How to hire a content manager

How to hire a content manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step content manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a content manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new content manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a content manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the content manager you need to hire. Certain content manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect content manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of content managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Content Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Content Manager	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.	$24-53
   Digital Marketing Manager	As the digital marketing manager, you are responsible for managing the various aspects of your company's digital marketing plan and strategy. It is your job to develop, implement, and manage marketing campaigns that promote the company's products and services... Show more	$34-66
   Marketing Account Manager	A marketing account manager is the point of contact for both accounts and marketing companies. You are responsible for establishing contact with new accounts and maintaining strong relations with existing ones... Show more	$24-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Digital Marketing
   • Content Strategy
   • Content Creation
   • Project Management
   • Web Content
   • Content Development
   • WordPress
   • Digital Content
   • Facebook
   • Video Content
   • Client Facing
   • PowerPoint
   • Content Marketing
   • Content Calendar

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage social media, blogging, SEO strategy, and outreach.
   • Assign stories to freelancers and manage that editorial process, including optimizing original content for SEO.
   • Manage, coordinate, and confirm all content updates in the content management system including UI messaging and user assistance.
   • Manage social media marketing, including Instagram
   • Manage implementation of marketing automation software and lead integration with CRM to improve tracking and visibility into campaign performance.
   • Web management responsibilities include WordPress and basic HTML.

   More content manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the content manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A content manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a content manager in Ohio may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level content manager. Additionally, a content manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average content manager salary

   $75,124yearly

   $36.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level content manager salary

   $50,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average content manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$103,798	$50
   2	Washington	$96,963	$47
   3	Oregon	$89,536	$43
   4	Massachusetts	$83,447	$40
   5	District of Columbia	$79,764	$38
   6	Indiana	$78,757	$38
   7	New York	$78,273	$38
   8	Pennsylvania	$77,594	$37
   9	Connecticut	$75,480	$36
   10	North Carolina	$75,277	$36
   11	Oklahoma	$73,146	$35
   12	Virginia	$71,891	$35
   13	Tennessee	$71,010	$34
   14	Maryland	$70,642	$34
   15	Arizona	$70,193	$34
   16	Maine	$69,058	$33
   17	Georgia	$67,984	$33
   18	Illinois	$66,919	$32
   19	Texas	$65,952	$32
   20	Utah	$65,344	$31

   Average content manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$157,604	$75.77	652
   2	Microsoft	$152,507	$73.32	134
   3	Google	$148,388	$71.34	326
   4	Apple	$134,370	$64.60	52
   5	Getaround	$120,711	$58.03
   6	Adobe	$119,839	$57.61	89
   7	Netflix	$117,696	$56.58	47
   8	Lord Abbett	$115,391	$55.48
   9	GLG	$110,814	$53.28	5
   10	Amazon	$104,045	$50.02	885
   11	The Walt Disney Company	$103,131	$49.58	86
   12	The Children's Place	$100,852	$48.49	1
   13	Fiverr	$99,287	$47.73	1
   14	Twilio	$98,743	$47.47	3
   15	ViacomCBS	$97,465	$46.86
   16	ServiceNow	$97,023	$46.65	55
   17	Cinedigm	$96,562	$46.42
   18	Cricut	$95,828	$46.07	14
   19	KPMG LLP	$95,696	$46.01	159
   20	Metropolitan Opera	$95,598	$45.96

4. Writing a content manager job description

   A content manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a content manager job description:

   Content manager job description example

   At DistributionNOW, we believe our associates are the best in the business. We value and reward hardworking, creative, and dedicated employees that desire to be part of a team committed to outstanding customer service.
   START YOUR CAREER NOW.
   The Content Manager position will lead a team of content personnel responsible for global new product creation and master data maintenance. The content team plays a critical role in description and other master data integrity, which drives many DNOW business processes.
   JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Develop catalog reporting/metrics with reporting team to monitor activity, completeness, and data quality.Primary contact and systems administrator for catalog product information management (PIM) system.Troubleshooting SAP IssuesAssertively lead and prioritize catalog master data enrichment projects.Create and maintain various PowerQuery catalog processing tools Enhance and Maintain SharePoint ticketing system (Self-driven preferred or working with programmer within PowerApps) Active coordination and collaboration with eCommerce teams on process improvement and data enrichment opportunities.Identify procedure breakdowns and effectively work with various teams to develop solutions. Making tactical and strategic decisions to better our master data integrity.Educate field operations on DNOW catalog policies and processes.Coordinate and collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Purchasing, Logistics and Operations to ensure strategic goals are met throughout the Supply Chain.Effectively lead and manage change when implementing new master data improvements.Other responsibilities, as assigned.
   JOB REQUIREMENTS:
   2+ Years of Experience in Catalog, Content, eCommerce Management or Product Information Management SystemBachelor's Degree in Information Systems, Business, Mathematics or equivalent experience Building cross-functional relationships and partnering with various departments and teams.Well organized, analytical, results-oriented, and productive in a flexible environment Working independently or with limited supervision.Strong communication, customer service, organizational and time management skills Proficient computer skills utilizing Microsoft Office products (Excel, Power Platform, Outlook) Basic knowledge of SQL databases and data architecture Product knowledge in the oil and gas industry Be proactive and continuously strive to improve our business practices, processes and procedures
   
   BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES:
   The ideal candidate will demonstrate above average skill in the following competencies:
   Quality FocusProject FocusProcess ManagementOrganizational AbilityPro-active ApproachAdaptabilityTime ManagementProblem SolvingWritten CommunicationsIntegrity and TrustDrive for Results
   
   BENEFITS:
   Competitive Salary + bonus 401(k)/ Retirement savings Comprehensive Benefits (medical, dental, vision, life and disability coverage) Career growth opportunities Friendly work environment Paid vacation/holidays

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find content managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any content managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level content managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your content manager job on Zippia to find and recruit content manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit content managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new content manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the content manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new content manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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