How to Build a Successful Content Team: Lessons From My Experience

Soooo, I’ve managed a content team for 2+ years before, and thought to share some things I’ve learned along the way. 👇🏻

Hope you find this helpful. And, if there’s anything I’m missing, feel free to add in the comments.

Over the years, I’ve made mistakes, learned from them, but also have shaped a workflow that actually works. Managing a content team is just a mix of a lot of things which I’m going to discuss in this post. 

Let’s get to this!

What Does It Take To Build a Strong Content Team?

Building a strong content team isn’t just about hiring the best content writers and calling it a day. There’s so much to it!

Hiring for skill isn’t enough

Sure, skills and a solid portfolio matter, but hiring based on skills alone is a recipe for chaos. You also need people who are curious, collaborative, and genuinely excited about working with you.

In my experience, the best team members weren’t always the best content writers. Most of the time, they were people who got involved in the company’s mission, could accept and give feedback, and were able to discuss complex situations. 

You can always teach tools and techniques, but you can’t teach character and personality. So, don’t give yourself a headache.

Keep things clear

This one’s about tasks and expectations. While you don’t have to micromanage, it’s good to let everyone know on the team exactly what you’re expecting.

Your team should never have to guess what their work will be like. So, be ridiculously clear, if needed.

Diversify skill set

You don’t need 50 people who are capable of the same things. When it comes to a strong content team, having “writers” isn’t enough. 

I took some time to figure out the strengths of each person, which tasks were done best by who, which member needs to improve a skill, etc. You get it.

By mixing all of these qualities (aka the great qualities of each team member) you will get a better foundation for a successful content strategy.

7 Lessons I Learned As a Content Manager

After a few years in this, I’m happy to share my humble tips on working as a content manager. 

1:1 meetings are the best

I’m a HUGE introvert. There’s nothing that can make me leave my comfort space of not interacting with people if I don’t have to. 

But when you’re in a management role, you actually have to. Because it will help communicate your expectations, give feedback, and resolve conflict situations.

My weakest spot was on the latter so I’m glad I was working with friends who helped me out. 1:1s though, are a whole different thing. 

They allow you to be more focused, open up more, and help the other person open up as well. Most of the time, these help set a friendlier tone for the meeting even if you’re going to say something negative.

Organize work ahead of time

This is another of my favorite things to do (as a planner) because it also allows more freedom. Here’s how. 

• you won’t juggle between content calendars, meetings, and missed deadlines

• your team will thank you too because there’s never a rush

• no last-minute stuff, so all the work gets done

• if someone is sick, there’s no need to worry 

There’s more to this, of course. The point is that when the team knows what’s coming but they’re already prepared, there’s no worry or stress. Just a structured work approach.

Discuss new strategies with your team, don’t just assign them

As simple as this sounds, this will make your teammates feel more included in what’s going on. I don’t mean getting their approval of whether a strategy is good or bad. But talking to them about it, introducing why and how you’ll be doing it, and getting some feedback is a great way to get started. 

I mean this for anything new. So, whenever we had a new plan or an approach to something, I had to gather the team, introduce them to what’s going on, and ask their opinion on that. 

Content is creative work, and people do their best when they understand the “why,” not just the “what.” So before you assign tasks, take a moment to discuss the vision, the goals, and maybe even brainstorm together.

Conflicts should be talked over in private

ALWAYS.

It’s so humiliating to do this in front of others. More so, if you’ve ever been in such a situation, you’d be familiar with that awkward feeling. 

Let’s face it, conflicts in the workplace are inevitable, but handling them with grace is key. A rule I stick to is: talk about conflicts in private only.

Pull people aside, have a one-on-one conversation, and address the issue directly. Trust me, no one wants to feel like their mistakes or frustrations are on display for the entire team to see. And if you’re like me, a fan of avoiding awkward situations, this approach will make your life a whole lot easier.

As Digital Marketing Specialist Irene Latorre mentions:

We’ve all experienced uncomfortable situations while working and managing teams—conflicts within a workgroup can be a serious concern. For me, the key has always been to maintain clear and direct communication with the team. They need to understand the consequences of their actions, both positive and negative. Meeting outside of the workplace but during work hours helps people feel less overwhelmed; sharing a coffee and talking can be a perfect way to start a difficult conversation. Sometimes, simply delegating tasks to others when someone doesn’t feel comfortable with them, or rotating responsibilities, helps keep the team motivated.

Be a friend, but don’t forget you’re a manager

Honestly, I’m not a fan of the word “manager.” But, on the other hand, you can’t just be a friend to your whole team, right?

So, what do you do? Being a manager isn’t just about giving orders and sitting in meetings all day. It’s about being there for your team, being their cheerleader, and yes, even having those casual conversations that make everyone feel like they’re part of something.

Irene also shares:

I believe that one of the most important things about being approachable while still being the manager is understanding and getting to know the people on your team—knowing how they manage their emotions and how they react to feedback—so you can communicate with them in the best possible way.

However, never forget that you’re also responsible for guiding the team and making tough decisions which is where the manager part comes in. 

It’s about balancing both - find the sweet spot and you’ll have your team’s trust, respect, and productivity.

Give the feedback you’d want to receive

This is one of the most challenging ones. How do you tell someone you’re not satisfied with the blog they wrote? Or that they’re not being productive enough? 

We all have different ways we like to receive feedback. For me, it’s crucial that feedback be both honest and constructive, focusing on specific examples of what worked and where I can improve.

With this in mind, I always focus on being specific, highlighting exactly what worked and what didn’t. I also make sure to offer solutions or alternatives, so the feedback feels like a helpful guide rather than just a critique.

Feedback is a broad topic, so I had to also ask other specialists about it.

Even though it may sound absurd, the first thing I do when something isn't working is to inspect what exactly isn’t working in order to truly understand the problem. Is it the person, the task, or external factors? Once I have a clearer idea of what the problem might be, I meet with the people involved and we talk until we find common ground to resolve the issue. It’s crucial to have a healthy relationship with your team, because people need to feel comfortable expressing their concerns and not feel that what they say might affect their future at the company.

, says Irene.

After all, we all appreciate a little recognition for our hard work. Speaking of which.

Recognize even the smallest wins

Not every victory will be a traffic spike for your blog or a viral Instagram post. Progress often looks like small improvements: a better meta description, a blog post ranking a little higher, or a new idea that gets a good reaction from readers. 

As a content manager, noticing and celebrating these little wins can make a big difference for the people in your team. It shows your team that you see their efforts, not just the end results.

Stay humble — always (by Rute Marques 🫧 )

Humility goes a long way in leadership. It’s easy to assume that managers need to have all the answers or always be the most confident person in the room. But honestly, the leaders I admire—and who continue to inspire me—are the ones who don’t pretend to know everything.

They ask questions. They listen more than they speak. They admit when something didn’t go as planned—and they don’t make it awkward when others do the same. Being humble doesn’t make you look weak. If anything, it builds trust, because people feel safe being real around you. And when a team feels safe, they do their best work.

So even if you're leading the charge, staying grounded and human can be one of your strongest assets.

Conclusion

Building and managing a content team isn’t about being the loudest person in the room or having a high ego to yourself. It’s about keeping the balance between productive work and a friendly approach to your teammates. 

Given my experience, I wouldn’t say you can achieve that perfectly (I mean, if you can that’s great). However, for me it’s like a golden point where the strength of your team gets really worked out. 

And honestly, that’s the kind of win every manager or team lead should aim for.

What struggles and wins did you have as a content manager? Comment, and let's connect! 👋🏻