In our last blog, we talked a bit about content strategies: how to make sure you know why you're engaging in content marketing, and making sure that the content you create matches the goals you've set for your content creation. We're going to be expanding on that in the next several posts, digging into the nuts and bolts of creating and utilizing a content strategy to boost your Internet marketing efforts.
The topic du jour is a very basic question: just how do you go about creating a content strategy, anyway? This is pretty abstract "big picture" stuff, and it's all about making sure you've got a framework and goals in mind before you get started.
Creating a Content Strategy.
Before getting into the nitty-gritty, there's one important definition to keep in mind: "content." What is content, anyway? Basically, anything you put online is content. From the text, to the pictures, to the metadata hiding in the HTML, it's all content and it all needs to have a purpose behind it to be put to best use.
So, with that in mind...
The End is the Beginning.
To create a content strategy, you have to know what your goals are. Ideally, before even beginning to blog, Tweet, or put any more content online, you should work out for your company just what you're trying to accomplish. Just like any plan of action, you have to start by considering the end, and then work your way there.
To do this, you need to know two things:
Know Your Company's Goals.
This is the time to pull out that copy of your company's Mission Statement and whatever high-level strategic documents you have access to. What is your business truly trying to accomplish? Is your focus on great customer service? Being a leader of forward thinking in your industry? Putting out the best value, cutting the fat to maximize your margins?
These sorts of questions inform your content strategy. If your goal is customer satisfaction, you'd probably want a friendly and personable online presence, with social media interactions geared at being fun and engaging. If you want to be seen as a deep thinker, you might gear your content more towards fellow members of your industry rather than towards the public.
Think carefully about what kinds of content could align with these overarching goals.
Know What Your Customers Want. (And Know What Customers You Want!)
As has often been observed in business, a company rarely goes bankrupt from giving the public what it wants. Go have a powwow with your marketing guys and get all the customer data you can off of them. What's the average age of your customers? Gender? Ethnicity? What sort of life do they lead? What sort of interests do they have?
Your content should reach out to them, making itself relevant to their wants and needs.
At the same time, your content strategy can also involve outreach. What customers do you *want*? If you're a business with an older customer base who's trying to reach a younger demographic, making fun use of social media can get you those leads. This all ties right back in with your company's needs.
Build Content That Serves Both Masters.
Once you know what your company is trying to accomplish, and what your customers (current and future) want, build content around that. Use stylistic choices such as voice, tone, and point-of-view to make the most engaging content possible.
Fundamentally, if you can engage your customers while advancing towards the overarching goals of your company, your content strategy will be a success.
Call DeepSky Marketing to find out how you can create a meaningful and profitable content strategy for your company. DeepSky Marketing is a company that provides businesses with profitable marketing systems and verifiable return on investment (ROI). To schedule a brief no-cost consultation call 707 823-3888.
