Here's how you can assess the effectiveness of Content Strategy professionals.

Content Strategist Scorecard: Metrics: Track website traffic, leads generated, engagement (likes, shares, comments), brand awareness (mentions, social media sentiment). Goal Alignment: Assess how well content aligns with overall business goals (increased sales, brand awareness). Content Quality: Evaluate content for relevance, accuracy, and value to the target audience. Adaptability: Measure how effectively they adjust strategies based on data and user feedback. Communication & Collaboration: See how well they communicate strategy, collaborate with teams, and gain stakeholder buy-in. Look for a combination of strong metrics, strategic alignment, and effective communication skills.

Evaluate their ability to align content with business goals, analyze audience needs, measure content performance, adapt strategies based on insights, demonstrate creativity, and effectively collaborate across teams for cohesive execution.

Search engine optimization has become an important and major part of the digital landscape, because it contributes a large percentage to your sales. And your appearance when searching for the service, so you must make sure that the content strategist is sufficiently aware of it and can provide this service professionally.

In my experience, evaluating a content strategist's skill mastery goes beyond surface-level qualifications. One time at work, we conducted a comprehensive skills assessment for our content team, focusing on their proficiency with SEO tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs, their ability to craft compelling narratives, and their expertise in analyzing content performance using Google Analytics. We also reviewed their portfolio to see real-world examples of their work. This approach helped us identify who had the technical know-how and the creative flair to develop strategies that resonated with our audience and achieved our business goals.

Evaluate how well the strategist understands your industry, and does he have enough experience to achieve your business goals? You can do this by watching his previous works.

The better a strategist understands overall business strategy the better they'll be able to align the content strategy. If they can't figure out how to integrate content to achieve business objectives and reach the goals, then the content will be useless and will only be there to show a presence, your strategist should know how to achieve business goals using content strategy.

One thing I have found effective is to assess how well a content strategist's plans align with our business objectives. During a previous project, we evaluated a candidate by asking them to present a sample content strategy that supported our goal of increasing brand awareness. They included a detailed content calendar, outlined targeted keywords, and set specific, measurable KPIs. Their strategy was integrated with our broader marketing efforts and leveraged multiple channels such as social media, blogs, and email newsletters. This alignment demonstrated their understanding of our needs and their ability to create cohesive, goal-driven content plans.

Analytics are a great way to map resonance. And resonance promises sales or more business. If the content generated has the ability to resonate with your target audience, your work is done and your content strategy professional is good enough to handle it. I don’t mean to say that this professional should be tasked to convert leads into clients but just generating enquiries, more likes, shares, impressions is an evident and solid proof.

Content is the core of the strategy, so it must be written in high quality. Make sure that the strategist is good at creating all types of content with high quality that suits your industry.

A content strategist is not a person who creates content but they are the one who strategies the content, the better they understand what is required by the target audience the better they can strategies the content, they can guide the writers & editors, and make the most out of the content. A strategist knows that quality is always superior then quality, so they might reduce the frequency of content but they will never compromise on the quality and relevancy of the content.

Quality is paramount in content creation. One time at work, we conducted a quality audit of our existing content to assess its effectiveness. We looked at the engagement metrics like time spent on page, bounce rates, and social shares, alongside qualitative factors such as relevance and originality. Using tools like Grammarly for grammar checks and Hemingway for readability, we ensured the content was polished and accessible. The audit revealed insights into which pieces performed well and why, guiding future content creation to maintain high standards and better engage our audience.

Good content is simply that which suits the audience and makes them interact with it, so review the extent of the audience’s interaction with the strategy’s inferences, the rates of views, likes, and shares, and the amount of sales achieved.

One of the keys to assess effectiveness is the audience response to said content. As humans, sometimes our opinions can be biased based on our own experiences, and this happens mostly when we are not the target audience of our brand. That's why, doing regular check-ins and studies of our target, together with paying extra attention to the way they engage is vital for deciding if a content creator is good or bad. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to do this is testing it, so this means that creators must go through a testing period before being offered a long-term cooperation opportunity.

Tracking your content's effectiveness is crucial. If you can't track, you can't prove its value. Your strategy should directly impact your brand positively. Ask yourself: -Are your visitors increasing? -Are those visits converting into actions? Visits alone aren't enough. You need conversions. More leads are great, but are those leads turning into customers? A powerful tracking system answers these questions and helps refine your strategy. Focus on: Visitor metrics, Are they increasing? Conversion rates, Are visitors taking desired actions? Lead quality, Are leads turning into customers? Engagement, Are people interacting with your content? Without proper tracking, you're in the dark.

The hallmark of an effective Content Strategy professional lies in their dedication to continuous enhancement of their tactics. Constantly updating and optimizing strategies in response to evolving industry trends and audience preferences is crucial. Regular A/B testing of various content elements, including formats, headlines, and calls-to-action, is essential to discern what resonates most effectively with our audience. This iterative testing ensures that our content remains compelling and relevant. A professional who embraces ongoing learning and adaptation in their strategy formulation not only stays ahead of industry curves but also significantly bolsters our content marketing's long-term impact and success.

To assess the effectiveness of Content Strategy professionals: Analyze KPIs: Evaluate key performance indicators such as engagement metrics, conversion rates, and SEO performance. Review Content Quality: Assess the relevance, clarity, and creativity of the content produced. Monitor Deadlines: Check if projects are consistently completed on time and within budget. Solicit Feedback: Gather feedback from colleagues, stakeholders, and audience to understand their impact and effectiveness. Evaluate Strategy Alignment: Ensure their content strategies align with overall business goals and objectives.