How To Develop a Content Marketing Strategy in 6 Steps

Alright, let's break it down. Content marketing essentially involves telling stories online in a way that makes people want to spend time with your brand. Using blog posts, videos, and social media, content marketing helps you gain attention and share what you do.

Why is it a big deal? Well, think about all the time you spend online. You're checking out videos, reading articles, and scrolling through posts, right? Businesses get that and use content marketing to pop up where you're already looking. It's their way of saying, "Hey, look at this cool thing we have," without being annoying.

Having a rock-solid content marketing strategy is super important. It's like having a map when you're on a road trip. It shows you where you're going, the best way to get there, and all the cool stops. This "map" helps businesses stand out online. It also connects people like you and me and turns those connections into loyal customers.

So, what is a content marketing strategy? In a nutshell, content marketing is sharing stories and info that get people interested in a brand. And when it's done right, it can truly help a business shine online.

Let's plan your big adventure — creating your content marketing strategy. You need a map, some goals, and a clear idea of what you want to find along the way. 

So, how do you structure a content strategy? We're going to guide you through six steps to make a plan. The end result is that it helps your business grow and connects with people online. Let's get started.

First things first: you gotta know what you want to achieve. Setting clear goals gives you direction and something to aim for.

To begin, you must set achievable goals with the SMART criteria. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This is like saying, "I want to read 10 books in three months" instead of, "I want to read more." 

See the difference? The first tells you exactly what to do, how to check if you're doing it, and when you want it done.

For your strategy, a SMART goal looks like, "Increase our website visitors by 20% in the next six months using our blog posts." This goal is clear. You can measure your progress. It's possible; it makes sense for your business, and you have a deadline.

Setting goals like this helps you focus on what's important. It makes it easier to see how well your content marketing is doing. Remember, a good plan starts with knowing where you want to go.

Alright, step two in our adventure is all about getting to know who you're talking to. Just like when you're telling a story, you need to know who's listening. Understanding your audience means you can share stories, tips, and ideas they'll really like.

To create your audience persona:

1. Gather Info: First up, be a detective. Look at who's already checking out your website or buying your stuff. You can ask them questions through surveys or see what they like on social media. This helps you spot what they're into and what they need.
2. Spot Patterns: Next, look for patterns in the info you gathered. Maybe you notice a lot of your audience loves watching how-to videos or reading about adventures. These patterns help you group them into different "personas." A persona is like creating a character in a story. For example, "Techie Tara" could be someone who loves the latest gadgets and tech news.
3. Fill in the Details: Now, give Techie Tara some life. Think about what her day might be like, her hobbies, and what problems she runs into that your business can help solve. Maybe she's always looking for ways to make her home smarter but doesn't know where to start.‍
4. Check and Adjust: Finally, keep an eye on your personas. People change, and so do their interests. Make sure you update Techie Tara and her friends over time so you're always sharing products or services they find cool and useful.

Maybe she's always looking for ways to make her home smarter but doesn't know where to start.

By understanding your audience like this, you make sure your content hits the mark. It's like knowing exactly what gift to get your friend for their birthday because you know what they love. That's the power of really knowing your audience.

A content audit examines all the content you've made so far — like your blog posts, videos, and social media posts.

To do a content audit:

1. List Everything: Start by listing all the content you have. This could be a list on your computer or a piece of paper. You want to know what you've got.
2. Check It Out: Now, look at each piece of content. Ask yourself: Is this interesting? Is it helpful? Does it make people want to learn more about what we do? This helps you see what's cool and might be boring.
3. Look for Patterns: As you check out your content, look for what's working well. Your how-to videos are super popular, and people love your adventure blog posts. These patterns tell you what your audience likes. 

Doing a content audit helps you in a few big ways. First, it shows you what types of content your audience likes. This means you can make more content like that in the future.

Second, it helps you find gaps. You realize you've never made a video about something your audience cares about. It drives your content development strategies. Now you know what to do next.

Lastly, it helps you decide what to keep, what to update, and what to stop doing. Like finding old toys in your room, you can see what's still fun and what you've outgrown.

So, a content audit is a big step in shaping your content marketing strategy. It's like using what you already know to make even better content in the future.

So, you've got some awesome content ideas — great. But where should you share them? There are lots of places online where you can post your content, but the trick is picking the right spots. 

