6 Steps to Developing an Effective Content Marketing Strategy

You may have heard that in this digitally connected age, content is king.  Why do you need to worry about content?  Telling the whole world about your business is a great way to get exposure.  You can do this organically or with paid ads.  Most business owners don't have a giant budget for advertising so we do what we can with what we have.  We also want leads and clients from these marketing efforts so we create content to get attention, engagement, and ultimately sales.

Keep in mind that the content you put out on social media and the internet won't magically bring you a ton of sales, but if you consistently post, and have a solid marketing plan with goals, you will see more traffic in your website, or shop.

Here are six simple steps to getting started with excellent content marketing in your business.

1. Establish your goals.

You can't get anywhere unless you have a goal. Set clear objectives for your marketing efforts, such as strengthening your connection with an existing audience or reaching out to new ones.

With all of the analytic tools available today, you can easily track your progress as you go.

2. Identify your target audience.

To whom are you promoting your product or service? If you don't have a clear vision for this, you'll waste time and money trying to market to everyone, which is akin to throwing pasta on the wall and hoping it sticks.

Instead, create a mental picture of your ideal audience. Make a storyboard about the "typical" person in this group to supplement your marketing efforts with genuine copy.

3. Establish your personal style.

What is the essence of your brand, and what is the accompanying style that best matches your message?

If you are inconsistent with your words and appearance, you will confuse your audience and lose potential customers. Confirm the specifics of your appearance—from color schemes to fonts to content topics.

4. Learn from history.

If you've been in business for a few years, chances are you already have some existing content.  Look at what worked and what didn't, and try to figure out why. As you progress, build on your successes and avoid failure.

5. Gather the team.

If you're a one-person band, that's great, but once your company grows to a certain size, you'll need more people on your team.

One person may be blogging and incorporating SEO keywords, while another interacts with the fan base on social media, and yet another creates and implements Google ads.

The more specialized each person can become, the more their expertise will contribute to your company's overall success—but remember to keep everyone in the loop of communication.

6. Make a strategy.

Set checkpoints, objectives, and deadlines. Analytic software can be used to track clicks and determine which parts of the strategy are working.

Just as goals are essential for creating a destination, a plan is essential for getting there.

I hope this quick list gives you some ideas on how to get started.  If you need an extra pair of hands, fill out the contact form below!