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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Web Content Writer

💰 $45,000 - $85,000

ContentMarketingWritingSEO

🎯 Role Definition

A Web Content Writer is a content specialist who researches, crafts, and optimizes written material for websites and digital channels to improve search visibility, brand authority, and conversion metrics. This role blends copywriting, content strategy, on-page SEO, and CMS publishing to deliver content that meets user intent and business goals. The ideal candidate is data-informed, detail-oriented, and comfortable collaborating across product, design, SEO, and marketing teams.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Content Writer / Content Intern
  • Copywriter (agency or in-house)
  • Marketing Coordinator / Marketing Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Senior Content Writer
  • Content Strategist / SEO Content Strategist
  • Content Manager / Editorial Manager
  • Content Marketing Manager / Head of Content

Lateral Moves:

  • UX Writer / Product Content Designer
  • Social Media Manager
  • Email Marketing Specialist
  • Content Production / Editorial Operations

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Research, plan, and write high-quality web content (blog posts, long-form articles, landing pages, product descriptions, case studies, FAQs, and knowledge-base articles) that educates audiences, solves user problems, and supports conversion goals.
  • Conduct keyword research using tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, and Google Keyword Planner to identify target keywords, search intent, and content gaps; integrate keywords naturally for SEO while preserving readability and brand voice.
  • Produce long-form and pillar content (1,000–2,500+ words) optimized to rank for competitive keywords and to support topic cluster strategies that drive organic traffic and topical authority.
  • Write persuasive and on-brand meta titles, meta descriptions, H1/H2 headers, and image alt text to improve click-through rates (CTR) and on-page SEO performance.
  • Create content briefs and editorial guidelines that outline audience, objectives, target keywords, internal link strategy, required assets, and measurement criteria for writers and freelancers.
  • Use a CMS (WordPress, Contentful, Drupal, Craft CMS) to format content, add internal/external links, schedule publishing, implement redirects, and maintain consistent on-site structure and navigation.
  • Edit and proofread copy for grammar, clarity, tone, and brand consistency; enforce style guidelines (AP/Chicago/brand-specific) across all published materials.
  • Collaborate with product managers, designers, developers, and SEO specialists to align content with product launches, UX flows, and conversion funnel optimizations.
  • Perform content audits and competitive analysis to identify underperforming pages, prioritize optimization opportunities, and recommend consolidation, refresh, or new content topics.
  • Monitor content KPIs (organic traffic, bounce rate, time on page, conversions, SERP positions) using Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and other analytics platforms; iterate content based on performance data.
  • Optimize existing content for featured snippets, rich results, and voice search by structuring information, using concise answers, and applying schema where relevant.
  • Develop compelling call-to-action (CTA) copy and test variants to increase leads, demo signups, trial conversions, or other conversion goals using A/B testing frameworks.
  • Interview subject matter experts (SMEs) and synthesize technical or complex information into accessible, audience-appropriate content that preserves accuracy and authority.
  • Localize content and coordinate with localization teams or vendors to adapt tone, terminology, and messaging for regional audiences and multilingual websites.
  • Repurpose high-performing content into multiple formats (email campaigns, social posts, ebooks, infographics, video scripts) to maximize reach and ROI.
  • Manage and mentor freelance writers and external agencies: set expectations, review deliverables, provide constructive feedback, and ensure deadlines and KPIs are met.
  • Implement on-page technical SEO best practices (URL structure, canonical tags, pagination, internal linking) and work with engineering to resolve crawlability, indexing, and site speed issues impacting content performance.
  • Maintain and update content calendars; balance evergreen content production with topical, seasonal, and product-related publications to support marketing campaigns.
  • Ensure all content complies with legal, regulatory, and accessibility standards (WCAG), including proper disclosures and privacy-related language when applicable.
  • Craft microcopy and UX content (buttons, error messages, onboarding flows) that improves product usability and reduces friction in customer journeys.
  • Stay current on search algorithm updates, SEO best practices, content marketing trends, and competitive moves; proactively propose new content formats, channels, and strategies.
  • Build and present content performance reports and actionable recommendations to stakeholders and leadership to inform product, growth, and editorial decisions.
  • Implement internal linking strategies to distribute authority across the site, improve crawl depth, and help users discover relevant content and conversion pathways.

