The Bullsh*t-Free Guide to Hiring a Fractional Content Lead
No filler. Just strategic clarity, sharp edits, and a content system that actually works. This is what hiring the right fractional content lead looks like.
For Founders, CMOs, and Brand Builders Who Know They Need Help — and Refuse to Settle
What Is a Fractional Content Lead (and What’s Just a Fancy Title)?
A fractional content lead is not your content marketer, your copywriter, or your SEO intern in disguise. It’s also not someone who’s “figuring it out as they go” while billing you for vague strategy sessions.
A good one brings:
Strategic oversight and editorial decision-making
Deep knowledge of messaging, voice, and positioning
The ability to execute and guide a team — not just ideate
Systems and structure that scale with your business
What we’re not:
An outsourced blog factory
A VA with a Canva login and a social media scheduler
Someone who creates busywork to justify a retainer
Think of a fractional lead as your editorial operator and voice architect — someone who sits at the intersection of content, brand, and growth.
What to Watch Out For (Red Flags You’ll Thank Yourself For Catching)
If you're hiring one of us, here's what to run from:
“AI-first” strategists who can't define your POV
If they talk more about prompt engineering than positioning, keep it moving.
Writers who’ve never led a team or built a system
Managing freelancers ≠ leading content. Ask about processes, not just deliverables.
People who dodge analytics
If they can’t show how content maps to KPIs, they’re guessing — and you’re paying.
Buzzword overdose
Look out for “value-driven omnichannel vertical alignment.” What does that even mean?
Ghosting between deadlines
You don’t need to micromanage someone who’s truly senior. Ever.
Too much talking, not enough showing
Ask for real work samples — ideally with performance metrics or growth outcomes.
10 Questions to Ask in a Discovery Call
Don't ask “What’s your process?” unless you want to hear rehearsed nonsense. Ask these instead:
What’s the first thing you audit in a content system — and why?
How do you approach finding a brand’s true voice?
Can you give an example where you fixed messaging misalignment?
How do you track content performance? What do you report on?
How do you know when content is working — and when it’s just noise?
Tell me about a time you built an editorial system from scratch.
How do you handle teams that don’t “get” content?
Do you edit directly or give feedback only?
How do you balance brand tone with performance goals?
How do you work with ChatGPT or AI tools — if at all?
How to Tell If Someone Can Handle Strategy and Execution
This is where most people get burned.
Some strategists are big-picture brilliant — but couldn’t write a CTA to save their life.
Some writers are talented — but can’t zoom out far enough to align with business goals.
Some freelancers are just chameleons — they give you what you ask for but never push beyond the brief.
You want the rare blend:
→ A thinker who can write
→ A writer who can lead
→ A systems-builder who can see your gaps before you name them
How to test it:
Ask them to diagnose one of your current content problems (live or async)
Pay attention to how they talk about sequencing, delegation, and scaling
Listen for how they connect brand voice to business goals — not just vibe matching
What You Should Expect From a Fractional Content Lead
A solid fractional content lead engagement isn’t just about producing content — it’s about owning the entire ecosystem. That means overseeing messaging to ensure your voice and narrative stay consistent across every channel, not just on brand but on purpose.
It includes planning out your editorial calendar, mapping campaigns, and building a repurposing strategy that actually saves you time. A good lead manages the team — briefing freelancers, editing final drafts, and keeping projects on track without hand-holding. They track performance tied to real KPIs like conversions, retention, or visibility, not vanity metrics. They think in systems: tools, workflows, and processes that scale with your growth.
And they don’t just write — they edit at a high level, making sure your headlines hook, your body copy lands, and your CTAs convert. Most importantly, everything they do aligns with your actual business goals — not just some vague idea of “doing content better.”
A 5-Minute Gut Check Before You Hire
Ask yourself:
Am I hiring a content lead to relieve pressure — or to create direction?
Do I need someone who can just “do stuff,” or someone who can think with me?
Would I trust this person to give direct feedback to my CEO or investors?
If I left the business for 2 weeks, would the content still move forward?
If the answer’s no — keep looking. The right person will make you feel lighter, not louder.
Want to Hire Right the First Time?
You already know what doesn’t work. You’re not here to babysit or burn budget on another pretty proposal with zero follow-through.
If you want strategy, structure, and sharp content — from someone who’s built editorial teams, fixed flat messaging, and can edit like a scalpel — I’m that person.
Let’s talk.
