Content marketing team members’ titles may differ from company to company, but the tasks they are expected to perform are somewhat standard across the board – writing, editing, designing, publishing, and distributing.
But what if you could add the skill set of someone who works in another functional area – from another department or even outside your industry? What role or person would you want to incorporate into your team?
We asked the presenters at Content Marketing World 2017 what they would do. Their answers are enlightening – and in most cases, realistic.
Make the pictures move
I’d love to have a documentary videographer to document and share what really happens in the practice of law and how we try to keep up with changes in the industry.
Ruth Carter, attorney and owner, Carter Law Firm
A film producer. I’d love to get high quality video into our content mix for sharing through our numerous channels. If I could have anything, it would be that.
Jeff Renoe, content strategist, Dickson
I’d hire a film producer to get high quality #video into our content mix, says @renoe. #CMWorld Click To Tweet
Bring on tech
I would love to get a software engineer/website developer on our marketing team. As the realms of technology and marketing increasingly join forces, interactive experiences are only becoming more crucial for brands. More interactive content, apps, and tools for your customers and prospective buyers can make your brand stand out from the crowd.
We work on cross-department projects to achieve this, but I would absolutely want to permanently have an engineer just for marketing!
Allen Gannett, CEO and founder, TrackMaven
A developer. There are a million things I want done on my website and have nobody to do them.
Chad Pollitt, partner and vice president of audience, Native Advertising Institute
I’d hire a developer to my #contentmarketing team, says @ChadPollitt #CMWorld Click To Tweet
Explore the science of success
I would love to have a data scientist. Why? Because they can give all the quantifiable answers I am looking for – not just what content is performing best (I can look that up myself) but what am I missing? What is the data I have not telling me?
Shira Abel, CEO, Hunter & Bard
I would add a fantastic analyst to my team. A great analyst can be an incredible asset in terms of helping you to determine what content is most appropriate for different audiences and different stages of their customer journeys. Every content marketing team needs a sharp numbers gal or guy to ask “why,” not just “how,” people behave.
Zontee Hou, strategist, Convince & Convert
I would add a fantastic analyst to my #contentmarketing team, says @zontee_hou. #CMWorld Click To Tweet
I’d want someone who can understand and apply the decision-making science disciplines to content marketing – someone who knows how to bring disciplines like behavioral economics, social psychology, and neuroscience to life inside of messaging and content.
Tim Riesterer, chief strategy and research officer, Corporate Visions
Look to the future
I’d add an economist to tell me the costs, benefits, workforce implications, and likely growth rates of every new technology on the horizon. That would help enormously in focusing me on what’s coming next that will grow fastest because it’s needed most and will give more than it costs.
Kirk Cheyfitz, co-founder, Story Worldwide
Go for the pros
I would add a screenwriter – someone who knows how to tell a story in an arresting way.
Chuck Hester, vice president, social media, T&T Creative
Add a screenwriter to your #contentmarketing team. They can tell story in arresting way. @ChuckHester #CMWorld Click To Tweet
I would add an investigative journalist – someone who is trained to write deep stories with massive impact. At least for the foreseeable future, there’s huge value in this kind of content.
Matt Heinz, president, Heinz Marketing
I’d want a video journalist who is used to creating their own video. Journalists know how to create a story out of seemingly few details that their audience wants. They know how to tell stories. They must understand that the content isn’t a “sellout” but rather non-promotional.
Heidi Cohen, chief content officer, Actionable Marketing Guide
Think about the people
I’d get a psychologist. Don’t worry, my team hasn’t gone insane. At least, not yet. I think a psychologist can give 10 times more intel on a buyer persona than any of us. Our psychologist would constantly reach out to our target audience and take part in customer happiness tours to gather immense intel.
Srinivasa Raghavan, founder and CEO, Animaker
I would add someone who has worked in client services or account management. These individuals are in tune with the technical answers clients need. They know the product/service and niche parts of the industry. They can serve as a huge asset to the marketing department by bringing their “in the trenches” experience to serve as a sounding board and a way to measure if your content ideas are relevant.
Colleen Weston, marketing director, Britton Gallagher
I’m a fan of working with instructional designers, usually from the training team. They are content creators, but they are focused on learning and helping people to accomplish tasks. They often have insight into how to help people understand, and how to act.
Matthew Pierce, learning and video ambassador, TechSmith Corp.
Reach for the stars (and make ’em laugh)
Ellen DeGeneres. That woman is a marketing and engagement genius. She naturally is able to market and draw attention to products without losing trust of her audience. I think there is a level of authenticity that she could bring to the content.
John Hall, CEO, Influence & Co.
I’d have to add a comedian – Michael Jr., to be specific. I’d always know my “why” and we’d never stop laughing. Content should be fun, and throwing a comedian into the mix would just put it over the top. A comedian would also call you out on the obvious dumb stuff you do daily.
Skyler Moss, director of digital marketing, HCSS
I’d add @Michaeljrcomedy to my #content team. I’d know my “why” & never stop laughing. @cskylermoss Click To Tweet
I would have someone who understands comedy or a comedy writer. If what you create adds value and is interesting to someone else and at the same time entertains them, isn’t that what gets shared and acknowledged?
Mark Masters, managing director, The ID Group
Draw outside the lines
A great barista. I would love to have a barista from Sunergos Coffee in Louisville within our team.
John Bell, vice president enterprise digital marketing, Travelers
.@JBell99’s dream #contentmarketing team includes a great barista. #CMWorld Click To Tweet
Chief common sense officer.
Jay Acunzo, creator and host, Unthinkable
Someone from Red Bull. They’ve done an incredible job of positioning themselves as a media company that makes a consumer product. I love how they’ve developed a content culture where the customer is the star, and they create awesome events and fun videos that get lots of publicity and views.
Lisa Mattson, director of marketing and communications, Jordan Vineyard and Winery
I would find someone working for social justice with values that resonate with my company so that we could work together to make the world a better place. More companies need to stand up for gender equality, racial equality, tolerance, love, and harmony. Stop trying to just sell your products – that’s short-sighted and self-absorbed. Help improve the world every day with actions, partnerships, and communication efforts.
Melissa Eggleston, UX specialist and content strategist, Melissa Eggleston Multimedia
Find someone working for social justice so we can work together to make the world a better place. @melissa_egg. Click To Tweet
I think we should constantly involve other experts (who are different to ourselves) in what we do – depending on what we are working on right now. My add-a-person list would, ideally, change constantly.
Frank Thomas, director of content strategy and content marketing, adidas
That’s a wrap
While these CMWorld presenters would travel different paths to enhancing their content marketing team, their wish lists all center on a few key themes: learning how to use all that data being collected to make a bigger impact with your content, staying ahead of the curve in your industry (and in content marketing), and never forgetting to dream about – and truly consider – the possibilities.
That last note is what Donna Moritz, visual content strategist and founder of Socially Sorted, picked: “Hands down, it would be someone who is a triple threat – someone who can not only create great content, but also knows how to empower a team to create content quickly and easily, as well as how to empower an audience to create content about a brand. They also know how to amplify that content effectively.”
What role or person would you add to your content marketing team? Let us know in the comments.
Add skills to your content marketing team (or find some great talent) by attending Content Marketing World Sept. 5-8 in Cleveland, Ohio. Register today and use the code BLOG100 to save $100.
Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute