It’s not easy creating engaging content in the online world where so many companies are competing for a consumer’s attention. This is why it’s so critical that you’re able to rely on a dream team to put your online marketing approach into place by developing the social media posts, blog posts and videos you’ll need. They’ll also need to pitch in with overall strategy, the big picture and future content endeavors.
The fact is that we’re looking at content marketing in the rear view mirror as a mere possibility: It’s a marketing necessity. Content marketing software can assist with many routine tasks, but you still need creative types to bring the human element to the equation. It can be a challenge to find the brilliant, passionate, inventive team members that will help make your content strategy a booming success. But there’s also a possibility that these creative types are right under your nose.

1. A storyteller: If there’s one team member you can’t do without, it’s probably the storyteller. This person has the skills to communicate a massive amount of information by harnessing concepts like myth and classic tales with a recognizable structure – and then turning them into epic marketing messages. Studies on social media have revealed that brand characters, even cartoons and other characters, can boost shares exponentially than those that don’t incorporate a storytelling component to weave yarns into their online marketing.
2. A numbers geek: This isn’t the person that normally jumps out as being a creative type, but you truly do need an analyst on your team for one main reason: Analytics. Your numbers geek can take the analytics churned out by your content marketing platform and make some sense of them, giving you an idea of how to tweak your strategy as necessary. Creating it is just the beginning – you need to know what that amazing, eye-catching content means for the big picture if you want it to work for you.
3. An event planner: The ROI on a properly executed event can be astounding, whether you focus on the numbers of impressions, engagement on social media, networking opportunities or prospect schmoozing. An event planner can help make sure you’re squeezing everything you can out of your strategy. You want to see trending on Twitter and sharing on social media during the event, but not just anyone can get you the turn out you need. The best event planner takes the entire environment into account, giving life to your live content for the right audience at the right time.
4. A bird’s eye guru: Think of all the content marketing tools you use. Blogs, social media, image sharing sites, eBooks, podcasts. Now, think of all the content types you use; images, the spoken word, videos and text, to name a few. Trying to put your head around the infinite number of options available for content creation and publication is mind boggling. This is why you need a “big picture” creative type to gain perspective and put all the pieces of the puzzle together. This person is as instrumental as your content marketing platform when it comes to putting your strategy into effect.
5. An imagery expert: You’ll need someone that excels at the visual arts, as you know that great content marketing can’t thrive on text alone. Powerful images are central to effective marketing, whether through video, infographics or other visual content. The production process isn’t easy, so your team needs a mastermind who has an eye for imagery that communicates the message and brand seamlessly. At the same, the visuals need to be stunning and bold to set your company apart from competitors. The imagery expert is one of your core team members.
6. A linguist: When you pair an imagery expert with a talented linguist, you can expect results that make an impact. When these minds meet, you’ll see creative, cohesive content that engages prospects, whether it’s through blogs, press releases, social media and other content marketing campaigns. The linguist isn’t someone who’s concerned with the topic they’re covering or what format they’re creating content for: They just want to write, they love doing it and they can do it quickly.
7. A journalist: The majority of brands experience a boost in traffic when there’s a real time component involved with the content they publish, so some live marketing should be part of your content strategy. As such, you need someone with journalistic skills that knows the scoop and how to dig deeper. These are people who can write, edit and publish practically in their sleep, including proper sourcing and citing for quotes.
Does your team have the right stuff when it comes to creative impact for your content marketing strategy? Consider these seven creative types that wouldn’t normally fit the bill, but probably do have certain skill sets that you can build upon. Building the best team doesn’t necessarily mean hiring new; it might mean re-imagining your existing personnel. What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.