What do you enjoy about writing?

"I've loved writing ever since I was a kid. In high school, I wrote for the school newspaper, and in college, I majored in English which deepened my knowledge and skillset in that area. In my spare time now, I like to write short stories that I post online, and I'm constantly reading. I also stay up on social media as I love to know what's going on and what's trending. Expressing myself via written words comes naturally, and doing this for work is a natural extension of that. It's what I'm meant to do, and I look forward to leading a team to create amazing content for your company."

There's a lot more to being a Digital Content Manager than just writing; however, being able to write is a foundational requirement of this type of role. The interviewer wants to see a passion for writing and content creation. Explain what drives your passion, how you've expressed it, and why you love it.

How experienced are you in using emails to promote content?

"In my last job I used email to promote new blog articles and premium pieces of content. We had a list of people who had signed up for our email notifications. I tended to do this on a monthly basis and included recent pieces of content that I wanted people to see. This definitely helped to engage our readers; we tracked email opens, click-through rates, and conversions, and the results tended to be good. It definitely brought a lot more traffic to this content much quicker than waiting for organic traffic to trickle in and build over time."

There are multiple ways that one can promote content, including through social media and in forums. The interviewer wants to know if you're familiar with promoting content using email. If you are, share your experiences with them. If not, let them know that you are eager to do this and a quick learner.

What kind of importance do you place on collaboration with other teams outside of content?

The interviewer wants to know if you understand how important it is to collaborate with other teams outside of content. Content managers need to be open to learning from the sales and marketing teams in particular since these teams talk directly to customers about their problems and struggles. This is valuable information for content managers in their quest to produce valuable content.

In your experience, what is the key to building a good team?

"There are several things I would do to create a well-run content team. First, I would determine the overall content strategy that will be utilized, as this will indicate what type and how many writers and other experts are needed. Then I'd clearly define each job role so there's accountability and no confusion. I'd also incorporate a content marketing strategist who can focus on the big marketing picture and a designer to create graphics. I'd emphasize and teach the need for mutual respect and trust, and I would model these traits for my team."

The interviewer wants to know that you have the capability to develop and nurture a strong content team and how you would do this. If you have past experience in this area, share that. If not, talk about the need for respect and trust within a team and how you're excited to cultivate this.

Let's imagine that Google decides to devalue a previously successful SEO technique that you use. What would you do?

"This is bound to happen at some point as it has happened before in the past. Obviously, SEO is very important because any change to it and we might lose traffic to our website or blogs because they are no longer ranking high in the search engine results. First, I would strive to be proactive, staying up on breaking news about these kinds of changes so we aren't caught off-guard. If a change did take place, I would research it; every time this happens experts post recommendations on how to combat or fix the problem. I would also make sure that our SEO checklist is continually monitored and up-to-date because if everything else is already optimized one change likely won't ruin our rankings completely, and we'll be able to quickly recover."

As a Digital Content Manager, you have to keep tabs on a lot of things: content creation, distribution, managing your team, staying abreast of new methods and tools. You also need to be aware of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques and any changes that might impact your company's website and blog traffic.

What are the relevant metrics to track ROI on social media?

"I would use Google Analytics to track several different data points if I was running a social media campaign for your company. In particular, I would look at engagement, brand reach, lead generation, and conversions. Likes and Shares are always great to see, but the proof is in the pudding: are we getting conversions and leads from the social media content or not? I'm always happy to see lots of website visits, downloads, and positive reviews too, but the most important ROI metrics to track are always leads and conversions."

One important aspect of online content is social media. If the interviewer asks you this question, it is likely their company uses social media as part of their online content strategy. Let them know which metrics you would use to determine the return on investment (ROI) for a social media campaign.

Which social media channels do you recommend for our company and why?

