5 Things a Content Strategy Is NOT

These days, there’s no doubt that a solid content marketing strategy is absolutely indispensable for all businesses, big and small. Phrases like “content is king” or “content is water” have been floating around the internet for more than a decade now – and there’s one simple reason for it.?

Content is communication. Content is the way businesses convey their value to their target audience. It is an irreplaceable tool that is capable of attracting, converting, and retaining customers no matter the product offering, culture, or location of a company.?

Yet, despite knowing the importance of content strategy, so many businesses still get it wrong. I’ve recently witnessed it with my own eyes: a content strategy being presented by an agency that… just wasn’t a content strategy.?

So, instead of replicating one of a trillion blog articles explaining what a content strategy is, I’ve decided to focus on the common mistakes and what it is NOT:?

1. A list of Content Ideas

Getting your content strategy off the ground can be exciting, especially when the creative juices start flowing! Teams come together to brainstorm and suddenly a long list of content topics/formats is beautifully drawn up on a Miro board.?

While it may be tempting to immediately start executing and testing out these ideas, three important questions should be answered:

1. Are the content ideas following an overarching marketing strategy?

Before deciding to create content around a trending topic, new product/service, or a key moment, there needs to be clear alignment with the overarching marketing strategy and business objectives. Is there a product that should be receiving more focus? What value are you creating for your target audience (which pain points are you answering to?)? Is there a wider campaign that the content piece could support or be the focus of??

2. What is the goal behind each content piece?

Ensuring that content creation is aligned with the wider marketing strategy also means knowing what the goal is behind each piece. And, there should also be an array of different goals within the content strategy that correspond with the overall marketing funnel. Here are some examples of what content goals could look like:?

• Build awareness around the brand/product/service# of views, impressions, or reach of a social media postTraffic growth to a blog article or website page?# of new followers on socials
• Warm up prospects (grow consideration)Time on page - how much time users are spending reading a blog article or webpageConversion rate to a product page from a blog article or social media post
• Generate leads# of downloads of a content piece (i.e. whitepaper, report, case study)# of registrations for a webinar or online/physical event.?

…among others.

3. How will you maximize each piece of content??

Another mistake I often see is when a business publishes a social media post or blog article around a topic and expects it to perform without any other supporting activities. Not only can this lead to frustration over time, but it can also result in wasted efforts and resources.?

When deciding on a content piece, ask yourself how you can maximize its impact. Repetition is always key, so making sure your target audience sees the content piece multiple times across multiple touch points (and preferably in different formats) will inevitably improve its success rate. If you’re creating a downloadable case study, for example, consider also writing a blog article linking to the case study, then posting about the case study across social media platforms, maybe even make a short teaser video, host a webinar about it… there are so many possibilities!?

2. Keyword-focused Blog Articles

Don’t get me wrong… doing keyword research and optimizing your blog articles is an absolute must if you want to rank high in Google searches. What I’m referring to here is to avoid making the mistake of only generating articles with the purpose of ranking. Several years ago this strategy was somewhat effective, but Google bots have gotten smarter and know when your audience is truly engaged by your content. That’s why it’s crucial to craft blog articles with the purpose of delivering value to your readers, not just for ranking.?

3. A Social Media Calendar

The power of socials is undeniable. Yet, this is only one puzzle piece to a successful content marketing strategy. While it can be fun to create memes about holidays or replicate trending reels, there should be clear goals behind each post that support the overall content strategy. Here are a few examples of how to put purpose behind your posting:?

• Use trending songs for reels on Instagram and follow other best practices in order to leverage the algorithm and boost your following (which in turn builds awareness around your brand).?
• Post about hot topics that are relevant to your industry to stay relevant and prove credibility (ex. if a brand just publicly banned the use of leather and you sell raw vegan materials to businesses, you might want to post a reel or story congratulating the brand).
• Announce new content pieces or events in your stories or posts, linking to your campaign landing pages.?
• Learn who your audience is by posting fun surveys in your stories that will later help you tailor future content to attract that audience. ??

4. Multi-channel Posting

When you’re tight on time and resources, it’s easy to fall into the trap of posting the same content across multiple channels (I’ve been there!). Yet, an effective strategy requires adapting your content to each platform and the different audiences you’re speaking to. Not only when it comes to format, but also in terms of the tone you use in your communication. You can (and should) post about one topic across all channels, but a little tailoring for each platform goes a long way.?

5. A One-size-fits-all Formula?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout the many years I’ve worked in marketing, it’s that each company needs a unique and tailored content strategy. Sure… there are guidelines and checklists you can follow, but ultimately a strategy that works for Company A will most likely not work in the same way for Company B. This is why it’s vital to create a dashboard and put KPIs behind everything you do. That way, you can figure out what works for your business, phase out the failures, and focus on fueling effective tactics.?And, let's be honest, a strategy isn't really a strategy without trackable goals!

Not sure where to begin??

Creating a new content strategy can be a little daunting (not to mention time-consuming!). If you’re unsure of where to begin or lack the proper resources to hire a full-time content specialist for your team, look for external help to kick off the right strategy for you and to see it through.?

Helping brands (particularly startups or companies in growth stage) with their content is where I thrive. Feel free to reach out or learn more about how I can help via www.rosannaryan.com ?