5 Steps to Create a Successful Content Strategy
A content strategy is a plan that crafts writing so that the product or service is highlighted in a way that ultimately educates the reader and can bring forth an interest or conversion. There is copy and then there is copy that is tailored to the product/company and the reader. In order to have a strategy, there are some basic steps to follow to make sure that the content connects with the audience.
Know the topic. The best way to succeed at public speaking is to know the subject matter. The same goes for writing. You can bring your talent to the table when you know what it is that you are writing about. It absolutely comes through to the reader if you know what you are talking about. Write it with your heart.
Know the target audience. Why write about peas when the company sells carrots. And, who is going to read that article? Is it pea farmers or carrot farmers or rabbits? It’s important to know the content and the style of writing as well as written examples, expressions and facts.
Set your goals. Do you want to simply educate the reader or are you looking for a conversion? If it’s the latter, be sure to set an actual ROI (return on investment) so that you can measure in a real way how many people the article reached, what kind of traffic it generated and was there any quantifiable interest in the article. This is key if you are hiring a writer because you literally have made an investment. Was it worth it?
Wait, sit back and wait. Optimization isn’t born in a day. Having a great article is great. You want to know that search engines don’t immediately rank a piece of content on the first page. You have to have a specific structure, it has to be read easily, and all the better if other sites link to your article or share it on social media!
Test, test, test and re-evaluate. You can keep the article live and still evaluate its performance. No need to remove it, just keep data and think about what you can tweak for next time. It might make sense to run the article by some associates or even friends. What do they like and what isn’t useful? Why not? That way you can be more certain of what you are looking for in an author/article.
Enjoy. If the conversions come rolling in, if the traffic ranks high, if you get on the first page of Google results, hooray! But, honestly, if you’ve gotten the message out, if you reached one reader, if you’ve brought one conversion, you do have success.
At The Hyacinth Group, we work with our clients to help with all of the above steps to having a successful content strategy that is educational, converts and is a pleasure to read. Book an appointment today to learn more.