"Within my current role, I handle social media content creation, scheduling, and marketing. This valuable experience has helped me to become an expert in this area, and I'm aware of which demographic groups tend to use which social media platforms. In your case, given that your company targets millenials, I would recommend that it consider using Instagram and Twitter for content distribution. If you went in this direction, though, there would be a need to produce high-quality images and video content for Instagram, in addition to budgeting money for paid ads. Twitter's challenge is the word limit on the content; however, it is possible to go viral on Twitter which would allow your content to be seen by potentially millions of people."

One important aspect of online content is social media. The interviewer wants to see how knowledgeable you are about various social media platforms and which ones you think would be best for their company. You will want to consider the company's target demographics, content style, and frequency of messaging when making your recommendations.

Tell me about a time when you disagreed with the people on your team. How did you handle the confli

"At my last job, I was on a great team; however, many of its members were very used to doing things a certain way. When I came in and started managing the team, I really wanted to try out some new tools and techniques. Several team members weren't open to the change. I handled this by meeting with each of them individually so we could spend time listening to each other's viewpoints. I came to understand that they had an existing structure in place that was providing positive results. I was also able to show them that there were benefits to trying out new ideas. We ended up compromising and agreed to gradually trial some of these new methods, while continuing to keep some of the existing processes in place."

The interviewer is looking to see how you, as a manager, would handle disagreement within your team. They will want to hear that you took a collaborative approach, listened to others, and then addressed the issue effectively.

After your content has been published, in what ways would you promote it?

"I recognize that not only does a team need to create relevant and engaging content for its target audience, but thought also needs to go into how this content will be promoted so lots of target audience members see it. In my opinion, it's best to lay out a marketing plan before the project begins. Some options to promote the content include sharing it on social media accounts, involving social media influencers, and repurposing the content for use in newsletters and emails."

With this question, the interviewer wants to find out how knowledgeable you are about marketing. They likely believe that you are able to produce content, and lead teams to produce content, but are you able to think strategically about how to promote that content? Discuss the steps you would take to market the content you've created for the company.

How would you allocate a budget for content spend?

"I believe that the allocations of a budget should primarily be based on the priorities of each project. For example, if my team had planned a project that was heavily dependent on video content I would allocate more money in the budget toward videographers and the costs associated with producing and distributing videos and I'd allocate less for writers. If our planned projects included paid ads or the need to boost posts, I would allocate more money toward distribution costs. I think the key is considering in advance what the scope of the anticipated projects is, what the objectives are, and then allocating money in the budget based on those considerations."

The interviewer wants to find out if you know how to manage a content budget. They will expect you to explain how you determine allocations. Talk about how the priorities of different projects impact the allocations and how there are costs associated with both producing and distributing content.

What content management systems have you used?

"I've used several CMSs in the past, including WordPress, Wix, and Magneto. In addition, the current company where I work has an internal CMS that I use. I believe that I'm a fast learner and can quickly adapt and learn a new CMS if needed. There are definitely a lot of advantages to using a CMS, namely that they allow multiple contributors to create, edit, and publish content and website changes all in one place."

It's likely the company you're interviewing with already uses a content management system (CMS). If this is the case, the interviewer will want to know if you have experience using it. If you don't have experience using CMSs, indicate that you are eager and quick to learn new programs.

If it was your first day here, what are the first few things you would do?

"For me, one of the very first things I would do is educate myself thoroughly about the products and services your company offers and who your customers are. Before starting the job, I would research your company online as much as I could by perusing your website and reading content you had already published, and then once I started I would talk to my new colleagues and manager in order to learn more and to get to know them. Next, I'd learn all I could about the existing content strategy and start to develop my own ideas and plan for moving forward."

The interviewer wants to know how you plan to step into the role. They want to determine if you have the experience and knowledge to hit the ground running or if there will be a big learning curve and the need for lots of handholding. Walk them through the steps you plan to take during your first few days on the job.

Are you familiar with any multimedia formats and programs?

"Although I recognize that content creation includes a lot of writing, it also incorporates design and even video and podcasts sometimes. The goal is to engage the target audience across multiple channels and in a variety of formats. I personally have dabbled in graphic design and photography and have collaborated many times with illustrators and designers in order to produce content in various formats. I am also comfortable using Adobe Photoshop."

