Step-by-Step Plan for Becoming a Content Writer
Introduction
As of 2020, we recommend you get a Bachelor’s degree in English or Journalism. The current reality is that many companies will require you to have a degree to even get to the interview process.
However, beyond learning the fundamentals of English and practicing your writing skills, the degree alone won’t provide the other skills you need to be a content writer.
Follow the rest of the steps below to put yourself in a position to get hired. If you go the degree route, you’ll need to do these things on top of your schoolwork.
No matter which initial path you choose, you will need a portfolio of work. Start working on your portfolio early and update it often.
Financial Recommendation
Keep student loan debt below $61,393. This will ensure your student loan debt-to-starting salary ratio is below 1.25x.
Assuming a 6.8% interest rate and 10-year loan repayment, your maximum monthly payment would be $707 or 17% of a starting salary of $49,114.
Career Plan
🎓 Education
Learning and memorizing the rules of writing is the building block of your entire career. There are several ways to do this, the most important thing is to constantly apply what you're learning.
💵 Cost: $35,348 - $172,256
⏳ Time: 4 years
Online certificate programs are the far cheaper and faster path but this route carries some risk (see above).
You also lose out on having someone edit and provide feedback on your work. Combine this with the steps below and you will have what it takes to be a content writer.
💵 Cost: $NaN - $NaN
⏳ Time: undefined undefined
🗃 Hard Skills
Inbound marketing is the process of attracting potential customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. Learning the fundamentals of inbound marketing will help you better understand the buyer's journey, from the first touch to an eventual purchase.
💵 Cost: $0 - $150
⏳ Time: 9-13 hours
🧠 Where to learn
Hubspot Content Marketing Certificate
By: Hubspot
Cost: Free
Time: 7 hours
Copyblogger Content Writing Masterclass
By: Copyblogger
Cost: $150
Time: 4 hours
🔖 Projects to build your portfolio
The practice of search engine optimization (SEO) is how you get websites and content to show up on the first page of Google. Knowing how to do this is a key part of digital marketing.
💵 Cost: $0 - $150
⏳ Time: 4-20 hours
🧠 Where to learn
SEMRush SEO Fundamentals
By: SEMRush
Cost: Free
Time: 4 hours
Introduction to SEO by U.C. Davis
By: coursera
Cost: $49
Time: 20 hours
Moz SEO Starter Pack
By: Moz
Cost: $150
Time: 5 hours
🔖 Projects to build your portfolio