If you think content marketing is still about writing blog posts and filling an editorial calendar, the job market says otherwise.
A Semrush analysis of 8,000 US content marketing job listings shows a career in the midst of structural change. Companies no longer hire content marketers just to generate revenue. They want to own visibility across AI-driven search and discovery, control the narrative, and, most importantly, prove business impact.
The middle is narrowing
One of the most obvious features in the data is polarization.
Heavy roles now make up 34% of lists. At the same time, the mid level generalist titles have decreased significantly. “Content Marketing Manager” postings are down 73% compared to 2023, and “Content Marketing Expert” is down 74%, although manager remains the third most common title at 14% of listings.
Meanwhile, senior ownership roles are increasing. Posts for “Head of Content Marketing” grew by 376%, and “VP of Content” increased by 308%. Overall, senior leadership qualifications increased between 300% and 375%.
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In other words, companies invest up and down. They are looking for hands-on producers and top level strategists. The middle layer is dense.
SEO and content are no longer separate
Another big change is the rise of hybrid titles.
“Content SEO Manager” roles now account for 20% of all listings, tied with “Content Creator” for the highest volume in the dataset. That’s a clear sign that content ownership and search performance go hand in hand.
This is not just about ranking in traditional search. As AI-driven discovery changes the way users discover information, content leaders are being asked to manage visibility across all discovery channels. That includes search engines, AI assistants and emerging response engines.
The content is no longer a support function. A receiving station.
Creation is high, writing is low
The language within job descriptions is also expanding.
Mentions of “writing” are down 28% from 2023. At the same time, requests for “content creation” jumped by 209%.
That change may reflect the need for more formats. Employers are showing they expect video, social, newsletters, resumes and AI-assisted workflows, not just long blog posts.
Two roles stand out. Listings for “Content Producer” increased by 1,261%, and “Content Creator” increased by 410%. Together, those titles represent 34% of the total market analyzed. The killing does not go away. Go fast. But it is becoming increasingly platform-conscious and performance-oriented.
Math and storytelling are both important skills
Across the spectrum of jobs, employers are increasingly organizing roles around content, building narratives and measurable results. The statistics come from 40% of executive roles and 36% of non-executive roles. Storytelling follows closely at 29% and 27%.
That pairing is important. Companies don’t just want operators who can pull reports. They want content leaders who can control the narrative and tie it to revenue results. Content is evaluated as a growth factor, not a product side project.
Salaries show a change
Compensation goes again.
The median salary for executive roles reached $161,500, up 54%. Median non-prime wages rose to $80,000, a 29% increase. The maximum salary range also increased significantly at both levels. That suggests companies are willing to pay for ownership, accountability and measurable impact.
AI is now expected
AI is also becoming a basic expectation rather than a specialty.
Thirty-four percent of executive roles and 19% of non-executive roles address AI. However, specialized skills such as rapid engineering or AI content creation appear in less than 1% of the list.
The takeaway is subtle but important. Employers expect content marketers to learn about AI. They don’t expect to be AI engineers.
AI moves from the separator to the default.
What does this mean for content marketers
The content marketing role of 2026 is no small writing task. It is a broad mandate of visibility.
At the release level, companies are looking for producers who can create formats across the board and distribute them with performance in mind. At the leadership level, they are looking for managers who can align SEO, AI discovery, analytics and storytelling under one measurable strategy.
The days of content as a cost center are coming to an end. The job market shows something else entirely. Content is redefined as the infrastructure for growth.
You can read the entire study here. (No registration required)
