Content strategy is not just about posting on social media. It encompasses a wide range of platforms and elements of your business. It covers social media, your website, email communications, freebies, printed material and even items like your email signature and business cards.
It is an important piece of any business’s marketing toolkit. It can connect you with potential clients, give you answers to problems your target market is facing, build a following or influence your perceived expert status.
Pretty powerful stuff, wouldn’t you agree?
The problem is, many of us approach content strategy in the wrong way. We often:
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have no plan so approach our content creation and publication in a haphazard way. We struggle to come up with ideas and end up posting irrelevant content that is far from engaging, and then continue on this vicious cycle
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use content and social media platforms as a selling tool, rather than a connection tool
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change our messaging across our content, leaving us with an incohesive and inconsistent brand which ends up alienating our audience
This is why having a strategy in place is so important. It provides you with the scaffolding whilst you are busy constructing your business! The key benefits in crafting a content strategy include:
Keeps you on track
Do you sometimes feel that you’re creating content simply for the sake of creating content?! A strategy will keep you focused and make sure that IF you need to create new content, then it will be in line with your overall brand, and relevant to your target audience.
Consistent brand, voice, messaging
A content strategy will help you articulate exactly who your target market is and how you come across to them using your branding elements. You will find that once this is out of your head and in written form, you will create consistent content across every element of your business.
Cohesive approach to content creation
Imagine if a potential client ended up on your Facebook page and they loved the vibe, the information that you provide and how you articulate your message. Now imagine they were so in love with this that they wanted to work with you and went to check out your website. Would they still feel that same vibe? Is your message and branding consistent across your platforms?
A content strategy helps you stay focused so that every piece of content you create fits perfectly and cohesively together.
Helps you achieve your business goals
A content strategy does not stand alone in your business. It is shaped and crafted to fit with your business plan, and most importantly helps you achieve those goals that you’ve set for yourself. It helps to shape the ‘how’ in achieving your goals.
If you’re struggling with your strategy, go back to basics. Who is your client? What is their problem that you are trying to solve? Then think about whether your messaging is consistent with these items across all of your touchpoints with the world.
Remember, a content strategy does not need to be a 50 page document! You are much better off to create a vision board to represent and remind yourself of your content goals, or to print an A4 sheet of key points to keep close at hand and refer to.
Good luck with crafting your strategy. If you get stuck, or maybe need someone to implement your strategy, drop me a line. I’d love to help you out.
