Your content counts.

Have you been creating content and realised that while you may have been consistent, it wasn’t quite the success you had hoped for? Well, you’re not alone.

A Comprehensive Content Marketing Strategy must have vertical and horizontal strategies and plans that are integrated and cohesive. The approach will take into consideration all functions of your business, the goals, the social media platforms and consumer needs, executed in tandem to create a campaign that is successful. The aim? To establish an influential brand presence and profitable business.

It is vital that you document a strategy that flows with the inner workings of your business, so it’s comprehensive. The best way to do this is to get each business function involved in contributing to the creation. There are so many facets of your business that the strategy must capture to give a well-rounded view of the brand to your audience. It magnifies the storytelling nature of the content and helps you get closer to your desired results.

When we take on new clients, the key areas we address are: “Want do we want to achieve?”. “What specific content marketing efforts are required and how will they be executed”. We get results because we don’t isolate business units.  Doing so makes your brand unique; adds character to your content. Eventually, you arrive at content that provides clarity and rationale to audiences in a way that doesn’t mimic other brands.

Additionally, you enhance the direction of your strategy. It’s not one dimensional. Brand development through content marketing only works when we can stand out and give our audience that missing ingredient. Something they didn’t know they are missing but can only be provided by involving all business units.

With all business units invested in content marketing development, tracking and analysis, the business realises tremendous results. Unplanned content marketing is difficult to steer and measure. It’s almost impossible to stay focused where the goals have not been specified, and planning has not occurred. Your content marketing must make a difference, and what we’re prescribing we’ve seen work.

Here are five aspects of a comprehensive content marketing strategy for success.

1. Goals – Your goals may include ‘Creating content that tells the story of our brand to build a community’ or  ‘Creating content that drives action to the website and results in increased sales of Product A.’
2. Define your audience – Your audience demographics are crucial. The way content is created must be unique to the target customer to achieve its purpose. Each demographic has different content behaviours, desires and values. This must be considered.
3. Brainstorm –  Get your team together to brainstorm creative, compelling content ideas. It’s the best way to gather concepts that haven’t been done before.
4. Content analysis tools – Carefully select the tools to measure the success of your campaigns. Decide on the best metrics to examine to support your goals. Take action on your findings.
5. Use an editorial calendar – Placing your content on an editorial calendar that each business functions has access to creates the opportunity to operate efficiently. You can quickly re-strategise at a glance when you have the full picture.

Your content marketing strategy will evolve. Keep your team involved in the process and be ready to revise it as necessary. Keep it documented and clear so it can be used for content mining and repurposing.