Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Steurer.
Rebecca, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
One of my favorite questions to answer is, “How did you become a content strategist?” My answer is typically responded with a slight head tilt along with the statement, “really?” That’s because my answer is, “I graduated with a degree in Nutrition and a Master’s in Exercise Science.” That’s right. My intent while in college was to work in corporate wellness where I could turn complicated health information into comprehensible information people could use to make healthy choices. My goal did come true, I worked as a Wellness Coordinator at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
During that time, the physicians group, NMPG, asked me if I’d be interested in working for them to manage their health information page on their website. Now, the Internet was still in its infancy. Most sites consisted of PDFs and a left navigation on the homepage, at least in the Academic Medical Center world. We didn’t have content management systems like WordPress, Drupal or Sitecore. But boy was it exciting. While managing the health information page, I also was given free rein to update content throughout the site so it read well on our desktop screens. As technology improved, so did the hospital’s need to share information online so I was promoted to Content Manager of nmh.org.
Wanting more knowledge and experience, I left the hospital and found myself working at Manifest Digital as the Associate Director of Content Strategy. After several years of working in the agency world, I decided to go out on my own and start my own content strategy consultant business, Content R|S – Making content real simple, co-founded Content Academy, the premier school for teaching content strategy and Succeed with Content Strategy podcast and cohort.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I am fortunate that my experience has been a smooth adventure. Since going out on my own, I’ve had steady work and have met amazing growth-minded colleagues who provide support. I do constantly ask myself if I’m on the right path, and so far my answer is yes.
Please tell us about Content R|S – Making content real simple.
I am in the midst of three startups:
1. Content R|S – This is my consulting business that works with organizations on developing and implementing their content strategies for social media, websites, newsletters, emails, etc.
2. Content Academy – This is the school I co-founded with Scott Winterroth where I focus on teaching professionals how to become content strategists.
3. Succeed with Content Strategy – This is my newest adventure. It’s for marketing, communications and PR professionals, bloggers, copywriters and content strategists who have one common thread: developing the right content for the right audience at the right time using the right channel. It’s a resource to help them to stay on top of content strategy best practices and to be part of a cohort of individuals who want to share their knowledge, ideas and get/receive support along their journey. I offer content strategy coaching as well.
My businesses are quite unique as content strategy is still a relatively new career, and there aren’t many people officially doing what I do. I want to change that. You can typically hear me say, “The world needs more content strategists.”
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Swimming at my grandmother’s pool. I never wanted to get out of the water. When it was time to go, I’d swim under the water, pretending I didn’t hear my parents telling me to get out. And, when I did get out of the pool, I was not happy.
Pricing:
- Applied Content Strategy 10-Week Online Course – $1999.00
- Content Strategy Coaching – Individual Session: $99 (one 90 minute phone session) Monthly Session: $300 (four weekly phone sessions)
- Succeed with Content Strategy Cohort – Yearly Membership: $360 Monthly Membership: $39
- Content R|S Services – Based on project. A typical content strategy runs between $7000 and $10,000
Contact Info:
- Address: 3033 N. Clark Street
Chicago, Illinois 60657 - Website: https://www.contentrs.com, https://contentacademy.com, https://succeedwithcontentstrategy.com/
- Phone: 773-710-5551
- Email: rebecca@contentrs.com
- Instagram: @content.rs, @contentacademy, @succeedwithcontentstrategy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ContentRS/?ref=bookmarks, https://www.facebook.com/teamcontentacademy/, https://www.facebook.com/succeedwithcontentstrategy/
- Twitter: @succeed_content, @contentacademy
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