It's nice to be a great writer, but online content encompasses so much more than just writing. The interviewer wants to ensure that you view content as an ongoing conversation with customers across many different channels and formats, not just as an article here and there. Discuss any experience you have working with designers and videographers, in addition to any familiarity you have with multimedia software like Adobe Suite.

What content marketing blogs do you read?

"Outside of work, I spend a lot of my spare time writing, staying up on social media, and reading industry blogs. It's important to me that I stay up-to-date on what the hot topics and trends are, especially when it comes to content creation and marketing, so I can make sure my work reflects the latest innovations, trends, and topics. A few of my favorite industry-related blogs include Sparksheet, Barry Feldman's The Point, Seth Godin's Blog, and CMS Wire."

This is the interviewer's way of finding out if you're truly interested in content creation and marketing. They want to know if you educate yourself outside of work on topics related to content marketing. Don't give a generic answer; make sure you can rattle off several relevant blogs that you do, in fact, check out and read.

What kind of content do you have experience creating?

"I have experience creating content in a variety of formats. Within my current role, my team and I produce a lot of white papers as we want to show thought leadership and to gain respect in the industry. The white papers also bring in a lot of leads. In earlier jobs, I learned how to generate timely and engaging blog and social media posts. More recently, I've been taking online courses to increase my know-how when it comes to producing content via videos and podcasts."

There are numerous ways content can be formatted and distributed online. The interviewer wants to find out what formats you're experienced in creating and if they align with the formats they typically use. Keep in mind that content types can include blog posts, infographics, interviews, podcasts, video, case studies, white papers, ebooks, checklists, and social media posts.

How does a company benefit from publishing good content?

"Nowadays, creating and posting audience-specific content is a vital aspect of a company's online marketing strategy. By doing this we can build relationships with customers and earn their loyalty and trust. If we produce smart and relevant content, they will come to view us as an educated and valuable resource on topics that matter to them and will also learn how our products and services can solve their problems. Publishing online content will also place our company and its brand right in front of our customers' faces, frequently reminding them about us and our products."

Since the focus of a digital content manager is on producing relevant content for the company's target audience, the interviewer wants to know that you understand why content plays such an important part in a company's online marketing strategy. Beyond stating that it helps strengthen a company's online presence, be sure to discuss how content can engage customers, educate them about products and services, and build meaningful relationships.

What do you like and dislike about our company's content?

"The content that I've seen online by your company appears to engage and appeal to your desired demographic, which is great. It comes across as smart, interesting, and helpful. If I were hired for this role, however, I would make a few changes in some areas. For example, I've noticed that most of your content is distributed via blog posts on your website. I would definitely expand and try reaching your target audience through social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter. Your target demographic is very active on those platforms, and I think that a lot of your existing content could easily be repackaged from blog posts into social media posts that will interest your audience."

The interviewer wants to know whether you've researched their company's content or not. If you have, it will show that you are truly interested in the job. Further, if you are going to be hired to manage the content for the company they want to hear how you would improve things. But make sure to be positive and mention things that you like about their content too.

We have a lot of great candidates. Why should we hire you?

"I believe I'm the best candidate for this job because of my background, skills, and knowledge. My past experience in successfully managing content teams will allow me to excel in this role, and my style of writing complements the existing voice of your company. I'm excited to lead a team in producing content across a wide variety of distribution channels to support your company's objectives and to engage your target customers. I'll work alongside my team to create briefs, analyze analytics, maintain the content marketing calendar, optimize the content for SEO purposes, and more."

Here is your chance to shine. Practice answering this question before the interview so you can answer confidently and without hesitation. Many times it's the last question the interviewer will ask so if you can give a great answer you'll end the interview on a high note. Don't put down fellow candidates; instead, focus on how your experience, knowledge, and skills can benefit the company.

Tell me what the typical steps are in your content strategy thought process.

