Table of Contents
Introduction
Publishing content without a strategy is like throwing darts in the dark you might hit something, but there’s a good chance you’ll miss the bullseye. This guide will explain what a content marketing strategy is, why it matters, and exactly what to do to create a content marketing strategy that attracts your target audiences, builds trust, converts them into customers, and cultivates them into long-term customers.
A clear content marketing strategy is comparable to your GPS. It gives every piece of content an identified purpose to attract an ideal audience, building trust and moving them from first contact to final purchase. This guide covers the entire process, step-by-step, from identifying the audience to measuring results.
What Is a Content Marketing Strategy?
In short, a content marketing strategy is the plan laid out in order to share valuable and relevant content to attract the right audience, build trust with them, and get them to take action. A content marketing strategy gives you the ability to avoid haphazard posting as each blog, video, or email is aligned with your goals.
It’s not only about content, it’s about the right content, to the right people, at the right time.
Why You Need Content Marketing ?
If you don’t have a strategy in place, you might find yourself creating content with no one reading it – and even worse, attracting the wrong audience! Consider a well-thought-out strategy as a way to work smarter and nuture your time spent on your efforts.
If you aren’t sure whether to invest the time in creating a strategy, here are some benefits you might think about:
- Getting your message in front of the right people who can genuinely benefit from your product/services
- Becoming recognized as an authoritative figure in your niche
- Having a clearly defined marketing approach in all of your outreach (i.e. writing style, tone, ideal audience, etc.)
- Controlling the quality of the people who show up as leads who may convert to customers
6 Steps to Build a Winning Content Marketing Strategy
A good content marketing strategy begins with defining your ideal customer, so you know who you want to reach with each message. Then, map out their buyer journey and along each stage of their journey you introduce content likely to resonate. Choose platforms and formats you can deliver consistently. Then come up with original ideas in a purposeful, authentic brand voice.
Give yourself a content calendar to stay on course, and evaluate your results so that you can replicate successful ideas and continual improvement. In the end, you will attract the right people to you, earn their trust, and turn more leads into elite customers by following these six steps.
Step 1: Define your Customer
Before you create anything, you must know who you’re talking to. That knowledge will ensure that your content is speaking to the right demographic – those who are most likely to interact and potentially purchase your product or service.
- Who buys this product or service specifically?
- What type of company, job, or lifestyle do they have?
- What pain points are they trying to solve?
- What do they know already?
Step 2: The Marketing Funnel
Most consumers don’t buy when they see your brand for the first time. There are multiple stages that they go through, starting from when they first learn about their issue, they explore their options, and then they decide to buy.
For example:
- At the awareness stage, they may discover your blog post that introduces them to an issue that they have.
- In the consideration stage, they probably will watch a longer video that compares solutions.
- When they reach the decision stage, they might have their minds set to sign up for a webinar, or read a case study about your product in action.
Step 3: Pick Platforms and Formats
With so many different platforms to choose from including LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and blogs it can be easy to want to be on all of them. The problem with this approach is that you take on too much and you won’t be consistent with your content. Instead, pick one or two platforms where your audience is active and then select content formats you can deliver regularly with a high level of quality.
It is better to deliver quality content consistently in one place than to deliver inconsistent content across many.
Step 4: Create Unique Ideas
Originality is the most valuable thing you have, especially in a world where countless “me-too” content articles are proliferating. Start with a problem that has resonance for your audience. Explain the common solutions and why they do not solve the entire problem before sharing your original and proven solution. Your brand voice should feel authentic as if your audience is getting the advice of a friend who understands them.
Step 5: Keep It Consistent with a Content Calendar
A good strategy will fail if you cannot commit to it. That is why you need a content calendar. It specifies everything you will publish, when it is going live, and who is responsible for it.
A content calendar can be a basic spreadsheet to keep you on track, simply include:
- Topic or title
- Content format (blog, video, etc.)
- Target keyword
- Publish date
- Funnel stage
Step 5: Keep It Consistent with a Content Calendar
A good strategy will fail if you cannot commit to it. That is why you need a content calendar. It specifies everything you will publish, when it is going live, and who is responsible for it.
A content calendar can be a basic spreadsheet to keep you on track, simply include:
- Topic or title
- Content format (blog, video, etc.)
- Target keyword
- Publish date
- Funnel stage
Step 6: Track, Measure, and Adjust
After your content is published, you will want to assess how it performs. Analyis how many website visitors came, the level of engagement, social shares, lead quality, and ultimately, sales. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and SEMrush to monitor and analyse your content.
Final Thoughts
Content marketing success isn’t about working harder it’s about working smarter. When you understand your audience, create valuable content, and remain consistent, you build relationships, which turn followers into loyal customers. All great brands started with an able strategy and a sincere connection you deserve the same.
Are you ready to turn your content into real growth? Get in touch with Badiya Brand today, and let’s develop a content marketing strategy that effectively gets you noticed, trusted, and ultimately, chosen by your ideal audience.
