Building a Winning Content Strategy.

A strong content strategy is key to engaging your audience, building brand loyalty, and driving business results. But creating an effective strategy takes more than just planning—it requires a deep understanding of your brand, your audience, and the types of content that will resonate with them. Here’s how you can develop a content strategy that works.

Identifying Themes and Topics

Once the planning stage is complete and you’ve identified the types of content you’ll use (blogs, videos, social media posts, etc.), it’s time to select the themes and topics. These should align with your brand values, industry issues, target audience interests, and marketing campaigns. Seasonal events or cultural moments might also be relevant.

The key is to ensure that the themes are compatible with your brand identity and appeal to your audience. For example, if your brand values sustainability, your content themes could revolve around eco-friendly practices or green technology. From these larger themes, you’ll develop specific subtopics.

Brainstorming and Developing Content Ideas

Once you’ve settled on your themes, your team can brainstorm content ideas that align with them. You’ll want to create titles and topics that are interesting and engaging for your target audience. Ideas deemed worthy will be assigned to a team member and go through the creation, approval, production, publication, promotion, and evaluation stages.

Key Questions in Developing a Content Strategy

According to Tuten and Solomon (2018), developing a content strategy involves answering a series of critical questions during the discovery phase:

• Is our target audience actively searching for information about our brand?
• What are their attitudes toward our brand? Are they positive or neutral?
• What type of content do they need, and what pain points can we address for them?
• How can we provide value that makes our content stand out from the competition?
• How can we align our content with the brand’s overall marketing goals?
• What messages will the target audience respond to, and what platforms should we publish on?

By answering these questions, you’ll gain a clearer picture of how your content can be designed to meet audience needs, support your brand’s objectives, and differentiate you from competitors.

Content Mix and Perspective: The 80/20 Rule

An important aspect of content strategy is understanding the perspective of your audience. Research shows that people engage more with content that speaks to their needs and interests rather than the company’s own promotional goals. That’s why it’s best to follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should be audience-focused, offering value or education, while 20% can be brand-centric, promoting your products or services.

For instance, four posts might cover industry insights, how-tos, or audience pain points, while one post can focus on a new product launch or promotional offer. This ensures your audience feels like they’re getting value from your content rather than being constantly sold to.

Practical Considerations: Resources and Content Production

Finally, consider what resources you have available to create content. Some social media teams are made up of just one person, while others have the benefit of a full department with access to brand assets. Can your team repurpose existing content, curate relevant content from other sources, or will you need to create original material? Understanding your resources will help guide your content production process.

Also, keep in mind that content is often more impactful when it’s presented as a series. Instead of one-off posts, consider how you can create a consistent flow of content that builds on previous pieces to keep your audience engaged over time.

Conclusion

A well-thought-out content strategy isn’t just about producing content; it’s about creating the right content, at the right time, in the right format. By aligning your themes with your brand and audience, focusing on providing value, and strategically balancing your content mix, you’ll create a content strategy that not only engages but drives meaningful results for your brand.

Reference

Tuten,T.L.,and Solomon, M.R. (2018) social media marketing. Third edition. United Kingdom: Sage publications.