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- Create, edit and check text, images and video content on websites
- You'll need excellent creative ability, good judgement, and writing skills
- You could focus on a specialist area of interest like news, fashion, travel, or sports
Web content editors look after the online content posted by one or more organisations, making sure the right content is developed, created, checked and updated. You could work 'in-house' for a single company, or for an agency or as a freelancer working across several different organisations.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Researching and writing text for a target audience
- Creating video or graphic content
- Uploading material using a content management system (CMS)
- Monitoring and posting replies to comments and dealing with email enquiries, editing and proofreading existing text
- Developing new content and editorial guidelines
- Attending content planning and commissioning meetings with other departments or clients
- Creating and monitoring social media output and feedback
- Making sure web pages are picked up by search engines (search engine optimisation)
- Reporting on website traffic statistics and user research
- Training new staff to produce and edit content
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll usually work 35 to 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Overtime may be necessary to meet deadlines. You'll usually be office-based but there could be some out-of-office work, for instance going out to research information, meet clients or interview people for features.
You might work alone or as part of a team of web developers or designers.
You'll need
You'll need excellent research and writing skills the ability to pick out key points from detailed information, the ability to write in a clear, concise and engaging way, an excellent understanding of English grammar, punctuation and spelling, and a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
There are no set entry requirements but it's common to work your way up from an editorial assistant role.
You could take a college course to get some of the skills needed when looking for jobs. These courses include A level English, a Level 3 Diploma in Creative and Digital Media, and Level 3 Diploma in Digital Marketing.
A background in journalism, marketing or IT, or experience of the area the website is aimed at can all be helpful.
Some employers may ask for a degree in a relevant subject like English, corporate communications, PR, or marketing. Or, you could do an advanced apprenticeship in creative and digital media or as a junior content producer.
You'll need an understanding of copyright, privacy and website accessibility, and online writing issues, like house style and content structure.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could move into editorial team management or general information resource management roles. You could also work on a freelance basis. With further training, you may have the option to move into related areas, like website development or training.