In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, a robust content strategy stands as a cornerstone for businesses aiming to establish a strong online presence that helps grow revenue. So, what exactly is a content strategy, and why is it crucial? More importantly, how can you start building one? Let’s jump right in and explore.
Think of a content strategy as a master plan that encompasses the creation, development and management of all your brand’s content. This isn’t just limited to writing blog articles or social media posts. It's an all-encompassing strategy that includes various forms of media such as videos, blogs, social posts, website content, podcasts, billboard messaging, direct mail pieces and more. Essentially, it's the blueprint guiding the creation and delivery of your brand's content to educate and inform customers.
A content strategy is essential today because customers expect to find solutions to problems, answers to questions, customer reviews and more before they purchase a product or service. Putting this information out there via a content strategy helps:
Build Brand Recognition: Consistent, high-quality content puts your business on a customer’s radar. It drives awareness of your brand, its products/services and its overall mission.
Establish Brand Authority: Authentic expert content establishes your brand as an authority in your field. It answers your customers' top questions and builds trust with your audience, which is critical for long-term success.
Improve SEO: Search engines love fresh, relevant content that matches what online users are searching for. A solid content strategy boosts your SEO efforts, making it easier for potential customers to find you online.
Enhance User Engagement: Engaging and relevant content keeps your audience hooked to your brand. It encourages interactions and fosters a loyal community around your products or services.
Drive Conversions: Content is a key driver in the conversion process. Educational blogs and website pages, informative videos and engaging social posts help guide customers through the buying journey. If they don’t find the answers they seek with your content strategy, they likely will from a competitor.
Creating a content strategy involves several key steps to ensure that your content effectively meets your goals and resonates with your target audience. Here's a general roadmap:
Remember, a content strategy is not a one-time effort but a continuous process of learning, adapting and evolving your content.
Some top tips to help in creating a winning content strategy include:
The big five content topics outlined in Marcus Sheridan’s "They Ask, You Answer" methodology is a great starting point for mapping out an effective content strategy. This approach is centered around creating content that answers customers' most pressing questions.
The big five topics include cost, problems, comparisons, best of lists and reviews. These topics are relevant across various industries and typically will address customers' core needs during the buyer’s journey.
Along with the big five topics, ask your sales team and customer service representative: what customer questions do you repeatedly hear? Use those questions and answers to fuel your content strategy. Create a list of content topics and then determine the best way to execute the delivery of that content, which may include blog articles, ebooks, videos, emails, infographics, case studies and more.
In summary, a content strategy is more than just a plan for what to blog about. It's a comprehensive approach to how your brand communicates with the world. It's about telling your story, engaging with your audience, and, ultimately, driving business success. As a marketer, understanding and implementing a sound content strategy is not just beneficial — it's essential.
At Marketing Essentials, we bring more than 15 years of experience crafting custom content marketing strategies for a variety of industries. With Marketing Essentials as your partner, you can use content to drive more qualified leads and grow deeper relationships with your existing customers.
Curious? Request a free 30-minute consultation.