Hiring for content marketing is difficult. It’s a new field, and marketers are still trying to figure out how to find the right people for the job.
LinkedIn is one of the best resources at your disposal to find talent. But to use this resource to its full potential, you have to know who—and what—to look for.
When searching for qualified content marketers, here are 5 LinkedIn keywords (1) to use in your search and (2) will indicate you’re on the right track.
Writing
Content marketing is all about transforming your brand into a world-class brand publisher. To do it, you need members on your team with excellent writing skills. This should be one of the first keywords you use when hiring talent. Then, make sure to check out (and ask for) clips of their work. Ask yourself if their writing is:
Hiring for Content Marketing? Look for These LinkedIn Keywords
- Clear
- Concise
- Entertaining
- Simple
Writing is a hard thing to teach. Make sure your hires are already equipped with this essential skill.
Editing
In addition to writing, the candidates you consider should have a keen editorial eye. You’re going to rely on them not only to produce content, but to control the quality of that content. They should not only be great at proofreading but also know how to make an eBook, a blog post, a whitepaper, and website copy better.
Buyer-Centric
If a prospective employee doesn’t understand that the content they create should meet the needs—and speak the language of—the buyer, you’ve got a problem on your hands. The people producing and editing your content shouldn’t be product-focused. They should understand that a key element of successful content marketing campaigns is that they meet buyers where they are and provide the information they’re looking for.
Design
How to hire a content marketing team [webinar] with @jasonmillerca & @noyesjesse
The very best content requires a large amount of collaboration between designers, writers, and editors. If your writers don’t have any interest in the design of the final product, and pass it off to your designers to “make it pretty,” your content will suffer. The design should support the content, and vice versa. Your writers need to understand how they want their copy to appear on the page, and what design elements will help communicate their message.
Project Management
In addition to creative thinking, your content marketers should know how to run a content marketing campaign from start to finish. You want to be able to delegate. And you’re only going to feel comfortable delegating if you have full confidence in your team members to really own their campaigns.
The best candidates do their research on your company before they’re interviewed. The best hiring managers do their research, too. There’s a lot more that goes into hiring a stellar content marketing team. But these five LinkedIn profile keywords are a good start.