4 Ways to Prepare Your Content Marketing Career for the AI Era

The rise of artificial intelligence is changing the way we do business. And if you want to succeed in your content marketing career in this new world, now is a great time for you to consider upgrading your skills, staying flexible and paying attention to how AI can shape your career.

Many marketing teams have turned to the help of content generators to create content for them in a matter of minutes. Without the help of AI, it’d take hours, days or even weeks to generate a single piece of content. 

So what does that mean for a career in content marketing? Is it a dying career? Or is there light at the end of the tunnel? 

In this post, we’ll review the benefits of a career in content marketing and four ways to prepare for a successful content marketing career in the AI era. 

Let’s dive in. 

Benefits of a Content Marketing Career

Content marketing careers are perfect for people who like to write and thrive in creative environments. 

If you’re considering starting a career in content marketing, here are three reasons this could be a good decision. 

Benefit 1: Flexibility

In an era of remote work, embarking on a content marketing career no longer means you have to change your life to pursue a career in different cities. Recent relocation trends indicate that many workers are now choosing to move out of big cities and into smaller towns where the quality of life is better. 

And there’s no better job than the one you can do from anywhere and anytime, right? 

Well, as a content marketer, you can enjoy working remotely in the comfort of your own home, traveling the world, or sitting in a coffee shop.

Location isn’t the only aspect of the job that’s flexible. Say goodbye to the standard 9–5 schedule. 

As a content marketer, you can typically choose your hours. So if you’re more creative in the mornings, use that time to your advantage and stack your content writing sessions early in the day. 

Benefit 2: Competitive pay

In a content marketing career, the amount you make will depend on your quality of work and how much effort you put into it. In other words, if your content consistently rocks, you can expect a higher paycheck. 

This is an excellent benefit because it means that no matter what kind of worker you are — whether you’re a writer who loves deadlines or an editor who enjoys going over every detail with a fine-toothed comb — there’s room for everyone and the compensation aligns with output. 

Benefit 3: Room for growth

If you love writing, content marketing may be a great way to get your foot in the door at an organization that shares your passion. The more experience you acquire, the more opportunities will open up. 

For example, you could start by writing blog posts, move up the ladder and run a content marketing team, or even land yourself a seat in the C-Suite. 

Content marketing is also a great way to get experience in a specific field before committing to it full-time. This can help you decide if this industry is right for you and gives you valuable insight into what you want your ideal career path to look like in five years.

4 Ways to Prepare Your Content Marketing Career For The AI Era

Despite all the buzz about AI disrupting the space, content marketing is a career that’s here to stay. However, that doesn’t mean the industry isn’t evolving. 

Here are four ways to prepare yourself for the AI era of content marketing:

1. Embrace AI and understand the value add

There’s a common fear in the content marketing community that AI content generation and optimization might replace traditional content marketing roles. 

But don’t worry. AI isn’t the enemy. 

There’s an incredible synergy that occurs between AI and content marketing. Think of it as a tool in your toolbox rather than a nail in your coffin. 

High-quality content is a time-intensive process requiring extensive research, a robust outline, and creative thinking. 

To top it all off, you need to find a way to stand out from the millions of other pieces of content that already exist on the internet. How can you add value to readers? Is there a unique angle that hasn’t been used a hundred times before?  

So, any tool that can make a process more efficient is a significant win. 

For example, Tailor Social by Tailor Brands uses AI to help users design, automate, schedule, and analyze their social media content. Using a tool like this can help you save time and achieve a competitive advantage over other content marketers in your field.

By saving time on mundane tasks, it allows you to:

• Improve content quality
• Increase output 
• Establish a competitive advantage 
• Focus on additional tasks

With the advancement of AI and automation, you finally have the time to optimize your email marketing campaigns to score more leads. Or learn how to create custom videos to increase engagement and build brand awareness. 

AI is here to stay. It’s time to jump on the bandwagon and start incorporating AI into your content strategy today. 

2. Learn SEO strategies

As you look to prepare your content marketing career for the AI era, it’s essential to start with the basics.

