This one is just for the professional writers in the audience.

You may have seen that we have a listing of recommended Copyblogger Certified Content Marketers. I’m going to tell you a bit about who those folks are and how they’re selected.

If you want to hire an excellent professional writer who understands content strategy, that’s where you look for one.

And if you’d like to join that group of recommended writers, this is how you can apply.

What’s in the program

Certification has three main components:

Education

The Certification program starts with a four-week online course taught by me and Brian Clark. It’s designed to take you from being an excellent writer to being an excellent writer who can implement content strategy.

“The Certification program pulled it all together for me. It was truly my aha moment — I got it! Not to be melodramatic, but all the components of content marketing aligned for me.” – Mark Crosling

Note: This isn’t a writing course. If you don’t come into the program with solid writing skills, you won’t leave with them, either. We may do a writing course at some point (I’d like to), but that day is not today.

The course will show you how to think about content strategy at a professional level. It includes workbooks and checklists you can bring with you to client meetings, so you can nail down the hard questions (and look incredibly smart and prepared) before you write a single line for your clients.

Once you’ve completed the course, you’re eligible to submit your work and apply for Certification.

Application

Not everyone who completes the course becomes Certified.

Every application is closely reviewed by someone on our writing team. We’re looking for excellent writing, professional presentation, and a demonstration of solid content strategy. If your application shows us a writer we’d be proud to recommend, you’ll be Certified.

Every evaluation includes a detailed critique. So if there’s a fixable problem, you’ll know what the specific issue is and how to correct it … and you can re-apply.

For me, this individual application process is at the heart of what makes Certification valuable. You’re not showing that you could pass a multiple-choice quiz — you’ve shown work that demonstrates, to a fellow professional writer, that you’re a pro with solid skills.

Ongoing education

The program also includes membership in our Authority community of content marketers. That’s where you’ll get ongoing education for your Certification, including sessions on traffic strategies, evolving content best practices, and insights into how to run a more profitable business.

You can even apply for an in-depth mastermind-style “hot seat,” where we take a close look at your business and help you develop a plan for how to reach your next goals.

“The other thing about the program that’s great is the invaluable support and information you get during and AFTER you’ve completed it. Being in the Authority program gives me access to awesome continuing education. Worth every penny — and the listing on the site has really gotten me a ton of work.” – Trudy Roth

What it’s doing for our writers

Making a living as a writer isn’t easy. Finding new clients, managing your business as a business, positioning yourself to rise above the pennies-per-word freelance treadmill.

The Certification program exists to reward good writers with more clients, more revenue, more stability, and more respect.

“The education Rainmaker Digital provides through Authority and the Content Marketing Certification program has helped me further advance my freelance writing career, and the result has been an increase in the quantity and quality of client inquiries.” – Kristi Hines

We also, of course, reap the benefits of having a highly qualified group of professional writers we can point to when businesses tell us, “We’re sold on content strategy, but we can’t find anyone who can implement it well.”

What you should do next

• If you’re a writer and you want to turn yourself into a valued content strategist
• If you’re a writer and you want support and advice on reaching your professional goals
• If you’re a writer and you want to find better clients and belong to a prestigious list of recommended writers

… then you want to join us and get Certified.