What Does a Content Moderator Do?

Content moderators are responsible for reviewing and editing content on websites, apps, or other digital platforms. They’re often tasked with removing inappropriate or objectionable material, but they may also be asked to add new content or update existing content as needed.

Content moderators must have a strong understanding of the company’s brand identity and values in order to ensure that all content is consistent with these standards.

Content Moderator Job Duties

A content moderator typically has a wide range of responsibilities, which can include:

• Reviewing website content, including text and images, to ensure that it follows company guidelines
• Reviewing content to determine if it violates any laws or regulations, such as those pertaining to hate speech, bullying, or harassment
• Reviewing content for plagiarism or copyright infringement, or for obscene language or pornographic images
• Reviewing content for obscene language or pornographic images, such as photos or videos, which might violate state laws regarding child pornography
• Monitoring social media channels for illegal activity or violations of company policies
• Reviewing content for libelous statements or violations of intellectual property rights such as copyright infringement or trademark infringement
• Reviewing content for potential threats to public health or safety, such as instructions on how to make explosive devices or biological weapons
• Reviewing content for bias or discrimination against specific groups of people based on age, race, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression
• Reviewing content for legality in order to remove any illegal or inappropriate material

Content Moderator Salary & Outlook

Content moderators’ salaries vary depending on their level of education, years of experience, and the company they work for. They may also earn additional compensation in the form of bonuses.

• Median Annual Salary: $47,000 ($22.6/hour)
• Top 10% Annual Salary: $85,000 ($40.87/hour)

The employment of content moderators is expected to grow slower than average over the next decade.

Employment growth will largely be driven by the continued need for content moderation in online advertising and social media. However, automation may limit the number of jobs available over the next decade. Automation software can detect some types of inappropriate content, such as pornography or hate speech, and remove it from websites.

Related: Content Moderator Interview Questions and Answers

Content Moderator Job Requirements

A content moderator typically needs to have the following qualifications:

Education: Content moderators are typically required to have a bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, communications or another related field. Some employers may prefer candidates who have a master’s degree in English or journalism. These degrees provide content moderators with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively review content and understand the nuances of language and writing.

Training & Experience: Content moderators typically receive on-the-job training to learn the specific processes and procedures of the organization. Training may include shadowing current content moderators or learning from a training manual. Training may last from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the organization.

Certifications & Licenses: While not required, content moderators can earn certifications to show their dedication to the role and increase their earning potential.

Content Moderator Skills

Content moderators need the following skills in order to be successful:

Attention to detail: Attention to detail is the ability to notice small changes and make corrections. As a content moderator, you may be responsible for ensuring that all content is accurate and free of errors. This requires you to pay close attention to the details of the content you review.

Active listening: Active listening is the ability to hear and understand what someone is saying. This is an important skill for content moderators because they need to understand the purpose of the website, the tone of the content and the rules of the website. Active listening can help you understand the purpose of the website and the tone of the content so you can check the content for compliance.

Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. As a content moderator, empathy can help you relate to the people you moderate and understand their emotions. This can help you moderate content more effectively and improve the user experience on your site.

Critical thinking: Critical thinking is the ability to analyze a situation and make a decision based on the information you have. As a content moderator, critical thinking is an important skill to have when reviewing content. You need to be able to determine if the content is appropriate for the audience it’s intended for and if it violates any company policies.

Familiarity with social media: Content moderators who work in social media are responsible for ensuring that the content on a company’s social media accounts is appropriate and follows the company’s guidelines. Familiarity with social media is important for these professionals because they need to understand the different types of social media and how to use them.

Content Moderator Work Environment

Content moderators typically work in an office setting, although some telecommute. They typically work full time, although some may work part time. They may work evenings and weekends to keep up with the 24/7 nature of the internet. They may also work overtime during busy periods. The work can be stressful, as moderators must make quick decisions about whether content is appropriate or violates the site’s terms of service. They must also be able to deal with disturbing images and videos.

Content Moderator Trends

Here are three trends influencing how content moderators work. Content moderators will need to stay up-to-date on these developments to keep their skills relevant and maintain a competitive advantage in the workplace.

The Growth of Digital Content

The growth of digital content is a trend that is having a major impact on the world economy. As more and more people turn to the internet for information, businesses are starting to realize the importance of having quality content on their websites.

This is where content moderators come in. By reviewing and editing content, they can ensure that it is accurate and meets the standards of the company. In addition, they can also help to create new content that is relevant to the business’s target audience.

Content Moderators Need to Be More Than Just Editors

Content moderators need to be more than just editors in order to stay competitive in the job market. In order to keep up with the ever-changing world of digital content, content moderators will need to be able to manage a wide range of tasks, including but not limited to:

• Copywriting

• Research

• Social Media Management

• SEO Optimization

• Video Production

As the demand for digital content continues to grow, content moderators who are able to handle these types of tasks will be in high demand.

More Collaboration Between Teams

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend towards collaboration between teams. This is due to the fact that many companies now understand the value of cross-team communication, and how it can lead to better results.

Content moderators can take advantage of this trend by becoming familiar with other teams within their organization. This will allow them to collaborate on projects and share ideas, which can result in a better overall product.

How to Become a Content Moderator

A content moderator career can be a great way to get started in the digital media industry. As a content moderator, you’ll be responsible for reviewing and approving content that is submitted to a website or app. This could include anything from user-generated comments to blog posts and product reviews.

The main responsibility of a content moderator is to ensure that all content on the site is legal, meets company standards, and is free of offensive material. You’ll need to have strong communication skills and be able to work independently with minimal supervision.

Advancement Prospects

Content moderators typically start out in entry-level positions, such as content analyst or content reviewer. As they gain experience, they may be promoted to content manager or content director. Those with strong leadership skills may eventually become vice presidents or chief operating officers of their companies.

Content Moderator Job Description Example

At [CompanyX], we pride ourselves on being a safe and welcoming online community for everyone. We are looking for a content moderator to help us keep our site clean and respectful for all users. The ideal candidate will have experience moderating online content, as well as a strong understanding of our company’s values. He or she will be responsible for reviewing user-generated content and flagging anything that violates our terms of service. The content moderator will also be responsible for responding to user inquiries and concerns in a timely and professional manner.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Review and moderate user-generated content for compliance with company guidelines and terms of service
• Escalate content that violates company policy to the appropriate team for further review
• Use independent judgment to make decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of company policies and procedures
• Understand and apply complex content moderation rules
• Provide feedback to content creators to help them improve their submissions
• Work with cross-functional teams to resolve issues and improve content moderation processes
• Stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices
• Identify process improvements and recommend solutions to management
• Train new content moderators on company policies and procedures
• Assist with special projects as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, English, journalism, or related field
• 3-5 years professional writing and editing experience
• Excellent research skills
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and with a team to meet deadlines
• Familiarity with social media platforms and content moderation tools

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Experience working in a fast-paced environment
• Experience moderating user-generated content
• Knowledge of HTML and CSS
• Proficiency in a foreign language