How to assess content strategists
Content strategy goes beyond writing. Assess editorial judgement, audience research, systems thinking, SEO acumen, and the ability to connect content to business outcomes.
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Key competencies for content strategists
Editorial judgement and quality standards
Evaluate ability to assess content quality, maintain brand voice consistency, make editorial decisions about tone, depth, and structure, and provide constructive feedback.
Audience research and user understanding
Assess how strategists research audience needs, develop content personas, map content to user journeys, and use data to validate content decisions.
Content systems and scalability
Measure ability to design content frameworks, governance models, taxonomies, and workflows that scale — the difference between a writer and a strategist.
The right test types for content strategists
Content strategy requires analytical thinking, editorial skill, and business acumen. Assess all three.
Case studies
Present content strategy challenges — repositioning a brand voice, designing a content hub, diagnosing declining organic traffic. Tests strategic thinking and analytical approach.
Artifact review
Have candidates review a content audit, editorial calendar, or content brief with planted issues. Tests editorial judgement, SEO awareness, and strategic thinking.
AI voice interviews
Evaluate how strategists articulate content vision, defend editorial decisions, and communicate strategy to stakeholders who may not understand content value.
Situational judgement tests
Present scenarios involving brand voice conflicts, SEO vs editorial trade-offs, stakeholder demands for off-brand content, and content crisis management.
MCQ assessments
Test content strategy fundamentals — SEO concepts, content audit methodology, analytics metrics, UX writing principles, and information architecture.
Multi-test batteries
Combine Case study + Artifact review + AI interview for comprehensive evaluation of strategy, editorial judgement, and communication.
Building a content strategist assessment
Design assessments that predict strategic content impact.
Define competencies
Core content strategy competencies: editorial judgement, audience research, content systems thinking, SEO strategy, and business alignment. For UX content roles, add interaction design and user research.
Design the assessment
For senior strategists: Case study (content strategy challenge) + Artifact review (content audit critique) + AI interview (strategic communication). For junior strategists: MCQ (fundamentals) + Case study (content brief).
Score against competencies
A strategist strong in editorial quality but developing in SEO is a different profile than one strong in analytics but weak in brand voice. Competency profiles inform hiring and development.
Beyond the writing sample
Writing samples show craft. Competency assessment tests the strategic thinking, analytical skills, and business alignment that separate writers from strategists.
Tests strategy, not just writing
Case studies and artifact reviews test how strategists think about content systems, audience needs, and business goals — not just whether they can write a clean paragraph.
Reveals analytical skills
Content strategy increasingly requires data literacy. Case studies with analytics data reveal how strategists interpret performance metrics and make data-driven editorial decisions.
Consistent evaluation
Every candidate faces the same content challenges scored against the same rubric. No more evaluating based on portfolio curation and interview charm alone.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I still require a writing sample?
Writing samples complement but should not replace structured assessment. They show craft quality but not strategic thinking, analytical ability, or collaboration skills. Use artifact review as a more rigorous alternative that tests editorial judgement in context.
How do I assess UX content strategists vs brand content strategists?
Both share core competencies. UX strategists get heavier weighting on user research, interaction design awareness, and content testing. Brand strategists get heavier weighting on editorial voice, campaign thinking, and channel strategy.
Can I assess SEO skills in a content strategy assessment?
Yes. Include MCQ questions on SEO fundamentals and case studies that require SEO-informed content decisions. Artifact review can include SEO audits with planted optimisation opportunities.
What is the ideal assessment length?
45-60 minutes. Case study (20 min) + Artifact review (15 min) + AI interview (15 min) provides comprehensive coverage of strategy, editorial judgement, and communication.
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