A content strategist is someone who can help your business use content as an effective tool for achieving its goals.
If you're looking to hire a website content strategist, you might be wondering what exactly they do. You probably know that it's not just about writing blog posts or creating landing pages — that’s the job of a copywriter. But what does a content strategist actually do? And how much should you expect to pay?
In this post I’ll explain what a content strategist is, why you might want to hire one, and how much you should budget for their services.
What is a content strategist?
The core function of a website content strategist is to translate business objectives into a content roadmap. This is an ongoing process of translating business objectives and goals into a plan that uses content as a primary means of achieving those goals.
A content strategist is responsible for developing a roadmap for how content contributes to defined business goals. The role requires both strategic thinking and creative execution, but unlike a copywriter, whose main focus is on producing content, a content strategist focuses more on figuring out how to use content effectively.
This includes:
Using words and data to create unambiguous content that supports meaningful, interactive experiences
Determining which audiences to target with what content
Deciding how to structure content in order to guide users through a journey
Choosing the right channels and platforms for delivering content
Designing processes and systems to manage content creation, publication, and maintenance
Content strategists often work closely with other teams such as marketing, product development, and customer support to ensure that all aspects of the business are aligned around content strategy.
What kinds of outcomes can a content strategist help achieve?
There are many different types of outcomes that a content strategist can help achieve. Some common ones include:
Increase brand awareness
Lower cost of customer acquisition
Reduce customer churn
Increase velocity through the sales funnel
Reduce support questions
Reduce friction with peripheral members of the buying group
Improve audience engagement
Improve brand positioning
Improve customer experience
Improve business performance
These are all measurable outcomes, so it’s important to have clear goals in mind when hiring a content strategist. The scope of any engagement should align with the specific goal the organization needs.
What skills are required to be a content strategist?
There are many different disciplines and subtopics that professionals are now expected to master in order to be successful in this role. These include:
Creative storytelling
Data-driven decision making
Technical expertise
Accessibility and inclusivity
Analytics and measurement
Conversation design
Content design
Content management
Content modeling
Research and analysis
Storytelling
Teams and stakeholders
Usability and testing
User journeys and personas
UX/UI writing
Workflow and processes
Traditional writing and editing
Digital marketing expertise
Technological proficiency
It’s important to note that while traditional writing and editing skills are still important, content strategists must also be able to think strategically and creatively. They need to be able to understand complex data sets and make decisions based on that information. In addition, they must be able to work with a variety of different people and organizations.
What is the average rate for a content strategist?
According to a global talent network, the average hourly rate for a content strategist is $64 USD, and the average day rate is £385 GBP. However, rates vary depending on the strategic scope, stakeholder responsibility, channel complexity, and scale of content operations.
Project-based pricing is common for content audits, messaging frameworks, governance models, and website content strategy initiatives.
What are the different ways to hire a content strategist?
There are several different ways to hire a content strategist, including in-house full-time roles, agency engagements, vetted freelance networks, and project-based contracts. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
A rigorous screening service ensures only the highest quality freelancers are available to clients. Their content strategists have experience at companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Hulu, VMware, eBay, Braavo Capital, etc.
Another vetted freelance network offers hourly, part-time, or full-time contract options. Their content strategists have worked with companies like Thumbtack, Bridgestone, Motorola, etc.
In-house roles increasingly include flexible/unlimited PTO, remote work, professional development allowances, wellness benefits, etc.
The demand for content strategists is strong across content marketing, SEO, digital transformation, audience engagement, brand storytelling, etc.