Secondary Functions

  • Support content operations by helping to triage content requests, tag assets in the DAM, and maintain content libraries and style resources.
  • Contribute to content strategy workshops, topic ideation sessions, and cross-functional planning meetings to align content with business objectives.
  • Assist with community and social listening to surface customer pain points and content opportunities for blog and help center article creation.
  • Participate in content-related sprint planning and agile ceremonies when working within product or growth squads.
  • Provide ad-hoc support for marketing campaigns including email copy, ad copy, and landing page copy for performance and paid channels.
  • Help develop training materials to onboard internal teams on brand voice, writing best practices, and SEO fundamentals.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • SEO Copywriting — ability to write content that targets keywords, matches search intent, and ranks in organic search while maintaining natural readability and conversion focus.
  • Keyword Research & Content Planning — experience using Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, Google Keyword Planner, or similar tools to build topic clusters and content calendars.
  • Content Management Systems (CMS) — practical experience publishing and optimizing content in WordPress, Contentful, Drupal, or equivalent platforms.
  • Google Analytics & Search Console — ability to analyze traffic, engagement, and search performance to inform content decisions and report results.
  • On-Page & Technical SEO — knowledge of meta tags, header hierarchy, schema markup, canonicalization, site speed impacts, and internal linking best practices.
  • Copyediting & Proofreading — strong command of grammar, punctuation, and style guides (AP/Chicago), with an eye for concise and persuasive language.
  • Content Optimization Tools — familiarity with Yoast, Surfer SEO, Clearscope, or MarketMuse for on-page content scoring and recommendations.
  • HTML/CSS Basics — ability to edit basic HTML, format content, add schema snippets, and troubleshoot simple formatting issues in the CMS.
  • UX Writing & Microcopy — experience crafting clear, user-focused microcopy that enhances user flows and reduces friction.
  • A/B Testing & CRO Principles — experience designing and evaluating copy experiments to improve conversion metrics and CTA performance.
  • Content Auditing & Gap Analysis — ability to perform content inventories and prioritize optimization or new content creation based on business impact.
  • Localization & International SEO — understanding of hreflang, content localization workflows, and regional keyword differences.
  • Research & Interviewing — strong research methods, ability to interview SMEs, and translate technical information into audience-appropriate writing.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent written and verbal communication — articulate, persuasive, and able to present ideas to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Strong attention to detail — meticulous editing and quality assurance to maintain brand standards and avoid costly errors.
  • Project and time management — ability to manage multiple content projects, deadlines, and tight editorial calendars.
  • Collaboration & cross-functional teamwork — works effectively with SEO, design, product, and marketing teams to deliver integrated content solutions.
  • Creativity and storytelling — ability to craft compelling narratives that engage audiences and differentiate the brand.
  • Analytical mindset — uses data to inform editorial choices and measure content success.
  • Adaptability and continuous learning — stays current with search engine updates, industry trends, and changing audience behaviors.
  • Stakeholder management — capable of receiving feedback, negotiating priorities, and aligning content work to business objectives.
  • Problem-solving — identifies content deficiencies and proposes pragmatic solutions that scale.
  • Empathy and audience focus — writes with user intent and customer needs as the primary guide.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Technical Writing, or a related field; OR equivalent professional writing experience and portfolio.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or related discipline plus certifications in SEO or content marketing (e.g., HubSpot Content Marketing, SEMrush Academy, Yoast SEO training).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • English / Literature
  • Journalism
  • Marketing / Digital Marketing
  • Communications
  • Technical Writing / Information Design

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of professional web content writing, content marketing, or copywriting experience with demonstrable results.

Preferred: 3–5+ years producing SEO-optimized content for commercial websites, a strong portfolio of published work, experience with CMS publishing, analytics-driven content iteration, and familiarity with enterprise content operations.

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