Content Strategy

Before we start, let’s get our heads around what content strategy really is.

Content strategy is a broad term. It includes terms like content creation, distribution, & marketing.

In the words of Kristina Halvorson- Content strategy is the “creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.” 

Content strategy gives your content a purpose and individuality.

Everyone knows how supportive blogging proves for any online business. But how many of us know how to make the most of blogging?

Before you start investing on writing and publishing content, you need your content strategy in place. 

A robust content strategy, in general, considers the following aspects:

• Why, in the first place, does your business needs content?
• Which publishing platforms will best match your requirements?
• What would be the best time to publish the content?
• Who is your target audience?
• What results are you hoping to get?
• How often will you publish?
• What after you’ve published?
• What is your plan to get feedback?

These are some of the questions your content strategy needs to find answers to. But there is no hard and fast rules while forming a content strategy. Each business is a unique combination of factors like investment, size, industry, etc. And so should every business’s content strategy be. 

The bottom line is before creating and publishing content you should know exactly how the content is going to benefit your business. Are there any gaps you can fix beforehand? 

That said, content strategy doesn’t stop being of value once you’ve started writing and publishing. It is important throughout the content lifecycle. It needs updates and fixes till your business lasts.

Here are a few essential parts of a strong content strategy in detail:

Have a clear goal

It goes without saying, having a goal should be your first step.

What do you want to achieve through this strategy?

Do you expect people to sign up?

Do you want them to buy your course?

Or share your content on social networks?

When you are clear about the end results, your planning moves in the right direction.

And now would be the time to start laying out a blueprint.

Figure out what your audience cares about

Broadly, there are three things audience cares about: entertainment, solutions, information.

Analyse which of these categories your business fits in well. Which of these niche can you serve with good quality content.

Don’t just talk about your business. Talk about your audience’s problems, the things they care about, and then tell them how you can provide exactly what they are looking for. 

Point to be noticed:

Don’t just show people you care. In fact, make it the sole purpose of your business. That’s how you’ll gather a huge number of loyal visitors that convert at a surprising rate. 

Understand the personality of your business

As I said earlier, every business is unique. This should be reflected in your published content.

Copying the ideas already out there won’t help. Because that doesn’t stir the interest of your target people.

Come up with something that shows your individuality. If you have to pick an existing idea, think, from your audience’s stance, as to what you can add to make it more interesting, easy to digest, and helpful.

There has to be AT LEAST one thing that is strikingly different from what others are doing. 

The more efforts you spend on figuring out the USP, the better results you get.

Plan Your Content Distribution Beforehand

Though we have another page dedicated to this topic, content distribution is an important part of content strategy, so we could not chuck it out here.

Here, you need to take care of the following things:

• Which platform would be the best to promote your type of content? 
• How will you ensure your target group finds your content easily? 
• Do you need an expert’s help for SEO? 
• Do you need to hire a dedicated team? 

If you don’t plan these things in advance, the content you had put so much efforts in won’t bring out impressive results. 

You’d have exhausted your energy and resources already. Yet content won’t reach the people it is meant for.

These are only a few things to be taken care of while forming a content strategy. A successful content strategy needs extensive research, a competent team and a clear purpose. 

People who have been in a business for years have the advantage of experiments and experiences. It’s particularly overwhelming for new businesses to form a successful strategy in one go. 

Such businesses can take care of these points:

• Avoid setting overwhelming goals 
• Research and take professional help
• Always be open to constructive criticism

Invest a good amount of time, money, and energy informing your content strategy. The efforts will never get wasted.