Bill Gates first wrote the famous phrase “content is king” all the way back in 1996, and almost 30 years later, it’s still commonly used by marketers everywhere.
But what does it actually mean to create, execute and – most importantly – get results from a content strategy? And why is content strategy important? Read on for answers to those big questions including what a content strategy is, how to create a winning framework, and the tactics and plan you need to bring it to life.
Before we get to grips with content strategy, it’s worth taking a step back and looking at what content actually is. It fills our newsfeeds, browsers and inboxes every single day, but as the term covers everything from TikTok videos and memes to white papers and blogs, it can be difficult to define.
For content as a form of digital marketing, it’s important to consider four key elements:
It’s very easy to focus purely on information and form, but context and medium are vital to reaching the right audience and achieving the desired results – particularly when it comes to content repurposing. Your information may be the same, but the form, medium and context can make it entirely different.
Developing and executing a content strategy is a task that requires significant time and resources – but it’s essential to achieve valuable results from content marketing. With a clear, defined content strategy in place, your business will:
Clearly, having a content strategy in place delivers measurable benefits, but it’s important to remember that this plan isn’t set in stone. With constant monitoring of results, you can modify based on what’s working for you – and create space to jump on those trending topics and new opportunities.
It’s about using these four elements as a means of achieving your overall business objectives – so isn’t as simple as having a regularly updated blog, writing ad-hoc pieces of content or even creating and publishing an editorial or social media calendar. A successful strategy starts with the big questions and refines them down into the logistics of creating, delivering and measuring the success of varied content types.
Answering these questions will create the beginnings of an effective content strategy. It’s where content strategy services often start, helping you develop a content roadmap that supports the overall business goals.
A well-executed content strategy is essential for businesses to engage their audience effectively, drive traffic to specific pages, and generate leads. Content strategy tactics are the specific actions you take to implement your strategy and achieve your goals. By understanding and implementing these tactics, you can make the most of your content and see significant results.
Here are some key content strategy tactics to consider:
Increasingly, Google is putting an emphasis on serving users quality content that satisfies their search intent – meaning a content strategy is rapidly becoming essential to an SEO strategy too. This encompasses the topics you write about, keywords you target and how the pages are organised, so content strategy SEO is about looking at all the details that will bring ROI through search.
A successful approach here is to plan the buyer’s journey and include content for each phase. Whether they’re searching for answers to an overarching problem, or are ready to find the specific solution, the content should outline a clear next step – no matter where they are in the marketing funnel. One way to do this effectively is to create a pillar page on a core topic with multiple pages relating to it – giving you topically related clusters.
All this means that a content strategy for SEO requires a similarly detailed plan in terms of keyword targeting, creation and structural mapping – as well as other aspects including backlinks and technical elements. Therefore, companies looking to work their way up the rankings must commit dedicated resources to this goal.
As we’ve seen throughout this article, developing a successful content strategy is a complex process – often requiring companies to take a step back and look at their wider business goals or current approach to content. A content strategy agency proves invaluable here.
As well as having the time and resources to dedicate to an in-depth exploration of your business, they’ll also view your website or other key channels with fresh eyes – allowing them to provide new insight into overall objectives. And in the case of content strategy for SEO, they’ll also have the specialist knowledge required to achieve measurable success in a field that’s constantly changing.
Whether your company has a dedicated in-house marketing team or not, trusting this task to a content strategy agency can help you clarify your approach to content marketing and start seeing impactful results. Developing a successful content strategy requires time and expertise.
Here's how professional content services can help:
A well-defined content strategy is the cornerstone of successful content marketing. This framework, along with tactics and a plan, provides a roadmap for creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience and achieves your business goals. Remember, a content strategy is a living document, so continue to monitor results and adapt your approach based on what works best.
Let our expert team at STM CREATE help you achieve your content strategy goals. From crafting compelling copy to optimising for search engines, we offer a range of content marketing services tailored to your specific needs. Contact us today to discuss your needs and let us tell your brand's story in the most memorable way.