Content Developer: Salary and Career Facts

Research what it takes to become a content developer. Learn about education requirements, responsibilities and potential salary to find out if this is the career for you.

What Is a Content Developer?

A content developer creates professionally written web content with a highly user-focused approach to drive traffic to his or her organization's website. Occasionally, the content developer may also edit content from other writers, moderate and/or contribute to discussions in a website's comment section as well as in the organization's social media accounts, and perform some marketing and advertising tasks. The following chart provides an overview of what you need to know about entering this field.

Required	Bachelor's degree
Education Field of Study	Communication, journalism, marketing
Key Responsibilities	Researching markets, producing original content, strategizing, analyzing results
Job Growth (2020-2030)	12% growth (for all technical writers)*
Median Salary (2022)	$49,298 (for all web content specialists)**

Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, **PayScale.com

What Job Duties Will I Have as a Content Developer?

Your primary duties as a content developer include producing, organizing and linking copy on Internet sites to create an online presence for companies and businesses. This could include newsletters, blogs, articles, graphics, audio clips, videos and other related media. However, the key to content development is first determining a target audience and then carefully choosing highly searched keywords and phrases to incorporate that will help get your material to your intended group. This is also known as search engine optimization (SEO). Specific job duties may vary, but as a content developer you'll likely be responsible for the following:

Developing goals and determining a desired response
Researching your target market
Reviewing competitor content and strategies
Ascertaining effective content
Producing and organizing unique materials
Implementing a digital marketing strategy

What Education and Training Do I Need?

Content developers are responsible for researching, writing, coordinating and possibly designing materials that work together cohesively to inform or promote a given product, company or service, making education and training in a relevant field helpful. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employers typically hire those with bachelor's degrees or higher in the fields of communications, journalism or English (www.bls.gov). However, a marketing background could also be useful since many courses in these programs focus on SEO and marketing campaigns. Communication programs commonly include courses in writing for the media, Web design, Web development and user interface. Additionally, you can acquire hands-on experience through internships at local organizations, magazines and newspapers.

How Much Could I Expect to Earn?

In, PayScale.com reported the salary range for most Web content specialists was $36,000-$68,000, with a median salary of $49,298.

What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?

If you are into writing broader content or materials that are less technical in nature, you may pursue a career as a writer/author. If you are interested in creating content that maintains or enhances the public image of an organization or individual, you may also pursue a career as a public relations specialist. Both roles require a bachelor's degree and a good grasp of oral and written communication skills.