top of page
Search

Develop a Content Strategy in 7 Steps: Complete Guide to Content Marketing

Elliot Bolland

Updated: Jan 29

Are you struggling to get your content seen by the right people? Are you tired of creating content that doesn't seem to resonate with your target audience? Developing a solid content strategy can help solve these issues and take your marketing efforts to new heights.


In this start-to-finish guide, we'll walk you through seven crucial steps for developing a winning content strategy. Whether you're a Manchester-based agency or anywhere else in the world, these tips will set you on the path to success in digital marketing. So let's dive in!

Hand writing on papers with a blue pen, wearing a gray sleeve. Wooden table with papers and a white cup in the background. Cozy mood.

Why Do You Need A Content Strategy?


A content strategy is a roadmap that guides the creation, delivery, and management of your content. It's essential because it helps you focus on your audience, their needs, and how to provide value to them. Without a content strategy in place, you may find yourself creating random pieces of content with no clear direction or purpose.


To effectively market your business online, you need engaging and relevant content that resonates with your target audience. A well-thought-out content strategy can help ensure that every piece of content you create aligns with your business goals and appeals to the needs and interests of your customers.


By planning out what type of content to create for each stage of the customer journey - awareness, consideration, decision-making - you can nurture leads through the sales funnel more efficiently. You can also build brand authority by consistently delivering valuable information that positions you as an industry expert.


In short: If you want to stand out from competitors in today's noisy digital world – where everyone is publishing something every day – then having a solid content strategy is not just important but necessary for success.


What Are Your Business Goals?


Defining your business goals is an essential step in developing a successful content strategy. Without clear goals, it's difficult to determine what type of content you should create or how often you should publish it.


Start by asking yourself what specific objectives you want to achieve with your content marketing efforts. Are you looking to increase brand awareness? Generate leads and sales? Promote thought leadership within your industry?


Once you've identified your primary objectives, consider the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help track progress towards those goals. This may include metrics like website traffic, social media engagement, email subscribers or lead conversions.


It's important to ensure that these goals align with the overall vision and mission of your company as well. By keeping this in mind, you can develop a more cohesive and integrated approach to content marketing that supports broader business objectives.


Remember that setting realistic and measurable targets is critical for success. Be sure to regularly review progress against KPIs so that any necessary adjustments can be made along the way.


Who Is Your Audience?


To develop a successful content strategy, it's important to identify your target audience. Knowing who you're creating content for will help you tailor your messaging and ensure that your efforts are reaching the right people.


Start by defining the demographics of your ideal customer. Consider age, gender, location, education level, income bracket and other relevant factors. This will help you understand what kind of content they might find interesting or helpful.


It's also important to think about their interests and pain points. What motivates them? What challenges do they face in their daily lives? By understanding these factors, you can create content that resonates with them on a deeper level.


In addition to demographic data and interests/pain points, consider where your audience is consuming content online. Are they primarily active on social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter? Do they regularly read blogs or watch videos on YouTube?


Once you have a clear picture of who your audience is and how they consume information online, you can start developing a targeted content marketing plan that speaks directly to them.


What Type of Content Will You Create?


When it comes to developing a content strategy, one of the key considerations is determining what type of content you will create. This decision will depend on your business goals and target audience.


Firstly, consider whether your audience prefers visual or written content. If they are more visually-oriented, focus on creating videos, infographics or images. Written content may be better suited for audiences who prefer in-depth information.


Additionally, think about the purpose of each piece of content. Are you creating informative blog posts? Entertaining social media updates? Educational videos? Knowing this will help guide the style and format of your content.


Another important factor is ensuring that your chosen type(s) of content align with your brand's overall messaging and values. For example, if your brand focuses on eco-friendliness, ensure that all created materials align with this goal.


Don't be afraid to experiment with new formats or types of content as part of an ongoing process to improve engagement and grow reach among potential customers.


What Tone And Style Will You Use?


When it comes to developing a content strategy, one crucial aspect is determining the tone and style of your content. This refers to how you will present your brand's messaging through your writing style, language use, and overall voice.


