How to Create an Effective Content Strategy
February 9, 2024
February 2024
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
To create your content strategy, you’ll want to consider how you’ll also build a content calendar, how you will organize your content ideas, how often you will publish content, and how flexible your content calendar is. You should also plan to:
To create your content strategy, you’ll want to consider how you’ll also build a content calendar, how you will organize your content ideas, how often you will publish content, and how flexible your content calendar is. You should also plan to:
1. Learn from your competitors
Just as you analyze your own content, you should analyze your competitors’ content. What do they do well? What doesn’t work? Determine how you might be able to replicate success, and fill in the gaps where they haven’t built a strategic advantage.
2. Analyze your keywords
Use tools like SEMrush and Moz to better understand where you rank. Search engines and Google Keyword Planner can also help you find keywords that you may have missed.
3. Find your tools
What content management system (CMS) will you use? How will you build your editorial calendar and stay organized?
4. Perform a content audit
Take an inventory of your existing content and track the types of content, such as article, video or PDF, using a spreadsheet to sort the content by different criteria. Catalog your content by buyer persona, customer journey stage (awareness, consideration, decision), content format, date of publication or last modification, and author.
5. Decide how you will measure results
Determine how you will track results and measure ROI. This can include e page views, time on page, social media engagement, number of new customers, or newsletter signups. What matters most to you will depend on your long term goals.
6. Analyze your content channels
Look at what channels provide the best results for your content marketing efforts. Create an inventory list of content items and Leverage Google Analytics to review the content performance and the landing pages on your website. Use the analytics tools on your social media page, email marketing software and the other software solutions your business uses to track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as user bounce rate, click-through rate, and more.
Types of content to consider in your strategy
Digital content comes in a variety of forms including articles, blogs, high level case studies, diagrams, e-books, social media posts, infographics, knowledge articles, lists, news and opinion pieces, podcasts, slide shows, toolkits, and videos.
Successful, effective content marketing strategies will depend on execution, channel, and topic. It should always be tied to business goals and target audience needs. Effective forms of content include:
Blog posts
Blog posts can educate and inform your audience on your products and services, answer your users’ questions, or tell your story. They also help build organic traffic and keep audiences engaged long after they are published.
Infographics
Informational graphics are a visual way to present complex information in an easy-to-understand image. Infographics are generally very successful on social media channels.
Case studies
Case studies help illustrate how your products or services can specifically help your users.
Videos
Videos provide a glimpse into your organization and offer an opportunity for your users to see themselves using your products or services, being a part of your team, or generating a more personal view of your business.
User-generated content
Using customer images, videos or testimonials that speak to their relationship with you puts the spotlight on your user and reinforces your brand’s credibility.
White papers
White papers break down complicated information, research, or data, and provide expert-level information to help audiences make a decision, understand a topic, or solve a problem.
Podcasts
A podcast is a great option for users who may not engage with a written piece of content but are part of the audience you’d like to engage. Check out our podcast, 40 Front Doors, a podcast for entrepreneurs, leaders, and digital marketers.
Social media
Social media makes it easy to connect with your audience and gives you multiple channels for distributing or repurposing content you’ve created. LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media channels help amplify your message.
Episode details
To create your content strategy, you’ll want to consider how you’ll also build a content calendar, how you will organize your content ideas, how often you will publish content, and how flexible your content calendar is. You should also plan to:
1. Learn from your competitors
Just as you analyze your own content, you should analyze your competitors’ content. What do they do well? What doesn’t work? Determine how you might be able to replicate success, and fill in the gaps where they haven’t built a strategic advantage.
2. Analyze your keywords
Use tools like SEMrush and Moz to better understand where you rank. Search engines and Google Keyword Planner can also help you find keywords that you may have missed.
3. Find your tools
What content management system (CMS) will you use? How will you build your editorial calendar and stay organized?
4. Perform a content audit
Take an inventory of your existing content and track the types of content, such as article, video or PDF, using a spreadsheet to sort the content by different criteria. Catalog your content by buyer persona, customer journey stage (awareness, consideration, decision), content format, date of publication or last modification, and author.
5. Decide how you will measure results
Determine how you will track results and measure ROI. This can include e page views, time on page, social media engagement, number of new customers, or newsletter signups. What matters most to you will depend on your long term goals.
6. Analyze your content channels
Look at what channels provide the best results for your content marketing efforts. Create an inventory list of content items and Leverage Google Analytics to review the content performance and the landing pages on your website. Use the analytics tools on your social media page, email marketing software and the other software solutions your business uses to track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as user bounce rate, click-through rate, and more.
Types of content to consider in your strategy
Digital content comes in a variety of forms including articles, blogs, high level case studies, diagrams, e-books, social media posts, infographics, knowledge articles, lists, news and opinion pieces, podcasts, slide shows, toolkits, and videos.
Successful, effective content marketing strategies will depend on execution, channel, and topic. It should always be tied to business goals and target audience needs. Effective forms of content include:
Blog posts
Blog posts can educate and inform your audience on your products and services, answer your users’ questions, or tell your story. They also help build organic traffic and keep audiences engaged long after they are published.
Infographics
Informational graphics are a visual way to present complex information in an easy-to-understand image. Infographics are generally very successful on social media channels.
Case studies
Case studies help illustrate how your products or services can specifically help your users.
Videos
Videos provide a glimpse into your organization and offer an opportunity for your users to see themselves using your products or services, being a part of your team, or generating a more personal view of your business.
User-generated content
Using customer images, videos or testimonials that speak to their relationship with you puts the spotlight on your user and reinforces your brand’s credibility.
White papers
White papers break down complicated information, research, or data, and provide expert-level information to help audiences make a decision, understand a topic, or solve a problem.
Podcasts
A podcast is a great option for users who may not engage with a written piece of content but are part of the audience you’d like to engage. Check out our podcast, 40 Front Doors, a podcast for entrepreneurs, leaders, and digital marketers.
Social media
Social media makes it easy to connect with your audience and gives you multiple channels for distributing or repurposing content you’ve created. LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media channels help amplify your message.
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