Let's talk about some popular channels and how to choose the best ones for your situation:

1. Blogs: A blog is your own little corner of the internet where you can share stories, tips, and news. Blogs are great for sharing longer stories. They help your audience learn something new.‍
2. Social Media: Places like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are perfect for quick posts. They are for cool pictures and fun videos. It's a great way to talk directly to your audience and get them involved. This can even be a space for viral content. Take my Twitter, for example. I post regularly, sharing tips, tricks, and bits of information based on my own experience to help inspire and engage my audience. ‍
3. YouTube: If you love making videos, YouTube is the place to be. You can make how-to guides, behind-the-scenes looks, or even mini-movies about what you do. I use my YouTube channel to share content both from my podcast, The Matt Gray Show, as well as video content around Founder OS.‍
4. Email Newsletters: With email newsletters, you can directly share news, deals, and fun updates in your customers’ inboxes. My Founder OS newsletter goes out every Saturday, sharing tips for practical business growth. ‍
5. Podcasts: If you like to chat, consider starting a podcast. You can discuss topics your audience cares about and invite guests to join you. My podcast, The Matt Gray Show, revolves around tips and advice on business growth and success — check out my episode about 11 Millionaire Skills I Wish I Knew at 21.

Consider where your audience likes to hang out online. If they love watching videos, YouTube might be the way to go. If they're always on Instagram, start snapping some cool pics.

Some stories are better told in pictures and words. Pick the channel that lets your content shine. For example, if you have a lot of how-tos, blogs or YouTube could be perfect. You don't have to get it perfect the first time — in fact, just getting it done in the first place is more important. Try different channels and see what works best. See which posts get the most likes, comments, or shares to see what your audience loves.

Choosing the right places to share your content is super important. It's like picking the right playground for your game. When you find the best spot, your content can take off, and your audience will love it.

We've talked about planning and picking where to share your cool stuff. Now, let's chat about keeping it all organized with a content calendar. Think of it as a planner for all the stories, videos, and posts you want to share.

A content calendar serves as a roadmap for what you're going to share online. It helps you plan when you're going to post that awesome blog, share that fun video, or tweet something cool. This way, you don't have to scramble at the last minute to find something to share.

A content calendar helps you plan everything you want to share online. It’s a brilliant tool for keeping all those creative ideas organized in one spot. This means you’ll always know exactly what you’re posting next. 

This takes the guesswork out of sharing relevant content with your audience. No more last-minute panic or scrambling to find something interesting to talk about.

A content calendar also helps you stick to a regular posting schedule. This consistency is key to keeping your audience engaged and returning for more of your words. 

They’ll start to look forward to your posts, knowing they can always find something new and exciting. Plan your content around holidays, seasons, or special events. This ensures your posts are always timely and relevant. Careful planning means your content feels fresh. It's timed and right for the moment. So, in a nutshell, a content calendar doesn't help you stay organized. It transforms your content into a well-timed symphony. And resonates with your audience's lives.

How To Make a Content Calendar:

1. Pick Your Tools: You can use a physical calendar, a spreadsheet, or online tools like Trello or Asana. Choose what you like best.‍
2. Fill in Important Dates: Mark down any holidays, events, or special days related to your business. You'll want to create content that matches these times.‍
3. Plan Your Posts: Decide what you want to share and when. Mix it up with different types of content to keep things interesting.‍
4. Assign Tasks: If you have a team, let everyone know who's doing what. This could be who's writing a post, taking pictures, or making videos.‍
5. Review and Adjust: Take a look at your calendar often to make sure everything's running smoothly. Don't be afraid to change things if you come up with new ideas or if something isn't working.

Once you've set your content out into the wild, it's time to see how it's doing. It's like sending a paper airplane and watching how far it goes. How can you ensure your content drives action?

Monitoring and measuring content performance is key for knowing what’s working, where to go next, and what you could be doing better. You'll need some tools to help you, like Google Analytics or social media insights. These tools help you see which of your posts are getting the most attention, who's looking at them, and what people are doing after they check out your content.

Some key metrics to watch include:

• Views and Visits: This tells you how many people are checking out your content. It's like counting how many friends show up to your party.‍
• Engagement: This includes likes, shares, comments, and time spent on your content. High engagement means people aren't just visiting; they're hanging out and enjoying what you've shared.‍
• Conversions: This is when someone takes a big step, like signing up for your newsletter or buying something. It shows your content isn't just cool to look at; it's also convincing people to take action.‍
• Bounce Rate: This is when folks take one look at your content and then leave. If this number is high, it's like having guests peek into your party and then decide not to come in. You might need to make your content more inviting.

We've gone through a bunch of steps to help you build a winning content marketing strategy. We talked about setting clear goals, getting to know your audience, checking out what content you already have, picking the right places to share your business, planning it all out on a calendar, and seeing how well it's doing.

Now, it's your turn to take these steps and use them to make your own amazing content strategy. For even more advice, check out my YouTube discussion with Dan Martell on The Best Strategy To Build Your Business (Buying Back Your Time). Remember, share stories and info that people want to see and that help them in some way. 

So, grab a notebook, a pen, or your computer, and start planning. You've got all the tools you need to make something great. If you need more help, visit Founder OS today.