In January 1996, Bill Gates published an essay titled “Content is King.” In this essay, he boldly claimed that content is where much of the real money on the internet will be made. Surprisingly, over two decades later, his prediction still holds water.
Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet, just as it was in broadcasting.
– Bill Gate
A content production strategy is part of any good digital marketing strategy. Without the right strategy, your content marketing efforts are likely to be unfruitful. Not sure how to develop a content marketing strategy? We’ve got you covered!
Table of Contents
What Is a Content Strategy?
Content strategy refers to the planning, development, and management of content that you publish in the media. If you’re trying to spread awareness about your business, a content strategy helps you do that by posting relevant content that attracts your customers’ attention and keeps them interested.
If you want more people to know your brand, you can use a content strategy to make your website show up on Google through search engine optimization. Once your website starts to rank based on your content strategy combined with SEO efforts, more people are likely to visit your website, and maybe buy your products or use your services.
The basics of content strategy include:
- Who: Who creates the content?
- What: What sort of content will be published?
- When: When will it be posted?
- Where: Where will it be posted?
- Why: Why are you doing it? (To grow your business!)
- How: How are you sharing it with audience, and how are you measuring success?
Why Do You Need To Develop A Content Marketing Strategy?
Without a plan, your content marketing is like a spontaneous road trip. If you’ve ever found yourself in these situations, it’s time for a content strategy:
- You’re stuck with nothing to post.
- Your content is all over the place, and you’re not sure what works where.
- You don’t know what your audience likes.
- You suddenly realize you haven’t posted anything today.
- You’re clueless about what to post next.
A content marketing strategy is your roadmap for all these challenges and more. With a strategy, you can use data to see what’s working. Content marketing involves different teams. Sales teams use it to nurture leads, while marketing teams use it to reach new customers.
No matter your company’s size, you’ll use content to promote your products or services. Having a plan keeps everyone on track. Instead of scrambling to create content on the spot, you’ll have it ready and scheduled.
You might also want to read: SEO in social media-What is it and how does it work in 2023
7 Steps to Develop A Content Marketing Strategy
Read down below to find out how to develop a content marketing strategy:
1. Define your goals
Start by figuring out why you’re making content. Is it to get more leads, boost website traffic, or show your brand as an expert? Once you know your goals, set clear targets. If possible, make them measurable so you can measure how well your content marketing works.
Recent B2B survey reveals:
- 80% found content marketing effective for creating brand awareness.
- 75% used it to build credibility and trust.
- 70% used it for educating their audience.
Setting clear goals helps steer your content strategy in the right direction.
2. Know your target audience
When it comes to content marketing, understanding your audience is key. If you aim to attract a particular group, you must know their preferences. You also need to figure out what kind of content appeals to them.
So, start by defining your target audience, this should include basics like age, gender, location, and income of the audience. But don’t stop there. Consider their hobbies, worries, and what drives them. This helps you create content that truly connects with your target audience.
3. Perform content audit
Before diving into new content, take a moment to revisit what you’ve already published. Reflect on the types of content you’ve put out, how well it has performed, and whether it has helped your company reach its goals. Also, consider the flip side: have there been pieces that didn’t quite hit the mark or took you off course?
By going through your current content library, you can pick up clues about what your target audience may or may not like in the future. This valuable information can shape your upcoming content plans.
In addition to auditing your own content, you can gain insights by analyzing your competition. Looking at what others in your field are doing can reveal industry norms and opportunities to create new content that addresses gaps and serves your customers better.
During this competitor analysis, examine the seo content strategies of businesses targeting audiences similar to yours. Pay attention to the kinds of content they publish, where they share it, how their audience engages, and the topics they cover.
Then, think about which elements of their content approach you might want to adopt and how you can take your content to the next level compared to what’s already out there.
4. Search for keywords
Keywords are a crucial component to any blog. By including the right keywords in your blogpost, you can rank high in the Google search results. This not only helps increase website traffic, but also helps increase conversions.
There are several methods you can use to find keywords. For instance, you can check which keywords your competitors are ranking for, or simply use a keyword tool such as UberSuggest or Moz to get a list of best performing keywords for your niche.
5. Create a content schedule
It’s time to assemble all your brilliant ideas into a clear content calendar. This calendar should have dates when you’ll publish your content and who’s responsible for creating each piece. Having a publishing schedule is essential because it keeps you on track and ensures you’re putting out content regularly, a crucial aspect of content marketing success.
6. Craft, share, and share your content
Every piece of content you put out should be designed with your goals in mind. Don’t forget to weave in those keywords you uncovered during your research. But above all, make sure your content shines with quality. Avoid rushing just to meet your publishing calendar deadlines.
Once your content is live, it’s showtime! You’ve got to get the word out. Share your posts on your social media profiles and send them to anyone who might find them interesting. Spread the word, and watch your content do its magic!
7. Keep an eye and make improvements
Here’s the last piece of the puzzle: keep a close watch on how well your content plan is doing. Based on what’s working and what’s not, tweak your strategy as needed. Your content marketing approach will evolve over time, so you’ve got to be adaptable in how you create your content.
Conclusion
Content strategies keep evolving with time. It’s important to keep up with new Google algorithms and SEO practices. With the right content strategy in place, you’re on the right path to online success for your business. We hope this blog helped you to get a better understanding on how to develop a content marketing strategy.