One of the most important skills you can develop is search engine optimization (SEO). Optimizing your content to rank higher in search engine results will be a must-have skill as we move into a world where AI can create and distribute content independently.

There are many ways to learn SEO and get better at it. Here are a few ways to get your toes wet:

1. Read articles about SEO tips and tricks.
2. Access free training videos on SEO best practices.
3. Use keyword research tools like Semrush or Ahrefs for content planning.
4. Leverage Google Search Console for real-time data about how people are finding your site and what they’re clicking on.

3. Focus on the visual aspects of content marketing

Infographics, charts, and custom graphics are worth their weight in gold. And the power of video is increasing with every passing day. 

Check out this graphic for some mind-blowing statistics. 

So what do all of these things have in common? 

First, they’re a shareable, memorable way to give your audience something they can’t get anywhere else. And when you pair them with your copy, you’ve got the recipe for an engaging post that gets people talking — and clicking.

Here are a few pointers for achieving the best results with visuals: 

1. Use relevant images or graphics that reflect the topic of your post.
2. Make sure they’re high quality and look good on all devices and platforms.
3. Don’t go overboard with text-heavy images — keep them simple and easy to read.

Second, AI isn’t the powerhouse behind the creation process. In fact, according to a recent study by Venngage, 37% of marketers wish that generating multiple design types could be automated by AI.

The second most popular answer was resizing and reformatting visual content, with 22% of the responses. 

Thankfully, image editing APIs already exist to help resize, enhance, and sharpen the quality of photos so you can spend more time on the design aspect. 

Sure, some tools might help improve certain aspects of creating images or videos, but they don’t do it all.

The best-performing images and videos still require human input, storytelling capabilities, and an emotional connection.

For example, nobody wants to watch a YouTube video that an AI software generates. It’ll lack serious personality.

Hello Rache does an excellent job incorporating high-quality, interactive videos on their website that show how medical practices can save time and money on office tasks by working with a virtual medical assistant. They even use actual employees in the videos for an added connection to their viewers and putting a face to the name.

Regarding AI, it doesn’t stand a chance against a personalized video like this.

Personalized content wins every time and without it you will miss out on 63% of sales. 

4. Establish a strong foothold in a niche

Content marketing strategies are increasingly important as AI tools and software automate time-consuming tasks. 

Building trust and providing value to your audience as a content marketer is essential. The easiest way to achieve these two things is to find a niche and become the subject matter expert (SME) in that niche.

It’s not enough to just be good at what you do — you have to prove that you are the best, and you can prove that through relevant content. 

For example, MOS is a fintech turned neobank that uses content marketing to help educate users about topics like how old you have to be to get a debit card, student loans, and college scholarships.

All of these topics require extensive research by the audience who are seeking information to make informed decisions. Through content curation, MOS has proven itself as a leader in the student banking niche that users trust. 

Content generated by AI doesn’t stand a chance against your knowledge and unique ideas that make your content valuable and exciting.

Start by finding a niche you’re passionate about, put your head down, and be eager to learn. Before you know it, you can become an SME in something you love. 

You can significantly contribute to any content project as a subject matter expert. People will pay attention when a well-known name is attached to a project, whether it’s a series of blog posts or an eBook. Just as J. K. Rowling earned pre-sale purchases months before a new Harry Potter book was released, your name recognition could lead to an automatic buy-in from your community.

Wrapping up

Content marketing is evolving rapidly, and you should be aware of the changes.

AI will change the way content marketers work, but it’s important to remember that AI isn’t a magic eight-ball. It won’t solve all your problems, so you must stay flexible and learn new skills.

You shouldn’t wait for AI to shape the industry; instead, embrace it as an opportunity for personal growth and professional development.

Whether you’re a writer, editor, or marketer, it’s essential to stay on top of the latest trends in technology and how they affect your career path and future growth. 

About the author

Shane Barker

Shane Barker is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing, content marketing, and SEO. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Content Solutions, a digital marketing agency. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.