I see a content strategist as someone who is responsible for the verbal aspects of brand strategy. Their job goes beyond writing to covers tone and voice, messaging and emotions, naming and nomenclature. It can involve managing other writers and contributing to product and brand innovation.
Copy strategists have an eye on all verbal communications, not just the written word.
Do I need one?
You might, especially if your organization doesn’t have someone in-house who is directly in charge of copy and content. A copy strategist can be very useful if your marketing projects are framed in terms of a deliverable (I need a brochure. So I need a writer to write it.) rather than in terms of a communications objective (I need to inform my customers about a new product. What would be the best way to get the message across?).
Producing copy for a wide range of deliverables can lead to a confusing mish-mash of voices, tones and styles – unless you have someone overseeing it all. That’s the job of the copy strategist.
