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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Writer Intern

💰 $15/hr - $25/hr

WritingInternshipContentMarketing

🎯 Role Definition

The Writer Intern supports our content and marketing teams by researching, drafting, editing, and optimizing written materials across blogs, newsletters, social media, product pages, and internal documentation. This internship emphasizes SEO-driven content creation, audience research, editorial best practices, and cross-functional collaboration with marketing, design, and product teams. The Writer Intern will build a portfolio of published work, gain exposure to content strategy and analytics, and contribute to content calendars and campaign execution.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • University student studying English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, or related field.
  • Freelance or student writer with a portfolio of articles, blog posts, or class projects.
  • Communications, PR, or marketing intern transitioning into a dedicated writing role.

Advancement To:

  • Content Writer / Staff Writer
  • Copywriter or SEO Copywriter
  • Junior Editor or Associate Editor
  • Content Strategist / Content Marketing Specialist

Lateral Moves:

  • Social Media Coordinator
  • Marketing Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Conduct thorough topic research using primary and secondary sources, industry reports, and competitor analysis to create accurate, authoritative, and well-structured SEO-optimized blog posts and long-form articles that align with brand voice and content strategy.
  • Write clear, compelling, and audience-focused web copy for landing pages, product descriptions, and feature pages, following brand guidelines and conversion-focused best practices to improve engagement and CTR.
  • Produce timely social media captions, microcopy, and campaign copy for platforms including LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, and Facebook, ensuring messaging is tailored to platform tone and audience behavior.
  • Draft email newsletter content, subject lines, and preview text that follow email marketing best practices and A/B test hypotheses provided by the marketing team to increase open and click rates.
  • Collaborate with designers and content strategists to transform briefs into publishable content—creating headlines, subheadings, CTAs, and meta descriptions that improve readability and SEO performance.
  • Edit and proofread copy for grammar, style (AP/Chicago/house), clarity, and consistency; perform final polish on articles and marketing materials to maintain high editorial standards and reduce revision cycles.
  • Conduct keyword research using tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz and incorporate primary and secondary keywords naturally to improve organic search performance.
  • Optimize on-page SEO elements including title tags, meta descriptions, H1/H2 structure, internal links, alt text for images, and structured data suggestions to support organic traffic growth.
  • Maintain and update the editorial calendar, track content deadlines, and coordinate revisions with writers, editors, and stakeholders to ensure timely publication and campaign alignment.
  • Support content repurposing efforts by converting long-form articles into social posts, infographics, email snippets, and short-form video scripts to extend content value across channels.
  • Conduct interviews with subject-matter experts, product managers, or customers, synthesize insights, and convert raw information into coherent articles, case studies, or thought leadership pieces.
  • Assist with performance tracking by pulling basic analytics (pageviews, time on page, bounce rate, conversion metrics) and summarizing results to inform content iteration and SEO priorities.
  • Follow brand, legal, and compliance guidelines when creating product-related or regulated-industry content; flag potential legal or compliance issues to senior editors.
  • Participate in editorial review meetings, brainstorm sessions, and content planning to contribute creative ideas and align writing priorities with business goals and seasonal campaigns.
  • Localize and adapt content for regional audiences where applicable, collaborating with localization teams or translators to ensure tone and cultural relevance are preserved.
  • Maintain a personal portfolio of published work and document content outcomes (traffic, conversions, engagement) to demonstrate growth and impact during the internship.
  • Use content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress, Contentful, or HubSpot to format articles, upload images, set categories/tags, and ensure SEO fields are completed prior to publishing.
  • Monitor industry trends, competitor content, and emerging topics to recommend new content opportunities, topical clusters, and evergreen content ideas that support long-term organic growth.
  • Support paid campaign copy needs by drafting ad creatives, headlines, descriptions, and landing page variations informed by keyword research and audience personas.
  • Apply basic HTML/CSS when necessary to adjust formatting, embed media, or troubleshoot layout issues within the CMS to ensure published content displays correctly across devices.
  • Participate in peer editing and content QA processes by reviewing colleagues’ drafts, providing constructive feedback, and ensuring factual accuracy and brand alignment.
  • Create and maintain style guides, glossaries, and asset lists to standardize terminology, abbreviations, and formatting across content produced by cross-functional teams.
  • Assist with transcription and summarization of webinars, podcasts, and interviews to create blog posts, show notes, and content assets that expand content reach.
  • Support outreach for guest posts, contributor bios, and external content partnerships by drafting outreach templates, follow-up copy, and contributor guidelines.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc content requests from product, sales, and customer success teams including one-pagers, FAQs, and case study drafts.
  • Contribute to the organization's content strategy and roadmap by proposing topic clusters, pillar pages, and content experiments based on keyword and audience research.
  • Collaborate with marketing, SEO, design, and analytics teams to translate campaign goals into written deliverables and actionable content briefs.
  • Participate in sprint planning, editorial stand-ups, and agile ceremonies to estimate writing tasks, report progress, and adapt to shifting priorities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • SEO writing and on-page optimization (title tags, meta descriptions, H1/H2 hierarchy, internal linking).
  • Keyword research using tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, or Ubersuggest.
  • Strong command of AP Style, Chicago Manual, or house editorial standards and experience applying them in published content.
  • Content Management Systems (CMS) experience — WordPress, Contentful, HubSpot, or similar.
  • Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) for drafting, tracking, and collaborating on content.
  • Basic HTML/CSS for formatting, embedding media, and troubleshooting content display issues.
  • Familiarity with analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Google Search Console) to read basic traffic and engagement metrics.
  • Copywriting for web and marketing: headlines, CTAs, ad copy, email subject lines.
  • Social media content creation, scheduling tools (Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social) familiarity preferred.
  • Research and interview techniques to source accurate information and craft authoritative content.
  • Experience with editorial tools: Grammarly, Hemingway, or similar editing and clarity-checking tools.
  • Content repurposing and modular writing techniques for multi-channel distribution.
  • Basic understanding of UX writing principles and microcopy.
  • Familiarity with multimedia content workflows: transcribing audio, writing video scripts, or creating show notes.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional written and verbal communication with strong attention to grammar, clarity, and tone.
  • Curiosity and intellectual rigor for deep-dive research and fact-checking.
  • Strong time management and organization to handle multiple deadlines and editorial priorities.
  • Collaborative mindset—able to accept feedback, iterate quickly, and work with cross-functional teams.
  • Creative problem solving and idea generation for content topics and campaign angles.
  • Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced, iterative content production environment.
  • Critical thinking to synthesize complex information into accessible content for target audiences.
  • Detail-oriented with strong self-editing skills and an ability to maintain consistency across content pieces.
  • Initiative and ownership — proactively identifying gaps and proposing improvements to the content process.
  • Empathy and audience awareness—writing with clarity for diverse readers and buyer personas.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma; currently enrolled in or recently completed an undergraduate program preferred.

Preferred Education:

  • Pursuing or completed a Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Creative Writing, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Creative Writing, Media Studies, Digital Media

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–1 years (suitable for current students, recent graduates, or early-career writers with a portfolio)

Preferred:

  • 1+ internship or freelance experience producing blog posts, marketing copy, or editorial content; demonstrable portfolio of published work; familiarity with SEO principles and CMS publishing.
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