Firstly, consider your target audience and their preferences. Are they more likely to engage with a casual or formal tone? Will they appreciate humour or prefer a serious approach?

Next, think about the type of content you'll be producing. A blog post may lend itself well to an informal tone while whitepapers might require a more professional approach.


It's also important to align your tone and style with your brand image. If you're promoting luxury products or services, a sophisticated and classy tone would be appropriate.

Another factor that can influence the tone is the topic at hand. An article discussing current events may warrant a timely and urgent approach whereas informational pieces could benefit from being educational yet conversational.


Choosing the right tone for your brand can help establish trust with your audience while staying true to who you are as a company.


How Often Will You Publish New Content?


Developing a content strategy involves determining how often new content will be published. The frequency of publishing can depend on various factors such as the type of content, audience engagement, and business goals.


One approach is to create a schedule for when new pieces will be released. This helps ensure consistency in posting while also giving followers an expectation for when they'll see fresh material.


However, this doesn't mean that quantity should always come before quality. It's better to focus on creating valuable and informative content rather than pushing out subpar articles just to meet a certain quota.


Another factor to consider is the platform where the content will be posted. Social media accounts may require more frequent updates compared to blog posts or white papers that take longer to produce.


Ultimately, finding the right balance between quality and quantity requires experimentation and analysis of user engagement metrics. By regularly assessing which types of posts perform best with your target audience, you can adjust your publication schedule accordingly for optimal results.


How Will You Distribute Your Content?


After creating great content, the next step is to get it in front of your audience. Having a distribution plan is critical to ensure that your content reaches as many people as possible. There are several ways you can distribute your content.


Firstly, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are great for sharing blog posts and other types of content with large audiences. You can also join online communities relevant to your niche where you can share links to your articles.


Secondly, email newsletters are still an effective way of distributing content directly to subscribers who have shown interest in your brand or topic. Consider sending out regular newsletters highlighting new blog posts or upcoming events related to your business.


Thirdly, guest blogging on high-traffic websites in your industry allows you to reach a new audience while establishing yourself as an expert in the field.


Paid advertising on social media platforms like Facebook Advertisements ensures that more people see and engage with our content.


Remember that no matter what distribution channels you choose, consistency is key - publish consistently across all channels for maximum impact!


How Will You Measure Success?


Measuring the success of your content strategy is crucial to ensure you are meeting your goals and making a positive impact on your business. But, how do you measure success? Here are some key metrics to consider.


Firstly, track website traffic and engagement. Look at how many people are visiting your site, how long they stay there and what actions they take while on it. This will give you an indication of whether your content is resonating with your audience.


Next, analyse social media metrics such as likes, shares, comments and followers to see if your content is being shared widely or not. A high level of engagement can indicate that people find value in what you're sharing.


Another important metric is lead generation - this involves tracking the number of leads generated through forms on landing pages or calls-to-action within blog posts. If these numbers increase over time then it's clear that your strategy is working well!


Look at conversion rates for sales made through content marketing efforts like blog posts or email campaigns. This will help determine if customers are taking action based on the information provided by these channels.


Remember to regularly review these metrics so that adjustments can be made if necessary!


Conclusion


Developing a content strategy is an essential step for any business looking to succeed in today's digital landscape. By following the seven steps outlined in this guide, you can create a start-to-finish plan that will help you achieve your marketing goals and reach out to your target audience effectively.


Remember always to keep your business objectives, audience needs, and unique brand voice top of mind when creating your content strategy. Use data-driven insights to measure success and adjust tactics as needed.


While developing a successful content strategy may take time, effort, and resources upfront - it pays off in the long run with increased engagement rates, higher conversions, and stronger customer relationships.


By partnering with experienced content strategy services like those offered by Manchester Agency, you can streamline the process further while ensuring quality results every time.


Start crafting your winning content marketing strategy today by following these simple yet effective steps!

8 views0 comments

Comments


Hear From Us

Get Monthly SEO Tips direct to your inbox

Cybernetic Marketing

Simplified SEO

​

Contact: info@cyberneticmarketing.co.uk | Manchester, England 

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

We will be in touch soon

bottom of page