Writing to get paid is an aim for many people.

However, what if you crave bigger challenges & opportunities to learn and add more value?

Content marketing is one field that gives you a chance to continue working on your craft and deliver value that goes beyond a set number of words.

To start the same, you must develop a fundamental understanding of a few key areas.

In my journey from a writer to a marketer, a foundation in these 5 areas has helped me the most:

1. Content Strategy

   Understand your customers and how does content fit into your overall marketing strategy and business goals. Learn about buyer personas & their pain points that can be solved with content.
   

2. Writing Fundamentals

   This is a no-brainer yet easy to ignore because you might think you know everything about writing. Paul Graham's essays on writing & Ann Handley's Everybody Writes could be a great starting point.
   

3. Content Flywheel

   Learn the ins and outs of content distribution and repurposing. These tactics lead to a content flywheel to keep the marketing engine running.
   

4. Content Marketing Measurement

   Understand the basics of how web traffic is measured & attributed. An excellent resource for this area is the See, Think, Do, Care framework by Avinash Kaushik.
   

5. Project Management

   When you transition to content marketing, you're no longer just a writer. You'd be responsible for multiple projects & for even managing a team of writers. That's why you'd need to be familiar with project management.

All the above areas serve as a foundation of a holistic content marketing skillset that can drive business revenue and customer impact.