is a continuing project. The Web Content Manager’s strength is website maintenance and renewing, which is a must. One of the key tasks of the Web Content Manager is to keep his or her website running smoothly and to ensure that the material presented on the site is up to date. Most people that require Web Content Managers recognise how important it is to keep the site useful and interesting at all times. Therefore, any manager recruited will need to meet down with the site owner and find out what exactly they will desire.
Some websites are updated on a regular basis, perhaps multiple times each hour. In such cases, the Web Content Manager may be kept extremely busy. He or she may need to not only find new content for the site but also proofread and edit it, as well as develop engaging headers or headlines of interest to local readers. The task may be significantly more challenging for sites that enable discussion posts. This is because it is frequently the site content manager’s responsibility to ensure that the talks uploaded do not break any laws or good taste. While the latter definition is subjective, it may be critical for businesses seeking to create a specific image.
Any content in any one of these categories will likely be taken down as soon as the manager becomes aware of it. The Web Content Manager may also rely on content producers to assist maintain the site up to date with various postings. While these should be read by the manager when the opportunity arises, most writers are capable of working independently. Frequently, the stuff they provide is acceptable as written, making the manager’s work considerably easier.
Qualifications
A degree can provide useful writing, editing, presenting, and group coordinating skills, especially if it’s mostly graded through essays and presentations. Some relevant degrees for Web Content Managers include:
- Computer science
- Marketing
- Communications
A degree or expertise in a related field might help you detect content gaps and inconsistencies. Employers sometimes search for information management, media management, or digital communications skills. Additional qualifications include CILIP accreditation, foundation degree, and short course programs. In addition to formal education, work experience and volunteering help build skills and experience.
Skills
must have skills:
Some of the skills that you will have to acquire or possess as a Web Content Manager include:
- Technical knowledge- In general, the more technical expertise a Web Content Manager can learn, the better. A website’s content is written in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and presented using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), thus expertise with markup and presentation makes for a better Web Content Manager.
- Writing aptitude- The Internet was built to share information, and its status as a digital communication conduit remains high despite alternatives. Web Content Managers have to be good writers. Well-crafted text, especially headlines and subtitles, attracts visitors to your content and helps Web Content Managers connect with their audience. Something as easy as a compelling headline will entice visitors into connecting more with your content and business. Web Content Managers must have great proofreading and editing abilities to write effectively. Good content attracts visitors, terrible content repels them.
- Proficiency in new media-As the internet grows and improves, old platforms are removed and new platforms are formed. Digital content sharing goes beyond words. Youtube, SoundCloud, and Vimeo are just some of the platforms for spreading your brand’s message online. Dynamic content can be consumed with a single click on a mobile phone using social media platforms. Web content managers who use multi-channel media tools will be more successful achieving their goal.
- Understanding of Marketing processes- Web Content Managers must know what their audience wants. So they can create content that resonates and pushes them down the funnel. To do this, one must know where to find all the audience-related information. Knowledge of the Google Analytics platform and other types of market research using social media profiles, polls, interviews, and A/B testing can provide you with deeper insight into what drives your ideal customer.
Understanding of UI/UX Design– Web Content Managers will utilise their knowledge of the web to advise their IT staff on how to use the website. A Web Content Manager goes through its pages more often than any other individual and has a front-row seat to prospective usability concerns. Understanding what aspects of a website are user-friendly and why is a crucial skill.
- Planning and time management skills- Excellent time management, planning, and communication skills are essential for Web Content Managers. As a Web Content Manager, your duties will also include analysing and replacing outdated or underperforming items. In companies with marketing teams the Web Content Manager would be in charge of creating an editorial schedule and holding co workers accountable for deadlines.
Work experience
If you don't have website administration knowledge, utilise WordPress or Drupal to develop your site or blog. Focus on categorising and dividing your content into clear, easily navigable sections, and on using Google Analytics to analyse usage data.
Volunteering and helping friends and family to develop, reorganise and maintain websites can provide you expertise in managing the content of a site with genuine stakeholders and users. Offer to undertake a content audit, set up calendars, policies, and training manuals, and write or commission missing or outdated copy. Look for university website management opportunities.
Web Content Managers need transferable skills. Employers value project management, teamwork, negotiation, problem solving, analysis, user and market research, and clear writing. Consider moments during your degree and personal life when you’ve displayed these talents. The British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) delivers digital industry information. Members of BIMA can offer their freelancing services on the website for potential clients to pursue.
Career prospects
As you advance in your profession, you may find yourself taking on more duties or assuming a leadership role. Using our career map, a Web Content Manager can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they may begin as a project manager, advance to the title marketing director, and finally finish up with the title senior director of marketing.
Related Courses
The University of the West of Scotland teaches this program at their London Campus, so you’ll be studying at the heart of the UK’s. This one-year, full-time curriculum is for students who have no prior expertise with computers or information technology. The course will help you learn much-needed IT expertise to help you prepare for a job as a Web Content Manager.
The MBA and digital marketing components are combined in this one-year full-time program at the University of the West of Scotland’s London Campus. The MBA portion of the course looks at business practices and operations such accounting, finance, and human resources, as well as how they are all related. This course allows students to specialise in digital marketing in a more specific manner. In addition to gaining a wide business perspective students will get a heads up when pursuing a career in Web Content Management.