"There are several elements that I always consider before I start creating, or leading a team to create, content. First, I determine what the purpose of the content is and who it should reach. Then I think about what voice and tone should be used, in addition to the editorial style and type of language. I consider how the content should be structured and distributed to fulfill its purpose. How will the target audience view the content? Finally, I gather and put all of this information, including SEO requirements, into a brief that is then used by the writer to produce the content."

The interviewer is looking for you to outline the steps you take when you're strategizing how to best produce a piece of content. Walk the interviewer through your process. Make sure to include not only the steps you take around ideation but also to improve, package, and distribute the content.

How would you describe our company's writing style and voice?

"I've read your content many times before, both before I noticed your job opening and since then as I've researched the company more thoroughly. The style of your typical piece comes off to me as innovative, fun, and creative, but also informative. The voice of your company isn't stuffy and formal. This is the style of writing that I prefer to produce myself, and I've brought some samples with me so you can see. I think this will be a great fit."

The interviewer wants to know if you've done your research on their company by looking up content that they've previously published. This is something you should definitely do before the interview takes place so you're ready to talk about the type of content the company tends to post. If you've written similar content before in the past, definitely mention it.

What are the important factors to consider when creating a brief?

"I've written my own briefs many times and have also created content from other people's briefs. In my opinion, the most important thing that a brief must have in it is information about the target audience so the content creator knows exactly how to tailor the content. The intended audience drastically impacts how the story is told and also how it is distributed. Beyond that, the brief should include the purpose of the piece, as well as editorial guidelines and SEO information."

A content brief is a document that compiles all the information someone needs to create a piece of content. It should include editorial and brand guidelines, the Content Manager's vision for the content, and search engine optimization (SEO) requirements. The interviewer wants to know if you have experience creating a brief and what you think should be included in it. In your answer, make sure to mention that the brief should highlight the target audience and purpose of the content.

What is the biggest challenge you've encountered as a manager?

"To date, I've always worked with and managed great teams, but of course sometimes there are issues that one has to tackle as the supervisor. I'm up to these challenges! In my last role, someone new joined our team, and initially, they struggled to keep up with the workload. They kept missing deadlines. I recognized this quickly and moved to help this person acclimate to the team and the work. I assigned them a 'buddy,' a senior team member who was very friendly and who liked to mentor and teach others. And then I set up daily meetings with the new team member where I quickly checked in with them and provided guidance. Within no time, they were up on their feet and running. This experience taught me how important it is to help new hires adjust and get up to speed with the work so they can excel."

It's likely that within this role you will have to manage a team, and so the interviewer wants to find out what managerial experience you have. By asking about your biggest challenge, they want to know how you handled a hard situation. Make sure you end your answer by discussing the lesson(s) you learned.

What is your favorite example of a company that is getting content right?

"I'm very impressed by XX Company and the content they produce because I think that it is extremely relevant to their target audience. If you click through and look at who is liking and sharing their content, they are in the company's target demographic. I do personally find their content to be slightly predictable at times, however, and if I worked for them I would definitely create some new templates and experiment with some new multimedia options like video. But, in general, it appears to me that the company's content is relevant and engages its target audience, which is always the overarching goal."

The interviewer wants you to supply them with an example of a company that publishes content that impresses you, and they want to know why you think that content is notable. Be specific in your critique. Don't just say that you like the content because it's creative; instead, talk about the strengths/weaknesses and quality of the content and whether you think the overall content strategy is meeting the company's goals.

How can you tell if the content you have posted was successful or not?

"In one of my previous roles, I worked with my team to produce a special online report that we distributed to existing subscribers and promoted to prospects. I was able to show upper management that this project was highly successful based on key metrics that I pulled using Google Analytics. These KPIs included opens, shares, click-through rates, traffic, and conversions. The report resulted in numerous demo requests, on-site appointments, and several conversions to both trial and paid subscriptions."

