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Content Manager Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Content Manager interview questions and answers.

  1. How does your education and experience make you qualified for this role? See answer
  2. In what ways can the company improve its digital content? See answer
  3. How have you used search engine optimisation in your previous work? See answer
  4. What excites you about writing and editing, and how do you keep website content fresh? See answer
  5. Describe a time when you helped another writer or editor succeed with a project. See answer
  6. Which media platforms have you used, and how will that experience help you in this role? See answer
  7. What steps do you take to ensure you meet deadlines? See answer
  8. How will your organisational skills make you successful in this role? See answer
  9. What do you know about the company’s brand and target audience?
  10. Are you familiar with the company’s policies and style for posting digital content?
  11. Why is it important to use website analytics, and what tools have you used in previous jobs?
  12. Which factors determine how you post content on a particular social media platform?
  13. What strategies have worked well for you for engaging an audience?
  14. Which areas are you trying to improve on for producing and editing content?
  15. Describe a time you collabourated with coworkers to complete a successful project.
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Content Manager Interview Questions and Answers

How does your education and experience make you qualified for this role?

To possess the skills needed for the content manager job, the candidate should have a degree in media studies, communications, journalism, or English. This question helps you assess if they have a good understanding of what the job involves. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience writing and editing digital content 
  • Marketing experience
  • Project management experience 

Example:

"I earned a journalism degree at Northern University and took several editing courses. I became the editor of the university newspaper and then worked for three years producing digital content for a marketing firm. I'm excited to take the next step in my career."

What do you know about the company's brand and target audience?

The candidate can demonstrate their knowledge of the company with this question. They should be familiar with its goals, image, and target market. These factors shape the digital content that's going to be produced. An ideal candidate is enthusiastic about providing content for the company. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

  • Good storyteller 
  • Skilled at target messaging
  • Knowledge of the company

Example:

 "Your social media posts motivate people to be more active and to wear your company's clothing when they take part in outdoor activities. I have experience producing digital content for clothing companies, and I'm skilled at targeting a message to a specific clientele."

Are you familiar with the company's policies and style for posting digital content?  

A good candidate should know your company's unique style and have the ability to tailor content to it. This question helps you determine if the candidate knows your company's policies for creating acceptable content for blogs, social media accounts, and discussion boards. What to look for in their answer:

  • Knowledge of the company
  • Ability to recognise appropriate content
  • Skilled at writing in different styles

Example:

"I know what you're looking for in terms of suitable digital content. I noticed the company's style is to use catchy slogans and humour to engage audiences. My previous work in advertising has helped me write in this style, and I'm also experienced with formal writing."

In what ways can the company improve its digital content?

A candidate should suggest ways to make improvements to your digital content. Their answer to this question will give you a glimpse into how they strategize for projects and their creativity and innovation for making positive changes. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

  • Professionalism
  • Analytical and problem-solving ability
  • Skilled at recognizing good content

Example:

"Your website is informative, and I use it all the time when I plan excursions into the city. I found in my previous work that people are drawn to video, and posting videos of people using your buses and enjoying activities in the city can increase traffic to your website."

How have you used search engine optimisation in your previous work?

This question allows you to assess the candidate's knowledge of search engines and SEO best practises, keywords and links, writing meta descriptions and title tags, and producing relevant content. All of this is important for driving more people to your website and building stronger relationships with your target audience. A candidate's answer should demonstrate: 

  • How to do keyword research
  • How to use keywords in content 
  • Ability to produce compelling content 

Example:

"I used Google Keyword Planner in my previous job, and it helped me to increase website traffic by 30%. I prioritise using keywords in all my content, whether it's writing blogs or producing videos."

Why is it important to use website analytics, and what tools have you used in previous jobs? 

In order to tailor content in a way that engages customers and increases sales, the content manager needs to understand how people interact with the company's website. Since this will be a big part of the job, it's important to gauge their knowledge of website analytics tools. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to interpret data
  • Willingness to change how they're producing content 
  • Enthusiasm for using website analytics

Example:

 "Using website analytics helps a company exceed the competition. In my previous role, I used Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics to track website traffic, page views, social media shares, and email clicks, which allowed us to create content that was more engaging and informative than that of our competitors."

What excites you about writing and editing, and how do you keep website content fresh?

This question can help you identify whether a candidate can consistently produce engaging and entertaining content that will benefit your company. Look for someone who is skilled in writing and coming up with new ideas. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

  • Creativity
  • Ability to write appealing content 
  • Enthusiasm for producing content

Example:

"I write about varying topics, such as politics, science, and sports. I stay enthusiastic because I'm always exploring new topics to research and write about. I also enjoy the challenge of coming up with different angles to stories and different ways to convey a message to an audience."

