Have you ever wondered how does your content marketing strategy affects your visibility on search engines and social media you are using?
Well, answer me this:
True or false? 63% of businesses don’t have a documented content marketing strategy.
What do you think?
Don’t overthink it, just answer TRUE or FALSE.

Unfortunately TRUE. Researchers at CMI (Content Marketing Institute) showed a trend in 2018. – companies that are most committed to doing content marketing strategy are 89% more successful in their business than the companies that have a slim to none content marketing strategy.

So, what is exactly content marketing? Content marketing is defined as a “strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience“. In short, know your value, be consistent, and know your audience.

That is why we have gathered some of the things you should be aware of when talking about content marketing strategy. There are a couple of things you need to keep in mind to create a valuable asset:

  1. Set your goals – You need to know exactly what you want to accomplish long term and short term in order to create a relevant strategy for your business. For example, if you want to build an audience from zero or make sure your customers are aware of your brand to expand the business. The principal is the same, set your goals.
  2. Know your audience – Research, research, research. Make sure that you know who you are trying to reach with the strategy; e.g. Millennials, Gen X, B2B companies, B2C customers, or some other focus group. Each focus group you are trying to win over to your business has some traits you can use while making your content marketing strategy, so research them and use it. Create your own key audience and work your strategies from there.
  3. Estimate your current position – Be sure to see where you stand while comparing with other key players from your industry and adjust the strategy accordingly in point of where have you been last year, the present time, and what you want to achieve in the future.
  4. Adjust strategy for different channels – Content for the website should be slightly different from the content you are posting on social media. The message, of course, needs to be the same, but different wording needs to be taken into consideration and adjusted to the social media channel; e.g.Notice the difference: LinkedIn- stricter, B2B oriented, professionals from all over the world versus Facebook – lighter note, friendly social media. You can not post the same content on both as they are not treated the same so keep that in mind.
  5. Identify your resources and allocate them – If you do not have an experienced marketing person, hire an agency to make you a strategy that you can then allocate to an in-house person or arrange with the agency to implement the content strategy over a course of time you agree upon.
  6. Create the strategy – creation is the valuable part that needs to be handled carefully. Make sure you know your 1-5 points to make the right type of content. After you have gathered all the information- start brainstorming, typing, and creating the content. At the end of the day who knows better your company than you?
  7. Market the content – make sure you are using the proper channels (visit again asset number 4.) to market the content.
  8. Measure the results – use metrics through Google Analytics for the website and analytics for each of the social media you are posting content on. Do not post and leave it there, make sure you know what works for your audience and potential customers, and what doesn’t.

These points can help you start the process of content marketing strategy while having in mind the ultimate goal.

Special tip: Keep in mind and make sure you include emotional intelligence in the strategy. Research showed that using emotional intelligence in marketing and sales can give you an advantage. The reason is very simple. While technology is going forward, people are more in need of a personal connection. While technology is here to speed up the process, at the end of the day –People buy from people.
Very simple, don’t you agree?

1-1 marketing may be on a smaller scale regarding the reach of the audience but it can create a more satisfied customer in the long run.

Last but not least, be yourself in creating the message. Tell your own story and be genuine. Nothing you do technology-wise can replace your unique view of the product or business you are trying to market. Just be you, that is the best thing that can help your business.

I hope I have given a little more insight into the world of content marketing.

Be sure to tell me your opinion in the comments below.

Stay digital and remember- Be on Top!