Building Smarter Content Systems for Scalable Growth
Judy Tay, Head of Content, First Page Digital
Judy Tay, Head of Content, First Page Digital
Judy Tay is the Head of Content at First Page Digital, where she focuses on building scalable content systems. Her previous role focused on managing writers and brand storytelling, but her current role revolves around automating SEO and performance marketing workflows, training teams in content frameworks, and using AI to scale what works, not replace it.
Evolving from Storytelling to Strategic PerformanceContent used to be about telling a great story. Now, it’s about saying the right thing, at the right time, to the right person. And ultimately, to drive results.
My philosophy has shifted from creating content for visibility to creating content for performance. Today, I think in terms of funnels, formats, and functions. Where does this piece sit in the journey, what’s its job, and how will we know it worked? Good content still needs a strong voice, but today it also requires clear purpose, distribution smarts, and the ability to adapt quickly.
What Sets High-Performing Content Teams ApartEspecially in a global agency where scale and speed matter, the strongest teams are aligned on strategy, not just deliverables. Through years of exposure, instinct, and trial by fire, I’ve developed a modular content system that breaks messaging into repeatable blocks. These can be used across formats, channels, and markets.
The best teams also understand performance. They don’t wait to be told why something didn’t work. They are trained to ask the right questions, dig into metrics, and work cross-functionally with performance and SEO teams to optimise messaging, not just formats. That kind of team isn’t built overnight, but once you have it, content stops being a service function and starts being a growth lever.
Why the Future Belongs to Content ArchitectsToday’s content leaders will shift from simply managing people and production to architecting systems. Their job will be to build scalable engines that combine human insight with automation.
We’ll be expected to lead content strategy, data fluency, and ops simultaneously, connecting AI workflows with performance outcomes. For example, we’re already using tools like Make.com and Airtable to automate SEO blog production at scale while keeping human quality control where it matters most.
Synthetic media won’t dilute creativity. It will demand more of it. When everyone can produce, your edge is in judgment: knowing what to say, how to say it, and which ideas to scale. That’s the new brief.
Advice for Rising Talent in the Content WorldStop waiting to be told what to do; own the challenge. The fastest way to grow is to take initiative, to connect your work to outcomes and keep learning. Creativity alone isn’t enough anymore. If you don’t understand how your work moves the needle, you’ll be replaced. Build range. Learn strategy, not just execution. Know how content fits into ads, funnels, and search. Write for both humans and algorithms. Take feedback seriously, but not personally And honestly, the people who succeed aren’t always the most talented. They’re the ones who show up sharp, stay curious, and step up before it’s comfortable.
