Editor, Content Innovation

Job Overview:
Sunset Magazine is seeking a visionary Editor, Content innovation to lead the charge in leveraging AI to create cutting-edge editorial products and significantly drive audience growth and revenue. This role is central to our mission of innovating content creation for both print and digital platforms while maximizing engagement and monetization opportunities.

Responsibilities:

1. Content Creation and Management:
• Develop and produce high-quality, AI-powered editorial products such as Special Interest Publications (SIPs) and digital stories, e.g., Epic Western Gardens or Modernism Week, Best Homes in the West and other SIPs.
• Create high-volume, SEO-friendly stories optimized for traffic growth using archival materials, real-time trends, and keyword research.
• Collaborate with editorial and design teams to ensure AI-driven content maintains Sunset's brand voice and quality standards.
• Mine Sunset’s 125-year archive of books and magazines to create new content, repurpose legacy material, and craft bespoke editorial projects that celebrate our history while meeting modern demands.
• Spearhead the creation of an AI-powered Western Garden Book or app, leveraging archival knowledge to provide readers with gardening insights, planting guides, and interactive features.
2. Editorial Innovation:
• Spearhead the use of AI tools to produce, write, and build bespoke and automated editorial products.
• Revitalize and enhance legacy content, such as the Western Garden Book, with AI capabilities.
• Identify and implement cutting-edge AI technologies and workflows to optimize productivity and content quality.
3. Traffic Growth and Revenue Generation:
• Drive website traffic growth through targeted AI-driven content strategies, focusing on top keywords and audience demand.
• Develop and execute strategies to convert page views into revenue through programmatic advertising, direct-sold ad deals, and ecommerce.
• Oversee cross-platform promotion of SIPs via pre-order campaigns, Shopify, Amazon, Ingram, Spark, and other retail channels.
4. Best Practices and Tool Development:
• Stay abreast of current best practices in AI-driven content creation, SEO, and audience growth.
• Identify and implement AI-powered tools and platforms for content automation, such as ChatGPT, Jasper, Surfer SEO, or Adobe Sensei.
• Develop proprietary tools and workflows to streamline production and enhance Sunset’s content offerings.
5. Audience Engagement and Strategy:
• Collaborate with marketing teams to promote editorial products across social media, email, and other channels.
• Use analytics to monitor performance and optimize content strategies to align with business goals.
• Lead the creation of bespoke AI-powered products tailored to specific audience segments.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in AI-driven content creation, digital publishing, or related fields.
• Deep understanding of SEO best practices and tools (e.g., Google Analytics, SEMrush, Ahrefs).
• Fluency with AI-powered content platforms (e.g., OpenAI, Jasper, Copy.ai, or similar).
• Experience in editorial production, including building long-form content, SIPs, or newsletters.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with a track record of meeting deadlines and KPIs.
• Ability to analyze data and use insights to inform content strategy and editorial decisions.
• Experience with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and third-party retail channels like Amazon and Ingram Spark.

Preferred Skills:

• Strong storytelling and packaging skills.
• Familiarity with programmatic advertising and audience monetization strategies.
• Proficiency in creative tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva) for product development and design collaboration.
• Background in archival research and storytelling with a passion for revitalizing legacy content.
• Knowledge of the Western lifestyle, home and design, gardening, cultural and historical relevance, and travel themes central to Sunset’s brand.

If you are a forward-thinking AI enthusiast with a passion for digital storytelling, audience growth, and innovation, we’d love to hear from you!

This role will be based in Los Angeles, CA and is expected to come into the office 1-2 times/week. The salary range is $80,000-110,000 annually.