How to Develop a Winning Content Marketing Strategy for Your Business

How to Develop a Winning Content Marketing Strategy for Your Business Title Image provided by Tayloright As a small business owner, it’s easy to assume that the same principles big corporations use don’t apply to your company. And while this might be the case in some situations, it certainly doesn’t hold true when it comes to content marketing. Just like the big boys, you need to be investing in quality content to move your business forward. 4 Tips for a Winning Content Strategy Are you familiar with the decision making funnel? While it can be applied to a number of different processes, it’s especially helpful when it comes to developing a content strategy. As Drug Rehab Agency shows, the decision-making funnel is an inverted pyramid that includes Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action. The idea is that your content should help people move through the funnel. You start by making someone aware of your brand. Next, you get them interested in what you’re offering. Then, you leverage this interest and try to plant desire in their minds. In the end, the hope is that this desire fuels action in the form of a purchase. Using the decision making funnel as the contextual basis for a winning content strategy in today’s digital landscape, let’s check out some of the different steps you should be taking. Understand Who You Are If you had to describe your brand voice in three words, what would they be? If it takes you longer than 10 seconds to answer this question, it’s probably a sign that you aren’t intimately familiar with your brand voice in the way you should be. In order to develop an effective content strategy that engages your audience and produces a real return, you have to convey a clear, consistent message. This starts with developing a specific brand voice that reflects this identity. Identify Reader Personas Think about your mother, your boss, and your best friend. If you have something to tell these people, your delivery changes based on the receiver. For example, the way you tell your mother that you’re pregnant is going to be a whole lot different than how you tell your boss. One conversation will have lots of squeals, tears, and excitement, while the other will be much more professional and subdued. Any time you deliver a message to someone â€" whether online or in-person â€" you naturally tailor it to the individual(s) on the receiving end. The same should be true with your content marketing, which is why it’s imperative that you identify who your audience is and create specific reader personas to guide your content. Go Visual Today’s content marketing strategies look a lot different than even five years ago. While traditional word-based blog posts still have value, social media has transformed the landscape and fostered the rise of visual content. In order to develop a forward-thinking content marketing strategy, you need to focus on visual content. Develop an Editorial Calendar The final suggestion is to develop an editorial calendar. This is nothing more than a calendar that tells you exactly what you’re writing, when you’re writing it, where it’s being published, and how it will be shared/promoted. While the process of creating an editorial calendar might seem laborious on the front end, it’s paramount in terms of keeping you on track throughout the year. Make Content a Priority Content is currency in today’s marketplace. If you aren’t investing in quality content with a strategy, you’re desperately missing out on a chance to nudge prospects through the decision-making funnel and move them from awareness to action. Start the year off right and begin developing a winning content marketing strategy.