What Is Content?
Images, videos, audio, and written messages are all forms of content. The type of content you will create and present to your audience will vary depending on your brand message, personality, values, and overall goals. Learn more about the process of crafting your brand here. Producing valuable content can help you to build trust with your audience as well as brand credibility.
What Is A Content Strategy?
A content strategy is a plan in which you use content to achieve your business and marketing goals. When you create a successful content strategy, you will attract your target audience at every stage of the funnel and keep them engaged even after they have made a purchase. The strategy encompasses the types of content you will present, when you will upload it, and why you are doing so. Before developing your company’s content strategy, you should conduct research to determine how that content will set you apart from the competition or help you achieve your goals.
How To Determine A Content Strategy
First, identify some key factors about your brand and audience that will help curate your content strategy.
Who Is Your Content For?
Who is your target audience? Put yourself in your consumer’s shoes. What kind of content would you enjoy or gravitate towards?
The answers to these questions will help you to determine what kind of content you should be making, along with what platforms to post your content to. What social media platforms should I be using? We cover it in depth in our blog post here.
What Makes Your Brand Unique?
It is crucial to highlight the factors that set you apart through your content strategy in order to catch your audience’s attention. Using social media might be a good way to highlight your business’s commitment to a charitable cause or organization, for example. It’s also important to highlight content that provides value. Valuable content can be entertaining, useful information like tips and advice, or something that inspires them.
What Should My Content Strategy Include?
There are no set rules or templates when it comes to crafting your strategy, but there are a few factors that you should definitely include.
- Your Business Plan
For content marketing, you’ll need to determine the goals that you want to achieve. In your business plan, you will outline the value you will provide through your content, as well as your strategy for executing it. This is when you’ll specify how often per week you will post, and the types of content you will present. Communicate the reason for creating content, the risks involved, and what a successful media presence looks like for you.
- Your Audience Personas & Content Map
This is where you will describe the specific audiences that you want to reach, what those audiences’ needs are, and what their engagement might look like.
- Brand Story
Consider what ideas and messages you want to communicate with your content
marketing. Use your brand story, voice, and personality to brainstorm the form of
content that best matches your company.
- Channel Plan
Your channel plan includes which platforms you will utilize in your marketing strategy.
Different platforms serve various purposes, so be sure to research prior to identifying which
platforms best match your target market.
- Your Business Process
You’ll want to communicate through your content what your business process looks like. If you are a business with products, your content can display how your products are made, how they’re shipped, etc.
- Behind The Scenes
Allow your audience a sneak peek behind the scenes of your business process, features of your employees, and work-life. Moments that are candid and showcase what it’s like behind the scenes help you to build a connection with your audience. You are showing them a sneak peek into your business behind closed doors, and they will appreciate it.
What Can A Strong Content Strategy Do For My Brand?
Using content on social media to promote your business will increase traffic to your website. An increase in traffic leads to organic lead generation and brand awareness. The purpose of a content strategy is not to boost your sales directly, but more importantly for building and maintaining a relationship with your audience. You can utilize your social media presence to connect with your users while showcasing your product or service at the same time.
Overall, social media can be such a powerful tool for your business as far as marketing goes. It is not only effective but also inexpensive and free without paid advertising. So long as you know the direction and effectiveness of your content strategy, you will see positive results. Need help crafting your marketing strategy? Head to our website to learn more about our social media and content marketing strategizing!
