I have always been a thrill of the chase kind of writer. Taking difficult topics and mastering them as a wordsmith was always a dream of mine. I truly envy those who know exactly what they want to do before they even begin applying for colleges. When my aspirations of becoming a veterinarian were voluntarily cast aside, I decided to put pen to paper (literally at that time) and start a career in writing – more specifically, journalism.

Chasing the Story – Why I Chose Journalism

The fast-paced, brow-furrowing, clock-ticking, white-knuckled environment of journalism fascinated me. I loved the constant challenge of gathering facts and information and formulating a story in the nick of time. I thrived on pushing myself to be a great writer, even in unfavorable conditions and under somewhat stressful deadlines. Glutton for punishment? Perhaps.

There wasn’t a topic that I found too boring, but I wasn’t really into “gotcha” journalism, either. I was assigned to the most random beats in college because my advisor knew I was up for the challenges. I eventually took over our college newspaper as layout editor, because I excelled in finding a visual flow for all of the content.

Here Comes the “Dear John” Letter to My Career

The main reason I left journalism? Believe it or not, it wasn’t because of money, pressure, or lack of advancement opportunities – though those are all common reasons why journalists ditch the profession. I am also often asked if it was because print journalism is dying. If I am unable to grow with the changing digital world, then I should just retire my degree and start over. Needless to say, that’s not the reason why, either.

I Was Tired of Merely Reciting Information

Don’t get me wrong, I had a great journalism professor that gave me more opportunities than I thought possible. She gave me so much versatility in the journalism world so I was able to really experience all of it and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

It’s not that I felt that the articles were irrelevant or unimportant. I just wanted to tell a story – something that people would remember. News is fickle and fleeting. I wanted to represent a passion and not a story.  I wanted to build relationships. I longed to have conversations that didn’t involve my one-sided questions. I wanted a challenge that wasn’t solely based on my ability to get information from other people. Sure, that’s also a big part of content marketing, but I am able to insert my creativity in tandem with the information I am given. I am able to enhance a piece of content with my knowledge and writing style. In news writing, I am simply to report the facts in the most reader-friendly way possible.

 

Reporting and Content Marketing Are Like Long-Lost Best Friends

The shift to content marketing was fairly easily, given that both industries require very similar skill sets – captivating writing, the ability to meet deadlines, the talent to write catchy headlines, a keen eye for a good photo/graphic, and immense attention to detail.

We are used to writing for real people and understanding the importance of knowing your audience. Since content marketers (especially those working in an agency) are often asked to produce content for industries they may not be familiar with, the ability to find the right people, ask the right questions and source the right information is crucial.

Oh Look, Something Shiny – A Marketer’s Challenge

Marketing in the digital age means that people have more to be distracted by, as well as shorter attention spans. Providing prospects with a positive UX is the only way to get them to take in all of your content. With so many forms of media available, we are easily swayed from whatever is currently in front of us – especially with social media and the never-ending barrage of “read this article” or “watch this video clip” real-time requests from friends and family. For example, if you don’t catch a viewer’s attention on your website in under three seconds, you’ve lost them. THREE SECONDS. The need to stand out is more important than ever. Remember when I said I enjoyed challenges? Yep, still applies

The Same, Yet Completely Different

Instead of chasing ratings, I am now chasing leads. Leads are no longer the beginning of the story, but they are real living subjects for whom content is built around. Instead of writing headlines and bylines, I write blogs, social content, and ads. Instead of writing to fit columns in a tabloid or broadsheet, I am creating content and graphics for a standard web page, or smaller if working with Facebook and Twitter ads.

I appreciate my roots and where journalism has taken me. So, journalism students, when someone tries to tell you that you will never make a living as a writer, don’t sweat it. Whether journalism tkes you into a newsroom or into an agency, you will leave journalism school with an immeasurable creative skill set that can be applied in many industries.