What are the most common conflicts in Content Strategy and how can you resolve them?

Scope creeps can happen often when there is not a clear cut communication regarding project and I guess it is normal and avoidable. 1) Have a clear understanding of project before saying yes to it. 2) It should be clearly mentioned that if any changes happen from client side then extra charges may apply accordingly. 3) There is always a deadline of completion, but I suggest it would be great if we take a day off and talk about the project just before the deadline to ensure if clients need any change or they are happy with what they want, this will avoid the unusual tension at the last moment.

Common conflicts in Content Strategy often involve stakeholder disagreements on goals, inconsistent messaging, and resource constraints. Resolving conflicts requires clear communication, aligning objectives, creating a comprehensive strategy, and establishing a feedback loop. Collaboration, transparency, and flexibility are crucial in navigating these challenges for effective content planning and execution.

Common conflicts in Content Strategy often involve stakeholder misalignment, resource constraints, and divergent creative visions. To resolve them, establish clear communication channels, define objectives collaboratively, prioritize resources effectively, and conduct regular evaluations to ensure alignment with overarching business goals.

Scope creep in content strategy is like an unexpected island to your voyage- one that wasn't on your original map. Let us try to understand it: In my experience, Scope creep has occurred a few times after that I learned that clear communication and defining the objectives were necessary. Whenever you are working on a blog post, article or video and suddenly the client emerges with a new request or a feature that wasn't mentioned earlier- that is Scope screep. When you work for a gig as a freelancer, you specify it very clearly in the contract so that if the client demands a revision or addition, you can easily communicate the charges and the time that it will take. This way, your content ship will cruise smoothly toward success.

Cross department alignment is often times the largest issue. While marketing, sales, finance, and operations can all be on the same page and agree with a plan on paper, once implemented it is very easy for departments to call variables without notice and completely tank your content strategy. Were you targeting a specific market segmentation and sales decided to focus elsewhere? Did you get the tone and copy approved but after two weeks something shiny is causing a change of direction? Your strategy has to be flexible like gumby or you need to have enough department synergy to actually make your strategy work.

If the content quality is bad and it is not reaching your target audience, you are not generating traction to the company. It is important to keep adding valuable content and ensuring that your content gets the desired engagement. It is important to monitor regularly how your content is performing and change your strategy if you are not getting leads. Getting direct feedback from your seniors would help ease the process and help you stay on track.

The biggest reason behind poor content: It's focused on the creator and not on their readers. Before you write any piece of content, you must be clear about: - Whom it is for - What problem it's solving - How is it different from other solutions Focus on getting crystal clear on your ideal client's pain points and desires and you'll speak directly to them. Any content that showcases the reader's struggles and desires is bound to get attention.

Content is the king ??, and yes it is but, presentation skills are cheery on the cake ??. There is no value of your content if you don't know how to present it ?. Like, not only about writing but also if you are creating a video content, it is very important to work on your looks, communication skills, and editing skills. How about watching a video of just talking without expressions and editing? Nobody gonna watch that isn't it ? Same goes with writing on LinkedIn or any other platforms. If you can present your content in a manner which everyone wants to read. Your content will definitely boom ?? and you will definitely see those green graphs?? rather than red ones?? in your analytics.?

Content quality is like baking a cake ??????. You need the right ingredients (accuracy, relevance, clarity), follow the recipe (content strategy), and avoid any kitchen chaos (conflicting opinions). But hey, if the cake falls flat, it's time for some content governance magic! ???

Here's my take on navigating these challenges: Acceptance of Diverse Opinions: I've learned to be comfortable with varying viewpoints. Each writer has a unique style and understanding of personas. Implementing a Robust Process: A strong content governance framework is essential. It should clearly outline roles, responsibilities, and guidelines for content creation and review. Regular Feedback Sessions: Holding group post-mortems or feedback sessions is invaluable. These meetings allow for alignment and continuous improvement, fostering a collaborative approach. Understanding Audience Diversity: Our audience consumes different types of content. This helps in creating a balanced content strategy that caters to varied preferences.

Content ownership: Who's in charge? ??♂? It's like a puzzle ??. You need to know who creates, edits, approves, publishes, and updates the pieces. But when everyone wants a piece of the pie ??, it can get messy! To keep things smooth, create a clear content ownership model, foster teamwork ??, and provide the tools and support ???

It's difficult to maintain content ownership in this noisy place. Here few tips that might help: 1. Establish clear roles and responsibilities Define who creates, edits, approves, publishes, and updates content. 2. Use a content management system (CMS) CMS are good way of tracking the history of your content. You can track approval edits and other workflows. 3. Keep it real & authentic Even if someone uses your content on social media they can't give the real experience. When your content is authentic only you can provide the best experience or solve the problem for others. So don't be sad if someone steals your content.

Content ownership is tricky in the digital world. My suggestion would be to finish the formalities before you launch a product or a service on social media. Because once it's on the internet, you cannot stop people from copying it. Most people are lazy and don't spend time in creating original ideas. Instead they take 'inspiration' from others and label their names with it. Plagiarism is the most common trait on social media. Hence, it's suggested to create formal documents if needed for the security of your work.

Clearly defining tasks when it comes to content creation not only helps create good quality content but also keeps individuals accountable!

Adding to this, nothing is original in content world??. It's all about how you can copy that content and present it in your own way .? It's not about the content but about the presentation ?. Let's take an example of SELF HELP content.?? Thousands of self help books are there in the market, you can read each one of that, every book says the same things in many different ways.?? Also, these things are already written thousands of years ago by great thinkers.?? We are all copying the orginal and selling it. It is not about the originality of the content.? But how you can steal it like an artist.?? That's make all the difference.?

