<strong>New research finds content marketers are enthusiastic about their work and love their jobs – but will that be enough to retain their talents over the long term? </strong>
By Stephanie Stahl
Over 1,000 content marketers reveal details on their salaries, career paths, working conditions, and more. Find out what they had to say in CMI’s Content Marketing Career & Salary 2023 Outlook.
What’s it like to work in content marketing? Is it a rewarding career? Does it pay well? What’s the career trajectory?
You certainly know your answers to these questions. But, until now, little industry research has dived into content marketing careers.
We set out to find answers. Our goal is to help content marketers understand their opportunities and positions – and help companies develop meaningful roles and the resources and opportunities to retain them.
So, earlier this year, we asked content marketers about their work satisfaction, career development, and salary expectations.
More than 1,100 content professionals had their say. You can read the full story – including salary breakdowns by role, gender, and generation – in the Content Marketing Career & Salary 2023 Outlook report (gated).
Let’s take a sneak peek at some of the intriguing findings.
Learn more about the results of CMI's first-ever career and salary research in our in-depth Twitter Spaces chat.
More than half of the content pros (56%) tell us they’re very or extremely satisfied with their current position.
One content marketer explains: “I can be creative while being tied to business impact. Content marketing offers the fulfillment and growth of a creative career with the stability and compensation of a corporate career. It’s the best of both worlds, and it’s sometimes hard to believe it’s possible.”
Another offers this explanation: “I love seeing all the pieces come together; how great words and innovative designs can affect and influence consumers and audiences. And I love working behind the scenes, getting to turn the cogs of the content machine.”
Satisfaction rates stay roughly the same from millennials to Gen X to boomers. (We had too few Gen Z respondents to report on their segment with confidence.)
24% of content marketers say they are very or extremely stressed.
Of course, that’s not to say the job is easy. When asked about stress levels, 24% of content marketers say they are “very” or “extremely” stressed.
One survey taker explains, “The pace of work can be relentless. Just when you’ve completed one big project, another is right behind it.”
And some kudos go to employers. A significant majority (74%) said they feel their employers care about their stress levels and mental health.
56% of content marketers say they're extremely or very satisfied with their current position.
Among the surveyed group, one in three has a master’s, doctorate, or another advanced degree. As you probably know from your and your colleagues’ career pathways, people come into content marketing from many backgrounds (some come from multiple fields), including:
And content marketers are eager to expand their knowledge base:
Content marketers clearly rank high on the “digital dexterity” scale – the ability to learn new skills and adapt to new environments. That’s a sign of an adaptable, resilient workforce ready to meet whatever the future brings.
As Jean-Marc Laouchez, president of the Korn Ferry Institute, says in a Computerworld article: “Constant learning – driven by both workers and organizations – will be central to the future of work, extending far beyond the traditional definition of learning and development.”
Top skills content marketers want to learn include SEO, data analytics, and how to work with technology.
Content marketers like their jobs and are ready to learn. And yet, most (57%) say they plan to find another position within the next year or are unsure about their next steps.
Looking at it from another angle: Only 43% say they won’t be looking for a new job in the next year.
What’s driving this restlessness? Is it a persistent echo of the Great Resignation? Or a wave of “quiet quitting” in content marketing?
I don’t think so. Instead, the research points to something at the heart of content marketing careers.
57% of content marketers plan to find a new job in the next year or are unsure about the next step in their 2023.
Only 43% of content marketers say they won't be job searching in 2023.
The data highlights a troubling phenomenon: Only one in five content marketers say they have a clear path for advancement inside their current company.
Nearly all the rest (69%) say they must leave their companies to advance or simply can’t visualize the path forward. (A small share – 8% – say they’ve reached the pinnacle of their careers and aren’t looking for advancement.)
Nearly half of content marketers are unsure how to progress their career in their current organization.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. Robert Rose, our chief strategy advisor, has written about this problem: “Content marketing is growing exponentially. But the advancement ladder for content practitioners is missing most of its rungs.”
Companies that don’t address the content marketing career ladder will struggle to keep these highly educated, adaptable employees.
Content marketers want better-defined career paths and are eager to advance their skills. To begin nurturing their ambitions, start with dialogue.
After all, investing in their future also pays off for the brand.
Content Marketing Career & Salary 2023 Outlook offers more insights into:
I hope you’ll download the e-book to learn more and experience greater fulfillment in your career as a content marketing leader. CCO
As General Manager of CMI, Stephanie leads the brand’s event, digital, print, and e-learning operations. Previously, Stephanie served as VP of Content Marketing for UBM’s Technology portfolio, providing strategic guidance on content development, content optimization, audience engagement, and go-to-market platforms for technology clients. Stephanie also spent many years as Editor in Chief of InformationWeek. Find Stephanie on Twitter @editorstahl and LinkedIn.