Top 100 Question: “How do we make a content plan that targets users’ interests (and keep it relevant)?”

A marketer at CarMax asked, “How do we make a content plan that targets users’ interests (and keep it relevant)?” It's one of the Top 100 Questions from the 2,100 questions we collected on #contentmarketing.

Audiences, not editors, decide what’s relevant?

I started my career in journalism, where I learned that: “News is whatever the editor says it is.” Indeed, our editor always made the final call on what was relevant and what would or would not appear in the news.

While editors once held sway, today people decide for themselves what’s relevant. That’s why I say:

“Content is whatever the audience says it is.”?

Fortunately, most marketers have figured this out.

Research from the Content Marketing Institute and Marketing Profs has shown that most marketers put the needs of their audience first as they create content. Indeed, 3 out of 5 business to consumer (B2C) marketers prioritize their audience’s informational needs over sales and promotional messages. And 2 out of 3 business to business (B2B) marketers prioritize audience needs over sales-oriented copy.

It’s smart to put your audience’s needs first?

Why? Because the whole idea of content marketing is to attract and retain subscribers who may do business with you in the future.

Prospects and customers don’t subscribe to content that’s all about your brand. Instead, they want content that’s all about them.

If you’re still putting sales and promotional content ahead of the informational content your audience needs, it’s time to change your approach.

Want to be a most successful marketer??

Here’s a clear path to build successful content marketing. Take these steps:

1. Use buyer persona research to find out what content your audience seeks out. The better you know your audience, the better you can create content they’ll crave.
2. Write a content marketing mission that truly addresses your audience’s information needs.
3. Bake your content mission into your one-page #contentmarketingstrategy. Co-create your strategy with colleagues and internal clients, using a one-page content marketing strategy.

If you'd like an easy template to help you frame your one-page content marketing strategy, message me.