A web content officer

If you've always had a knack for writing whether it's for essays technical write-ups or fantasy novels and you know your way around websites and their online presence then maybe working as a web content officer is for you. It's all about crafting exactly the right phrase to go into exactly the right place so that everyone gets the information they need - on mobile tablet or desktop.

Read on to find out more!

Hannah Baker Web Content Officer

CAN YOU DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY ON THE JOB?

We’re currently in the process of upgrading our whole website to a new design so most days I am busy reworking existing content to fit our templates match our style guide and meet our accessibility standards. I also make edits to the existing site and build new pages as needed.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS CAREER? WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO DO SO?

I’ve always loved writing and learning. This job provides me with ample opportunities to do both.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THREE KEY PERSONALITY TRAITS OR SKILLS THAT MAKE SOMEONE SUITED TO YOUR ROLE?

1. Imagination. Who are you writing for? How will your writing look on their screen or sound to them if they’re using a screen reader? Is there a better way to structure this information? If you can imagine the user experience you can try to foresee and eliminate problems.
2. An eye for detail. Consistent spelling and punctuation help keep a website looking professional and easy to read. And the right synonym can really help an important sentence stand out.
3. Perseverance. You might have to do a lot of editing before everyone’s happy. Your first draft might seem perfect to you but it might not be accurate enough for the subject matter expert clear enough for the user or concise enough to fit on a small screen.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF THROUGH THE WORK THAT YOU DO?

I have a pretty good memory! If someone in my team is trying to remember where they last saw a specific bit of content when to use an ‘en’ dash versus an ‘em’ dash or how to do a certain process I’m usually able to help them out.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BEST MOMENT AT WORK?

Publishing a reworked section of the site is always a wonderful feeling. It’s great knowing that everyone can finally see the beautiful functional accessible new site that you helped make!

AND A DIFFICULT MOMENT?

Sometimes it's hard to find the balance between someone's big ideas and what is possible between technical or time constraints. I don't like letting people down but I've had to learn how to explain why we can't do what they want and suggest alternatives.

Websites are living documents. Just because something's not possible now doesn't mean it will be forever! I’m learning when to say ‘okay it’s not perfect but it’s good enough it’ll do for now.’

HOW DO YOU KEEP GOING WHEN THINGS GET CHALLENGING?

My team is so wonderful really knowledgeable and a lot of fun. We encourage and support each other through any challenges and frustrations.

ARE THERE ANY SURPRISES OR ODD THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T EXPECT IF THEY PICKED THIS CAREER?

Before starting this job I thought I would only be working with words. I expected to be set to work writing editing and proofreading content. So imagine my surprise when the first thing I was asked to do was log into the content management system and create a webpage!

I’ve had some incredible opportunities to learn about web production and technical development as well as hone my writing skills. I love the variety of work that I get to do in my role.

PLEASE SHARE A FUNNY OR WEIRD STORY ABOUT SOMETHING YOU EXPERIENCED IN YOUR ROLE.

I started this job during lockdown in 2020 so I met my entire team over video chat. Some of them claimed (and still claim) not to have webcams so I only actually saw their faces for the first time several months later when we were ‘back’ in the office… for a colleague’s farewell party.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE PURSUING A CAREER IN THIS INDUSTRY?

Writing poetry with formal constraints such as a haiku or a sonnet is actually pretty good practice for writing within technical constraints! It can be a fun challenge to fit all the information you need into the space of 160 70 or even 30 characters.

But more generally I encourage you to ask questions read a lot and learn every doing!