Content strategy can be straight up confusing.
Here’s what you need to know to set up an actionable, effective strategy.
People mention to me regularly how often they see my content posted online. It FINALLY feels like the hard work I’ve put in is gaining some visibility. But that’s because I’ve figured out a few tricks that contribute to an efficient and effective content marketing strategy. Don’t worry…I’ll share them all with you in this post.
Not only is “content king” but platform algorithms like Pinterest, for instance, are prioritizing fresh content. It’s no secret that Google loves fresh content to crawl too, but with a constant need to produce content (not to mention, also run your business!), how does an entrepreneur manage to deliver the volume of content for a strategic marketing plan and deliver content that intrigues the audience enough to move them to action?
Below you’ll find four actionable tips from a marketing expert responsible for managing “all the things.”
#1 Plan content intentionally
4 Steps to be intentional with content planning:
- Set goals and write them in the calendar.
- Hash out what steps you’ll need to take to reach those goals. WOrk backward if you need to. Write down actionable to-do’s and put them on the calendar leading up to your goal completion date. For example, “Brainstorm 10 blog topics,” “Perform blog research,” “Complete draft 1,” or “Perform SEO research for Blog Topic #1.”
- Identify your target market’s needs, pains, challenges, and wants. Only when you speak your target market’s language can you create content they’re actually interested in consuming.
- Keep a separate document for content brainstorming ideas that speak to your target market’s needs, pains, challenges, and wants. Don’t bother writing about things your target audience doesn’t care about or that don’t relate to your company’s over-arching goals.
PRO TIP 1 OF 3: Create a detailed picture of what your ideal client’s life is like 2-3 months before they need your product or service. Create another detailed picture of what your ideal client’s life is like 2-weeks to 1-month before they need your product or service. You can download my free Buyer Persona Template to help you identify this picture.
Then, write content based on things they might be typing into the search engine to find out. The time to connect with your ideal client and establish the know, like, and trust factor with well-planned content is before he/she is ready to make a purchase.
#2 Content should be consistent
Here’s how to be consistent with content planning:
In order to be consistent, plan content creation the way you plan any other project in your business. Ensure you have consistency in your branding with my Brand Style Guide. Lay out the steps, attach due dates, and execute.
Put it on the calendar! Choosing a predictable time and interval will help. Maybe the last Monday of the month is your set time to plan content for the next month. Maybe you execute weekly, every Thursday for the following week…whatever your system is, put it on the calendar, stick to it, make it a priority, and tweak if necessary, but no matter what, commit to it.
PRO TIP 2 OF 3: Give yourself margin for something to come up. Waiting until the day before you need more content is a recipe for ineffectiveness and a confusing message to your audience because you become more concerned about creating something than aligning content themes with long-term goals.
I request content ideas from clients anywhere from 10-30 days before they need to go out, just in case.
#3 Understand the “big picture” of marketing strategy
There are three important components for effective marketing.
The first is that marketing is a long game. It takes time to see results.
The second is that consistency is paramount because through consistency, you teach your leads and customers what to expect. Inconsistency = confusion and humans shut down confusion as soon as possible.
The third is measuring and tweaking. If something’s not working, use metrics to identify what it is and make changes. In the same way, measure what is working, understand why, and try to reintegrate it as much as possible. With metrics and analytics included with almost every online platform these days, managing by numbers is a must for business owners.
#4 Repurpose your content!
Repurposing is vital to your sanity as a business owner. It’s time to get smart. I have a free PDF full of 25 ways to market your business aside from social media! Here are a few other suggestions for how to repurpose.
- Take your blog post and tweak as appropriate, and turn the content into emails (I do that in here all the time!) Then turn it into a video. Then turn it into social media series.
- Record a live video. Turn the Google transcription tool on to automatically type out what’s being said. Turn that written content into a blog post, and then into social media captions, and email content. Record the audio and turn it into a podcast.
- Take customer inquiries and turn them into an optimized FAQ page on your site. If customers are asking those questions to YOU, there are sure to be leads who don’t yet know about your business asking the same questions to Google looking for exactly what you provide.
Conclusion: Content marketing strategy – The bottom line
Quality, well planned content can cut through the noise and effectively reach the customers who are most likely to purchase from you.
The reality is, most businesses haven’t figured out a good, repeatable system, which is why I wanted to lay forth this system for you.
PRO TIP 3 OF 3: Changing our behavior effectively requires us to change our thought processes first. Stop to consider how impactful quality content can be in helping turn leads into followers by first establishing trust. Only when you value the outcome will you be motivated to make the change.
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My goal in every post is to make the most of your precious time and pack these articles with insanely actionable content. Have I done that for you today? I’d love to hear your feedback. Contact me or comment below.
And please do me a little favor and share this post with one other person because there’s a good chance it will help them with their business.
Your business matters. Now go do something awesome in the world.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi there and WELCOME! I’m Francie. There’s something you should know… When my feet hit the floor every morning, my soul is on fire to help people start, grow, and market the profitable and successful business they dream about.
I started this business, Simply Integrated, in 2015 and have fallen madly in love with teaching small business owners how to run their companies more successfully and marketing to impact bottom line profitability.
My knowledge and experience comes from earning an MBA and from coaching small business entrepreneurs while managing and marketing their projects. I focus solely on business strategy and marketing and created this blog to help others run more successful businesses. If you’re interested, you can read more about me on the About page of Simply Integrated’s website.
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If it turns out we’re a good fit to work together, I’d love to help drive customers to your business and positively impact your bottom line. Get in touch for a free consultation. To get in touch, use this contact form, email us at hello@SimplyIntegratedLLC.com, or call/text us at 309-431-2266.
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