How do you share your content strategy with collaborators?

1 Choose a format

The first step is to choose a format for your content strategy document. You can use a word processor, a spreadsheet, a presentation, or a content management system. The format should suit your needs and preferences, as well as your collaborators'. For example, if you need to track and update your content regularly, a spreadsheet or a content management system might be more convenient than a word processor. If you need to present your content strategy to a client or a stakeholder, a presentation might be more persuasive than a spreadsheet.

2 Include the essentials

The second step is to include the essential elements of your content strategy in your document. These are the core components that define your content's purpose, direction, and performance. Depending on the project and scope, you may need to include content goals, audience, tone and style, format and type, channels and platforms, and metrics and KPIs. Content goals should align with business or brand objectives. You must consider the needs, pain points, and interests of your audience when creating content. Additionally, you must decide on a voice, personality, and tone of voice that best suits the content. When it comes to format and type, you should consider what is best for your goals and audience; for example blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics etc. You will also need to know which channels and platforms are best for distributing your content; such as website, social media, email etc. Lastly, you must measure the success of your content by setting key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect your goals; such as traffic, engagement, conversions etc.

3 Use visuals and examples

The third step is to use visuals and examples to illustrate your content strategy. This can help to communicate ideas more effectively, as well as aid collaborators in understanding expectations and standards. Charts and graphs can be used to display content goals, metrics, and KPIs. Personas and scenarios can be used to demonstrate the target audience and their journey. Mood boards and style guides can be utilized to depict the tone and style of content. Wireframes and mockups can show the format and type of content. Screenshots and links can be used to portray the channels and platforms of content. Finally, samples and references can be employed to show the quality of content and best practices.

4 Share and update

The fourth step is to share your content strategy document with your collaborators and update it regularly. You have various options available, such as email, cloud storage, or a content management system. Email is a simple and quick way to share your document, but can create version control issues. Cloud storage services, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, are more collaborative but can pose security and privacy risks. Content management systems like WordPress, HubSpot, or Contentful offer a more integrated approach but require technical skills and resources. Whatever method you select, ensure you update your document regularly and inform your collaborators of any changes. This will help keep the content strategy relevant, accurate, and consistent.

5 Solicit feedback

The fifth step is to solicit feedback from your collaborators on your content strategy, which can help you improve your content quality and performance. You can gather feedback in various ways, such as surveys and polls with online tools like SurveyMonkey or Typeform, interviews and focus groups with Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet, or comments and annotations with Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Adobe Acrobat. It’s important to listen to the feedback and act on it accordingly to build trust, rapport, and collaboration with your collaborators.

6 Review and refine

The sixth and final step is to review and refine your content strategy based on your feedback and results. This is essential as your content strategy should not remain static, but rather be a dynamic and evolving plan. Therefore, you need to assess your content metrics and KPIs regularly, using online tools such as Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or Mailchimp. Additionally, you should conduct content audits and inventories with tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush, or ContentKing. Finally, you can test and experiment with different aspects of your content through Optimizely, Unbounce, or Hotjar. By reviewing and refining your content strategy based on your findings and insights, you can optimize it to reach your desired goals.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?