What does a content manager do?

The role of a content manager is vital when it comes to managing a website. Whoever is assigned this role is responsible for planning, organising and allocating content to be written and subsequently published online. Once published, said content must be constantly updated and eventually archived.

Once upon a time, these tasks were the responsibility of the webmaster, i.e., the person who handles the technical aspects of a website. These days, the web is extremely complex and as such, a dedicated role has been developed specifically for these duties: that of the content manager.

What skills do content managers need to possess?

People dealing with content management need to have an in-depth knowledge of how communication on the web works. In fact, content managers are primarily storytellers. They must be able to tell a story, and to convey information through different media and in different languages.

To use an example, a company blog that only publishes written articles might be useful for customers, but could risk becoming boring over time.

A skilled content manager can enrich and diversify content online using images, videos, and content co-created with users, etc.

Content managers also know how to use different linguistic registers on different corporate channels, such as on social media or YouTube, and also know which channels will reach the company’s target audience, and which ones might be less suitable.

Content managers must also possess a decent knowledge of on-page and off-page SEO. In short, they need to be able to create content that’s considered ‘of value’ to search engines, but that also helps improve a website’s reputation.

Last but not least, content managers need to make sure they keep their finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest trends and sector developments, ensuring they also know how to exploit said innovations as conveniently as possible in order to improve website performance.

Finally, in order for a content manager’s work to be truly effective, all content produced for a certain website on a certain topic needs to be consistent in terms of subject matter and the objectives to be achieved.

What are some of the main difficulties that come with translating web content?

When it comes to web content translators, it’s important to respect the work of content managers as much as possible.

This means doing more than simply translating text for a website from one language to another as if it were a standard commercial or informative text.

Translating websites is all about producing SEO-optimised texts, and using a tone of voice that slots in perfectly with the content manager’s goals, while also choosing a linguistic register that’s suitable for both the subject matter at hand, and the target audience. The end goal is for the translated content to perform just as well as the original content.