Describe a time when you helped another writer or editor succeed with a project.

The content manager will be overseeing a team of writers and editors, so you need to know how they can mentor and assist others. Just as important as their own skills for developing content is their ability to get the most out of the employees they'll be managing. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

  • Leadership and responsibility 
  • Working as part of a team
  • Mentorship skills 

Example:

"In my most recent job, the company hired a writer who had just completed his journalism training. I helped him research his first few assignments and provided tips. I enjoyed the mentorship role. He went on to become a successful writer and earned a promotion within the company."

Which media platforms have you used, and how will that experience help you in this role?

You shouldn't expect the candidate to be an expert in all media platforms, but they should have a grasp and understanding of most of them. This question allows them to demonstrate their knowledge of your media platforms and articulate their experience using content management software such as WordPress. A candidate's answer emphasises:

  • Understanding of media platforms
  • Experience using various platforms
  • Basic HTML skills 

Example:

"In researching your company, I know you use numerous media platforms to engage customers. This attracted me to apply for the job because I have experience writing blogs, creating newsletters, posting on social media, and producing videos. I'm excited to use these skills to help your company increase sales."

 Which factors determine how you post content on a particular social media platform?

Posting the same message in the same way on various social media platforms doesn't work, as these platforms have different demographics. This question allows you to assess the candidate's knowledge and experience with social media and how skilled they are at targeting their messages to different audiences. What to look for in an answer:

  • Learning ability
  • Ability to connect with customers
  • Ability to adapt to different social media platforms

Example:

"When I post on Facebook, I make sure that people can engage with the content by commenting on it and sharing it. I tell stories with photos on Instagram, and I use Twitter for quick updates. I'm skilled at tailoring my messages to fit with the social media platform."

 What strategies have worked well for you for engaging an audience?

You need to know the candidate will produce content that will engage your customers. Even if the writing is strong and the message is clear, a marketing campaign will fall short if it doesn't connect with the audience. Their approach to marketing and sales will become clear in their answer to this question. What to look for in their response:

  • Marketing experience
  • Ability to grow an online community 
  • Vibrant personality 

Example:

"Sharing interesting articles and customer testimonials are strategies I've used in previous work. Hashtags have also helped me engage an audience. I always respond quickly to comments on my posts to keep viewers engaged."

 Which areas are you trying to improve on for producing and editing content?

Look for honesty in the candidate's answer. Even if they're skilled at using every media platform, striving to get better is a good sign of their character. If they're hired, this question will allow you to have the resources in place to train the candidate in the areas they want to improve. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

  • Willingness to discuss shortcomings
  • Strengths in many areas
  • Open to new ways of learning 

Example:

"I'm experienced in writing and editing, but most of my recent work has been on the writing side. To sharpen my editing skills, I recently took on a volunteer role editing website content for a charity organisation. I'm always looking for new ways to improve my skills."

What steps do you take to ensure you meet deadlines?

You need to know the candidate can meet and enforce deadlines for the writers and editors they'll be overseeing. They need to work well under pressure, and the discipline they show to get their work completed on a time is a sign of good leadership. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

  • Time-management skills
  • organisational skills
  • Ability to motivate others

Example:

"I was a newspaper writer before I started producing content for websites, so I'm experienced at meeting deadlines. I use my time as efficiently as I can. If I have only 10 minutes in my day to work on a project that's due next week, I'll take advantage of that time because this can make a tremendous difference in meeting my goals and deadlines."

Describe a time you collabourated with coworkers to complete a successful project.

The content manager will work on projects with web developers, graphic designers, marketing managers, and social media managers. They'll also have regular meetings with members of the content team. You need to know they can work well with others. A candidate's answer demonstrates:

  • Teamwork
  • Listening skills
  • Ability to share ideas and offer constructive feedback

Example:

"I initiated a marketing campaign in a previous job that increased sales at an electronics store. The employees of the store shared stories of their favourite products on social media, and it helped customers connect with the staff. I pitched the idea to the marketing manager, wrote the advertising content, and motivated my coworkers to participate as well."

How will your organisational skills make you successful in this role?

You need to know that the candidate can set and adhere to schedules, such as when drafts and revisions for articles will be completed, when the content will be published, and when to post social media notifications. The job involves overseeing many parts of a project, so they need strong organisational skills. Paying attention to detail is also a sign they're a skilled editor. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

  • Detail-oriented
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment 
  • Communication skills 

Example:

"I spend a lot of time planning projects rather than rushing into the work. I make sure everyone involved in the project knows what their duties and deadlines are. I also regularly ask employees for progress updates."

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