ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE
Sporting News is seeking creative and driven freelance college sports writers to contribute to its affiliate and commercial content team. This is a high volume writing position best suited for flexible, supplemental work or aspiring sports marketers or journalists.
Contributing writers supporting SN’s growing affiliate and commerce business are business-savvy, detail-oriented, well-versed in SEO best practices and energized to work in a fast-paced production environment.
This role requires versatility across all college sports with some ability to write on major pro sports as needed to support SN’s partners. While a heavy focus is on college football and basketball when in season, weekly assignments could include everything from volleyball and track to baseball and softball. Candidates should expect approximately 15-25 hours per week, Though working hours are flexible, weekend availability is a plus. Weekly flat rates are determined by volume of assignments though expected pay range is on par with $20-25 per hour, commensurate with experience. Work can be done remotely.
HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT YOU’LL (PRIMARILY) DO
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Curate and write 4-8 assigned stories per day
- File stories on-time to editors directly in SN’s CMS
- Apply SN’s SEO best practices by following established protocols
- Execute link strategy with specific call-to-action copy and placement
- Implement product enhancements to deliver best-in-class how to watch content
DO YOU HAVE THESE ESSENTIALS?
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1-3 years of digital marketing and/or sports media experience
- Demonstrated ability to write quickly with clean, concise copy
- Basic knowledge of SEO tools and best practices, including writing headlines, URLs and copy for a search audience, and how to farm Google Trends for content ideas
- Sharp business acumen with demonstrated capacity to understand how SN’s editorial strategy aligns with commercial goals
- Creative news judgment instincts to discern interesting content from noise
- An eye for smart data and compelling entry points to enhance storytelling
- A strong, versatile understanding of most college sports, and a willingness to learn others outside your comfort zone
- Ability to work nights and weekends, as required
NOT ESSENTIAL BUT GREAT IF YOU ALSO HAD
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College degree in marketing, journalism, English, sports management or related field
- Experience writing about sports betting odds and trends
- Understanding of how to use audience data and tools to shape content strategy
- Ability to learn new roles and adapt in a constantly evolving industry
