Content is the king of online marketing; nevertheless, not all businesses know how to create strategic content that works, hence the need for a content director. Like most online marketing roles, a content director earns a decent salary- whether as a freelancer or an employee in an organization. Here we will see about Salaries for Content Director
The estimated salary per annum for a content director in the U.S is from approximately $62,000 to $120,000, with the median salary being around $97,000.
Earning as a content director:
The estimated salary per annum for a content director in the U.S is about $102,000, or $53.26 per hour. The average estimated extra pay from bonuses, profit sharing, commission tips, etc., could get up to $22,000 and even more. For an entry-level position in this role with 0 to 2 years of experience, the average salary per annum ranges from $39,900 to $55,738, or $19.19 to $28.52 per hour. Note that the pay for this position is influenced by different factors, which we will discuss below, but first, let’s understand what being a content director entails.
Content director job:
Although the job description for a content director may slightly differ with organizations, the overall goal stays the same- to create a content strategy that works. A content director is responsible to oversee the content strategy and collaborating with a team to put this strategy to work to achieve measurable growth in the organization.
Here’s a breakdown of the responsibility of a content director.
- Creating and implementing content strategy
- Creating PR strategy and campaign
- Overseeing a team to research, develop, and publish valuable content. In smaller settings, creating content may be a part of your responsibility.
- Working with the content writer to ensure that the created content is in line with the brand’s guidelines, message, and tone of voice.
- Building brand’s reputation, driving reach, and increasing revenue with content.
- Recruiting, training, managing, and supervising content team members.
- Perform competitor analysis and market research to stay updated with industry trends and implement them in the marketing strategy.
- Analyze all implemented strategies and identify areas that should be improved on.
Factors influencing the salary of a content director:
Being a content director requires you to go through different phases like being a content writer, a digital marketing strategist, a social media specialist, or in other related fields. How much salary you earn in this role is determined by three major factors, which include;
Education
Some organizations may not have a specific need for education status as long as you have the necessary skills to get the job done; nevertheless, we cannot rule out that education can influence your salary greatly. For instance, having a degree in marketing and communication, digital media, or advertising will be an added advantage, especially when you are just starting at an entry level where you have little industry skill and almost less than three years of experience on the job.
Years of experience
The longer you effectively carry out your role in this position, the better you become at it. A content director with 5 years of experience will earn less than another with 15 years of experience. According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey, a content director with over 15 years of experience earns up to $135,000 yearly, while those with 1 to 3 years of experience earn below half of that. Here’s a table to show the average salary for a different levels of experience.
| Level of experience | Average salary per annum |
| Less than 1 year | $55,738 |
| 1 to 4 years | $72,391 |
| 5 to 9 years | $97,793 |
| 10 to 19 years | $125,108 |
| Over 20 years | $156,581 |
Skills
To succeed in any profession, you must consciously work to develop industry-based and personal skills.
The top industry-based skills you need for this position include;
- Web content
- Content management
- Content marketing
- Project management
- Social media management
- SEO and SEM
- Google Analytics
- Data analysis
- Audience analysis
The top personal skills you need for this position are;
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Analytical skills
- Great attention to detail
- Ability to solve problems
- Ability to pay attention to details
- Strong management and leadership skills
- Excellent writing and editing skills
- Knowledge of marketing trends and online tools
Location
The location of your organization and where you live can impact what you earn in this position. Generally, large cities pay higher, but the high cost of living will reduce how to influence how much you take home at the end of the day.
Here’s a list of 5 top major cities in the U.S where their average annual salary and hourly rate are above the national average.
| Rank | City | Average hour rate | Average annual salary |
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $67.02 | $128,044 |
| 2 | New York City, NY | $55 | $127,241 |
| 3 | Washington DC, DC | $59 | $114,734 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $45.24 | $112,842 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $42 | $110,468 |
Way to increase your salary as a content director?
Whether you are just staring out at an entry-level or you already have some years of experience in this field, you can always work towards earning more, and here’s how.
Improve your skills
An employer will not have an issue increasing the salary of an employee that contributes real value to the organization. So, stay updated and improve on your in-demand skill to gain more relevance and qualify for a promotion or salary increment. Also, getting more certifications relating to this field will improve your qualifications.
Ask for feedback regularly
You can’t improve if you don’t know what your performance level is. Don’t rely on what you think you know about your performance; instead, ask your teammates and bosses and if there’s any lapse, improve on it.
Take on more responsibility
Increased salary means more responsibility; thus, you can start by taking more responsibility to communicate to your seniors that you are ready for a promotion. Once you can maintain consistent and impressive performance, you can take a step further to ask for an increment or a promotion.
What are the extra benefits organizations offers for this role?
A content director position is a senior role and some of the benefits organizations offer for this role include;
- Training and career development
- Performance bonuses
- Annual leave/paid-off time
- Healthcare Insurance
- Retirement plans
Conclusion
Being a content director requires handling sensitive responsibilities that will advance your organization in the digital world. The salary for such a position is greatly impacted by where you work, how long you have been on the job, and how well you carry out your responsibility. Once these are in place, more opportunities that can increase your earnings will open up to you. Through this article we have learned about Salaries for Content Director
FAQs
Can I negotiate with my employer if my salary is low?
Yes, you can. In addition to the value you add, find out the average salary for someone with your qualification and use it to negotiate for an increment.
Will I be given more workload if my salary is increased?
Yes, in most cases. A salary increase is like a motivation to increase your level of productivity and the quality of your work.