The interviewer wants to hear how you would quantitatively establish whether your team's content has been performing well or not. You will want to discuss how you would use data analytics to show the success (or not) of any published content. Common metrics that might be used in this scenario include traffic, likes, shares, and search engine rankings.

How frequently do you use social media both personally and professionally?

"On a personal level, I enjoy social media and use it frequently. I use Facebook and Instagram to communicate and share photographs with friends and family. I also use Twitter to follow people of interest to me, in addition to LinkedIn to socialize with colleagues and other professionals. I find social media very helpful in order to keep up on current trends and topics of interest to people, which directly influences the content I create. It offers inspiration and ideas. I also like the challenge of expressing myself in a witty, funny, or intelligent manner, which carries over into the content I produce professionally as well."

Someone who works with and creates content is likely someone who also enjoys communicating. This question may be asked to gauge how communicative you are and to determine whether or not you use social media to stay up on trends and popular topics. The interviewer may also be trying to see how creatively you express yourself. Discuss how often you use social media, what platforms you gravitate toward, and what your goals are when you use it.

Tell me the steps you would take to create a blog post.

"I'm the type of person who loves to stay up on current events and technology trends. I read the news and social media on a daily basis so I know what topics are hot. I use this information-gathering to help me come up with interesting and useful blog topics, obviously in the context of the company's products and services. Before I start writing, I conduct SEO research so I know what keywords to include in the title and content of the blog. I incorporate my team's feedback and editing thoughts prior to publishing any content, and I make sure to link any relevant content on the website to the article as well."

Digital Content Managers need to be adept at generating, and leading a team to generate, a variety of different online content types, including blogs. Tell the interviewer how you plan to generate ideas, incorporate search engine optimization (SEO), ensure quality control, and more when it comes to producing a company blog.

How do you know if your website's content is performing well or not?

"I have always loved to write so producing content isn't a problem for me personally, and I also excel at leading teams in creating great content as well. But while it's easy to generate content, the real questions revolve around whether or not it is attracting new customers, retaining and engaging existing ones, building the company's reputation and brand loyalty, and furthering SEO objectives. These questions can quantitatively be answered through the use of data analytics. Within my current role, I use Google Analytics to track metrics like bounce rate, pages per session, click-through rates, exit rates, returning visitors, goal conversions, and more. All of these stats, and many others, assist me in determining the effectiveness of my content and where I need to make adjustments."

It's likely the interviewer believes you are capable of producing good websitecontent, but with this question, they want to know how you plan to quantitatively prove its effectiveness. They are looking for you to talk about data analytics. You will want to mention analytics tools that you know how to use, as well as the metrics that you feel are important to track in order to tell if your content is properly attracting and retaining customers, building the brand's reputation, and helping with search engine optimization (SEO).

What interests you specifically about this job opening?

"I have been thinking about making a move for some time now but was waiting to find the perfect company and opportunity. When I saw your job opening online and looked into your company, I became really excited because it seemed like such a great fit. In particular, I've read the content on your website and elsewhere that your company has posted, and it matches my own style and interests. My background is in producing similar kinds of content, and I would love to generate, or lead a team in generating, this type of content for your company. I also believe I'll fit nicely into your company's innovative, fun, and hard-working culture."

This question provides you with an opportunity to stand out from other candidates by showing the interviewer that you clearly want to work for their company and not someone else. Make sure to have previously researched the company, its culture, and the industry so your answer can speak to those points in particular. You do not want your answer to be general; make it specific.

Why is website content important?

"In my last role, I had the opportunity to work on a team that created the language and blog posts for the company's website. The content on the website is very important because of how it impacts organic search. We incorporated keywords of interest to our target audience into the content so when they searched for those terms on Google, etc. our website showed up at the top of the first search results page. This definitely helped to drive relevant traffic to our website, which increased our sales and business. Having relevant and engaging website content that incorporates SEO keywords is very important to a company's online presence and marketing strategy."

