5 steps to develop a Content Marketing Strategy

We have already established the importance of content to your overall marketing strategy, defined what constitutes content and determined that content is king.   The next step is natural: developing a strategy.

As you should know by now I have an affinity to the number five, it doesn’t mean that there are only five steps to creating a content marketing strategy but let’s make it efficient and share five simple steps to start you off on the right foot.

Establish goals – As with any other activity, in business or in life, goal setting is critical for success; and, for your content marketing strategy, it is no less important.  Identify the main purpose for including it in the overall strategy.  Do you want to educate, inform or entertain? Do you want to increase sales and visibility or build brand awareness? Define those goals that are important to your business as you start on the journey towards developing engaging, relevant and valuable content.

Know your audience – Who are you targeting and where are they located are two of the most pertinent questions to be answered in this step.  It is also important to identify specifics such as age, gender, income level, geographic location and education.  Aim to create a customer avatar i.e. your ideal customer type.

Decide on the content type – Are your messages best transmitted through blogs or short, engaging social media posts?  Will you use trivia or quizzes, e-books, images, videos, infographics, webinars or podcasts?  Or maybe you could use a combination of a few.  Bottom line is; decide on what information you will share and the best method to use.

Identify the best channels – While all social media channels are popular, all are not equal.  Some social media outlets appeal to the younger, more modern demographic while others go for the more conservative or professional types.  The most important decision is to identify the best social media channels for your company’s messages and those are usually the ones on which your target audience lives. 

Measure and measure again – Ensure that there are key measurement indicators that identify when the strategy is achieving the set goals or falling short.  Measuring throughout execution of the strategy is important.  It helps to determine when adjustments are needed to achieve the desired outcome.  Use the SMART technique to assist you.