Content Repurposing is the most misunderstood term in the minds of clients.Most of the clients avoid reusing the same piece of content as they feel like it's repetitive. But as a Social Media Manager, it's advisable to repurpose a piece of content in multiple ways.It does not only saves you time but it also helps you to explain a topic in multiple ways to multiple people. When you reshare your content in multiple ways and multiple times, the chances of your content getting noticed is increased. One should always keep in mind to check the insights and repurpose only the content that is loved by your audience.

Content reuse or repurpose is an art. We live in a world where people need reminders and it becomes easy when we reuse the content but in a smart way. For instance, I use my LinkedIn posts as a stepping stone for my YouTube video scripts. - Transform a well-received blog post into engaging visuals for social media or adapt it into a podcast episode. Two people can have different Points of view on Work-life balance and that's where we need to personalize the content to make it available for better reach and coherence. Let us not misunderstand it with plagiarising someone's work, it is more about presenting it with your thoughts, and experiences and with your own words.

Content reuse can be of two types- 1. Repurposing own content 2. Repurposing someone elses’ content So if someone is repurposing their own content, it’s simple to check the current scenario, like is it relatable for the audience today? And if so then awesome, but still sharing same content again may bore audience, so how about adding our own touch, or crisp it with some personal experience? But what if it is not relatable for the current scenario? Simple, either make it relatable or do not reuse it. And if someone wants to use someone elses’ content, that can also be a good move because when you can get best content already, why to reinvent the wheel. Just make sure to add your experience there and give credit to them.

Reusing your best content is the best idea. You know that content works so well, so why not try a 2nd time with that piece of content? But you should keep maintaining these 3 things. 1. Don't repurpose it too often. Use them after a few days or weeks. 2. Share content in different forms. For example: 1st time you upload a 12-minute video content. 2nd time make it shorts (reels, TikTok). 3. Don't feel guilty. There is nothing wrong with sharing the same things multiple times. It's a better way for you to reach a new audience

A content strategy will always avail you the privilege and opportunities to connect with your ideal audience (i.e your potential customers and clients) in real ways, that turns them from being mere strangers or audiences to being retained customers and loyal fans. It also ensures that your content is consistent and aligns with your brand’s messaging and values. However, there are usually deficiencies in the alignment of content strategy such as inconsistency and lack of effective communication. This can be solved by defining a content’s clear objectives, maintaining a consistency in brand messaging and communication, optimizing content for SEO and analyzing the overall metrics and performance of a content to make informed corrections.

? Aligning content strategy with business goals is key for relevance and impact. ? It ensures content serves a clear purpose, aligned with the client’s vision. ? Challenges include misaligned business strategies and limited management input. ? My approach: 1. Understand the client’s business context and objectives thoroughly. 2. Maintain clear communication with all stakeholders. 3. Regularly adjust content strategy to align with evolving business goals. 4. Highlight content’s value to decision-makers. ? This strategy ensures content not only engages the audience but also propels the business, reflecting its true identity and vision.

In my experience I’d say just keep it real and authentic. There is absolutely no need to feed the algorithm because that is how you will build a community. Build a community being your raw true self. Be yourself and you will see how you will attract the correct audience.

Content Strategy depends on Goals and Targets. First question, What do you want to achieve with this content? → Do you want to create awareness? → Do you want to build trust? → Do you want to sell the product? → Do you want to re-target the audience? There are different strategies for achieving different goals. - Understand who is your audience - What you are solving for - Why they should need this - What problem your content is solving - What you want to achieve if they take action You have cleared all the above these questions. Then you can expect your strategy should work. Don't forget to test → analyze → iteration This is the process of content strategy.

The most POWERFUL way to align your content strategy with your business strategy is through effective Branding! Focus on: 1) Brand story 2) Brand positioning 3) Brand message 4) Brand voice

The most common conflict in content strategy is "ad hockism." Endless content requests from various stakeholders that either distract from the strategy or contradict the strategy. This is why you need to go to the stakeholders when you're crafting the strategy and get their input. This is also why you need to have a high-level owner of the content strategy (like the head of marketing) because you need the authority to say "no" to such requests, and to have someone high-level who can mediate disputes when the stakeholder doesn't want to hear "no."

In my experience, a forward-thinking perspective underscores the importance of adapting strategies to emerging technologies, such as AI-driven content creation, to stay ahead in the content game. The key lies not just in addressing current conflicts but in cultivating an adaptable mindset for the future of digital communication.

Here are a few more conflicts that come with content strategy: 1. Resource constraints (tools, time and personnel): The best way to resolve this is to prioritize your strategy according to the maximum impact and business goals. 2. Changing market trends and your audience preferences: Creating a dynamic content strategy that evolves with your content can often be challenging. The best way to ensure engaging content that adheres to the latest trends is to establish a strategy and revisit it every 30 days to check performance, impact, traffic and ROI.

The age-old tussle of quality vs. quantity does not spare content strategy. One needs to determine whether they want to hop on every new trend and post frequently just to stay relevant to the algorithm OR do they want to post only well-researched, carefully crafted content that brings value to their target audience. The right answer often lies somewhere in the middle! While trendy content can help you garner a completely untapped audience segment, well-curated content may serve your identified/acquired audiences better. A long-term yet adaptive content plan that adheres to the brand voice can help strike a balance between quality and quantity. You can consider tweaking this strategy as your visibility grows.

There are lots of them, but the most common one for me is value conflict. For instance, if a content strategist is creating content for a global audience that has diverse and sometimes conflicting values, beliefs, or preferences. They have to respect the cultural and ethical sensitivities of the audience and stakeholders and avoid offending or alienating anyone. They have to ensure the credibility, reputation, and trustworthiness of the content.? A possible solution is to use localization, personalization, or segmentation to tailor the content to the specific needs and expectations of the audience segments.