For most Digital Marketing professionals, Content Writing is a great place to start your journey into the world of Digital Marketing. Usually, new hires start writing content, and work on to other responsibilities such as handling social media or copywriting (for ads) and end up managing teams of Content Writers, Designers and more.
Do the youth here know that Content Writing is a valid entry point into a long term career in Digital Marketing?
Sumina Subba is a Human Rights and Cultural Diversity postgraduate from the University of Essex. Over the course of her career, she has held various human rights and communication positions. Sumina has also experienced a taste of content writing when she worked as a Content Writer in a Digital Marketing company.
We asked her for a few words about her writing job and her experiences so far.
A career change
I was looking for a change in my professional career, something to help me learn new things. One day, a friend encouraged me to apply for the position of a digital content writer for a marketing company. Thrilled and curious, I took it as a chance and it was perfect.
When I applied, I did not know what it was or what it would be like for me. I was given tasks to write blogs, posts, Q&A forums and other kinds of articles. I was introduced to various forms of content writing. At the time, I was mostly discovering and learning new things relevant to content.
While exploring the content writing job, I stumbled onto things like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and website traffic. One interesting thing that I encountered was keywords, and how using them properly could attract target audience towards the website. This was the key element in building traffic towards the site of the company.
It was definitely a challenge at first but I could see myself improving every day. I had previously worked in a media house, this gave me some help with my writing skills. However, being a content writer introduced me to a vast range of topics, all of which challenged me to write credibly about a variety of subjects, and in a range of different styles.
I had to be particularly concerned about keywords. Eventually, I got the hang of it with a generous amount of help from my colleagues and a bit of hard work from my side.
Content writing as a career in Nepal
The concept of content writing is basically creating content for a particular website or for a specific client’s / company’s website. Content writing is a “niche” career, as you will be working within a specific circle for your target audience.
Since most of the businesses today want to increase their online presence, there is a growing demand for good content writers. Online businesses are always hungry for quality content because good content will always attract genuine customers.
To become a content writer, you need two things — a good command over English and an appetite for learning. If you think you are not proficient in written English, then practice is a must. The digital marketing industry is evolving into a competitive sector, so put more effort into improving your language skills. All it takes is the desire to take initiative and eagerness to learn more.
Moreover, most companies within the digital marketing industry have flexible working hours. You don’t have to stress over long office hours like a strict 9 – 5 regimen.
Being a creative field, everyone has realistic deadlines, plenty of information and invaluable support. I liked that it pushed me away from my comfort zone and polished my skills for a different platform.
I would encourage anyone to go for it! It is fun and learning never stops. Whether you’re an amateur writer looking to turn your writing skills into a career, or a professional writer looking for additional projects, content writing for the digital marketing industry is a great place to start. Do keep in mind though, just like any other job; you also need to be serious and committed. Always be prepared to be a team player – this is not a one-man show!
Finally, there are endless things to learn in this field – it is limitless. Above all, WORK HARD !! — because there is no substitute for diligence. You can do it!
Although I only worked as a Digital Content Writer for five months, the experience was worth it.
Sumina currently works as a Customer Service Manager for an online company. She has previously worked with Save the Children as the Media and Communication Officer for the Nepal Earthquake Response Program based in Gorkha.
In her free time, Sumina keeps herself occupied by reading books and writing poems. She’s also an avid photographer, food fanatic, and aspiring wine and tea aficionado.