There are lots of different kinds of online content that can be produced and used for marketing purposes, but one of the most important is the language and content that is found on a company's website. Prior to the interview, brush up on the reasons why website content is so vital to a company's online marketing strategy, including how it impacts SEO (search engine optimization) and the company's online presence.

How do you differentiate between good and bad website content?

"I think the first step is knowing my target audience. Who are the customers that I am trying to appeal to? Once I know about them, I can work with my team to create content that they find interesting and helpful. Good content will motivate them to respond and it will educate them about the company's products and services. Bad content, on the other hand, lacks creativity and purpose. I want my audience to seek out my content to find solutions to their problems and to be entertained by it. I also strive to make sure my content is in the places where they look and go online. And an overriding goal of mine is to always increase the audience's awareness of the company brand."

The interviewer is looking to hire someone for this role who will engage, educate, and motivate their customers via online content. They want to know that you will lead your team to produce high quality and effective marketing content. Discuss what constitutes good online content, any experience you have in generating this kind of content, your digital marketing knowledge, and techniques for delivering content.

Digital Content Manager Interview Questions

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1. What do you enjoy about writing?
2. How experienced are you in using emails to promote content?
3. What kind of importance do you place on collaboration with other teams outside of content?
4. In your experience, what is the key to building a good team?
5. Let's imagine that Google decides to devalue a previously successful SEO technique that you use. What would you do?
6. What are the relevant metrics to track ROI on social media?
7. Which social media channels do you recommend for our company and why?
8. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with the people on your team. How did you handle the confli
9. After your content has been published, in what ways would you promote it?
10. How would you allocate a budget for content spend?
11. What content management systems have you used?
12. If it was your first day here, what are the first few things you would do?
13. Are you familiar with any multimedia formats and programs?
14. What content marketing blogs do you read?
15. What kind of content do you have experience creating?
16. How does a company benefit from publishing good content?
17. What do you like and dislike about our company's content?
18. We have a lot of great candidates. Why should we hire you?
19. Tell me what the typical steps are in your content strategy thought process.
20. How would you describe our company's writing style and voice?
21. What are the important factors to consider when creating a brief?
22. What is the biggest challenge you've encountered as a manager?
23. What is your favorite example of a company that is getting content right?
24. How can you tell if the content you have posted was successful or not?
25. How frequently do you use social media both personally and professionally?
26. Tell me the steps you would take to create a blog post.
27. How do you know if your website's content is performing well or not?
28. What interests you specifically about this job opening?
29. Why is website content important?
30. How do you differentiate between good and bad website content?

Digital Content Manager Interview Questions

1. What do you enjoy about writing?

2. How experienced are you in using emails to promote content?

3. What kind of importance do you place on collaboration with other teams outside of content?

4. In your experience, what is the key to building a good team?

5. Let's imagine that Google decides to devalue a previously successful SEO technique that you use. What would you do?

6. What are the relevant metrics to track ROI on social media?

7. Which social media channels do you recommend for our company and why?

8. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with the people on your team. How did you handle the confli

9. After your content has been published, in what ways would you promote it?

10. How would you allocate a budget for content spend?

11. What content management systems have you used?

12. If it was your first day here, what are the first few things you would do?

13. Are you familiar with any multimedia formats and programs?

14. What content marketing blogs do you read?

15. What kind of content do you have experience creating?

16. How does a company benefit from publishing good content?

17. What do you like and dislike about our company's content?

18. We have a lot of great candidates. Why should we hire you?

19. Tell me what the typical steps are in your content strategy thought process.

20. How would you describe our company's writing style and voice?

21. What are the important factors to consider when creating a brief?

22. What is the biggest challenge you've encountered as a manager?

23. What is your favorite example of a company that is getting content right?

24. How can you tell if the content you have posted was successful or not?

25. How frequently do you use social media both personally and professionally?

26. Tell me the steps you would take to create a blog post.

27. How do you know if your website's content is performing well or not?

28. What interests you specifically about this job opening?

29. Why is website content important?

30. How do you differentiate between good and bad website content?