The content creator is a key figure in web marketing: he helps a brand connect with its audience and achieve strategic goals. Here is in detail who he is and what he does.
A few years ago (almost 20 actually), a guy named Bill Gates predicted what would be the trend of the new digital age, titling one of his essays "Content is King."
What does it mean? Literally, "content is sovereign": as he put it, content would shortly become the object on which the largest online earnings would be centered.
Well, actually, he wasn't wrong: to this day we can consider this phrase as a kind of fundamental mantra for anyone who deals with web marketing.
Now, it is clear that the concept itself was valid even before the arrival of the Internet: whether it was television commercials, printed newsletters or billboards, the content was always the key to communication. Nowadays, however, they are the real engine of the digital industry: just think of the popularity of social networks or YouTube videos, but also blog articles and search engine rankings.
And you know what's the most amazing thing? The way all this information is produced: anyone with a device and an Internet connection can publish content... without necessarily being a company or without having the goal of making money from it.
What about those who do it for work?
That's right, because if it is to be a profitable activity for a company, it should be included in its marketing strategies and be done in the right way to meet the various objectives (from the brand positioning, at the brand awareness, from lead generation to increasing the conversion rate to fulfilling all the different KPI).
Indeed, everything a user sees online has the power to draw him or her in, causing him or her to visit that page or Web site, eventually making him or her one of your most loyal customers. The content you show is the first impression people will have of you and your brand.
For this reason, content creation cannot be carried out haphazardly: it must be studied, planned and optimized, using the various tools that the Internet provides.
In short, it is a real job that requires specific knowledge and skills. And who does it? Himself, the content creator: a well-identified professional figure and certainly in high demand by companies, with certain key qualities and skills.
Excuse me? Have you heard about it but you don't really know what it is?
In fact, a "content creator" can be many things....
But don't despair: read on to find out. who is and what does a content creator do.
Content creator: who is he?
As I mentioned, content creator is a broad term, often tossed around like an umbrella encompassing various categories of professionals (writers, photographers, graphic designers, video makers, influencers, etc.).
However, it is true that, nowadays, it is a title that is associated with digital platforms more than anything else. This is because it is on the Internet that people consume most content and it is there that this content is used by brands to make money.
The result is that no matter where you look, everywhere you can find content created by someone with very specific purposes: the photo on Instagram you saw this morning, that video on YouTube, the Facebook ad, the email you received yesterday, that blog article...
As I told you earlier, this is a work that has research, study and planning behind it.
So who is the content creator?
A content creator is a person who creates written, audio, or visual information for online platforms, such as social media or blogs. He or she is responsible for thecontent conception that connect a brand to its potential audience: starting with its own creativity, it adapts them to digital media to make them effective, appealing and engaging.
It can use writing, graphic design, visual storytelling, or a combination of these to make any topic recognizable and interesting to the target audience.
In fact, the word "content" can encapsulate many things: a video on TikTok, a Instagram story or a blog post for a website. Regardless of the type, it always has an end goal: to engage a selected audience and evoke a response, such as a new lead, a site visit or a sale. The lowest common denominator is always and only one: provide value, to the brand and to the consumer.
Therefore, the content creator is not just imaginative: he or she must have specific ability to digital analysis, so that his work is effective and achieves the desired results. He knows that what he produces must align with the strategy of the brand in question, reflect its values, and be attractive to that target audience: only then will it contribute to the creation of trust, credibility, and authority, to meet the ultimate goal of generating more sales or conversions.
Like all professionals, he or she can be a freelancer or an employee of a company, as well as work independently or be part of a collaborative team.
Content creator: what does it do?
A digital content creator does exactly what the name says: creates content. These must always be original and produce a targeted reaction in the target audience. They can take a variety of forms: blog articles, emails and newsletters, images and infographics, videos, audio and podcast, eBooks, social media posts.
The goal may be to educate, inform, entertain, or capture the attention of a specific and potentially interested audience. The important thing is to have a positive impact on target audiences, generating new leads, improving brand awareness, stimulating purchase.
As I mentioned earlier, however, actual content creation goes a little bit further. Yeah, because a content creator doesn't just have to decide what produce, but also as make it effective, according to the (yes, often ruthless) rules of digital media and online competition. Its role is therefore both creative and analytical: should always follow a content marketing strategy and understand what content works best and for whom. Just like marketers, content creators often work with data and experience to develop information that converts.
Here, then, the responsibilities may vary and include some of the following tasks:
- Brand analysis;
- Project management;
- Copywriting and SEO;
- Design and graphics;
- Video editing;
- Social media posts, account management, and interactions with the public.
Finally, the content creator is often also responsible for promoting and sharing his or her work online, posting it on a website or social page. Often, he or she is able to monitor and analyze the effectiveness of what he or she has done through various digital tools that calculate how many users have viewed, shared, liked, or otherwise interacted with the content.
Content creator: the hallmarks
What are the creative and professional traits that distinguish a content creator?
As you may have guessed, it's not enough to know how to make a social media post or write a good article; there is a lot of work to be done behind the scenes as well-and there are skills required that differentiate it from all the other "ordinary" people who share content online.
In addition to the above digital analysis skills, we can say that a good content creator:
He reads a lot, making sure you are always up-to-date on all the happenings and trends in your industry;
He regularly writes, not just to post online; I mean he always devotes some time to exercise his brain muscles and jot down different ideas about everything in his niche;
Study its audience, because it knows that the people who consume the content are essential to achieving its goals;
He has developed a unique style and voice, so it respects the brand image but knows how to integrate it with its creative ideas to meet the specific needs of the target audience and increase brand trust;
Includes KPIs, i.e., knows what the performance indicators are and how to develop strategies to achieve them;
It offers solutions, showing interest in adding value to a campaign with their own ideas.
Content creator: why is it important for a brand?
There are many reasons why a content creator helps a brand grow and achieve its strategic goals, but we can boil them down to three main factors:
1. Content is a vital part of any brand.
A brand is a combination of many factors, but at the heart of it all is content: it's what makes you connect with your audience, nurture SEO, educate your potential customers, and build solid, long-lasting trust relationships.
2. Content is the key to engaging the target audience.
In the digital world, the only relationships you have are at a distance, and all the typical elements of face-to-face encounters are missing; for this reason, content is the medium that allows you to communicate the values behind your brand, its story and the story of the people who made it. Consumers are not buying products or services, but experiences: a content creator does not simply advertise, but establishes connections and shares value.
3. Content helps a brand generate more leads.
Effective content can have a huge impact on brand promotion and campaigns. Content marketing generates far more leads than traditional marketing, and the reason is simple: people would rather read engaging articles, scroll through beautiful photos, or look at social posts than follow ads. Not only that: audiences trust the opinion of the content creators they follow and would rather buy a product or service based on their recommendation instead of following an impersonal ad (about this, read my article on the referral marketing).
Conclusion
Content creation is essential to promote any brand: it helps to general leads and educate consumers, publicizing the offering while sharing values. The content creator inspires users to take action, sustaining loyalty through interaction with the brand.
It is a job of responsibility, because the image of the entire company is based on it.
In order to grow your business, you need to make sure that what you convey in terms of information is consistent with your product and service line: in this, a content creator can definitely help you achieve excellent results.
As renowned speaker Marcus Sheridan says, "Outstanding content is the best sales tool in the world."