How to Create an Effective Content Strategy for Your Brand

Hey there,

Contrary to popular opinion, a list of keywords isn’t a content strategy.

Follow these steps to create a real, data-driven content strategy for your brand:

1. Host a content strategy workshop

Gather all stakeholders on a call to align on all aspects of your content strategy, including goals, metrics, content formats, topics, brand tone and voice, messaging, and more.

Go simple or as fancy as you’d like: use PowerPoint, a Miro board, or a dedicated workshop software like Butter.

2. Do a listening tour

Talk to customer-facing team members, such as sales and customer support reps.

Here, your goal is to find out which topics and questions are most commonly brought up by prospects and customers.

3. Talk to customers

Go straight to the source and talk to customers themselves. Ideally, this should be in the form of one-on-one interviews. But, a survey can also work.

You’ll want to learn about their goals, pain points, needs, the topics they’re interested in, how they consume content, and more.

4. Analyze the competition

Make a list of direct and indirect competitors. Analyze their website and content, and try to understand their overall content strategy.

Check what types of content they’re creating, which keywords they’re targeting, and how they’re distributing their content. And try to find out what kind of results they’re getting.

5. Perform keyword research

While a list of keywords isn’t a content strategy in itself, you’re going to need one if you’re relying on SEO as one of your content distribution channels.

Perform keyword research using tools like Semrush to uncover the best keywords to target. Use the data you’ve gathered from customer research as a starting point.

6. Create a content plan

By now, you should have a list of topics you’d like to cover with your content. All you need to do now is turn it into a content plan.

Prioritize topics based on conversion potential—how likely they are to drive new customers for your business. And choose the best content type for each topic.

7. Plan content distribution

A lot of content teams rely on SEO as their only content distribution channel. But if you do this, you’ll be leaving a lot of traffic (and money) on the table.

Use the data from your customer research to decide on the best channels to distribute your content. Try to have at least 2-3 distribution channels for every piece of content.

8. Document your processes

Document all your content marketing processes to ensure consistent content quality and avoid bottlenecks in the production process.

Create editorial guidelines and document your content production and distribution process from start to finish.

9. Create your content strategy

Finally, combine all of this data into a content strategy document and share it with your entire organization.

Now (and only now), you’re ready to start creating content.

Need a content strategy?

I help B2B SaaS companies drive growth through strategic, product-led content marketing.

My clients include companies like Semrush, Hunter.io, and Hubstaff.

I can create an effective content strategy for your brand that will help you generate new customers consistently.

Interested? Book an introductory call here. Or check out my website here.

Thanks,

Boris