2019’s Content Strategy Primer

Viraj T

January 8, 2019

Revising the Basics of Content Designing & Marketing as 2019 Begins

Love it. Hate it. But you can’t ignore it. Content is here to stay! Long forms, short forms or captions, the internet is impossible without content. As marketers notice dozens of blogs on the World Wide Web that present contrasting views about Content Marketing, the truth is content is (always) needed. Hence, here are a few simple pointers to keep handy while developing content — content of any kind.

Step 1: Get a Reality Check

Rome was not built in a day. To reach from point now to point best, it is required to understand how content looks at the moment. Thanks to MarTech, marketers now have a plethora of tools to assess this. Here is a list of a few must-have tools for content marketers:

So, as a content developer/marketer check for –

How does my content rank in the search engines?
What are the unique online sources that bring traffic to my content?
Do I have first-time visitors reading my content every month?
Is my content interactive? (OK, you are definitely going to have some readers!)How does my audience interact and react to my content?
Can we leverage Sentiment Analysis and Social Media Listening tools to measure the emotions our content stirs?

Also Read: New Native and Social Connector Apps Now Part of RevJet’s AppXchange

In marketing terms, the above questions are Search Engine Ranking, Organic Traffic, Engagement, Referrals and Bounce Rate respectively. Once you get the gist of where you stand, just ask yourself, are the readers I am targeting match with the readers that are reading the content? Since every marketing team wants more viewership, decide where you want to go from this point.

Step 2: Get Going

Now, nine out of ten times, you are never where you wanted to be after your Step 1. If you are one of them, it’s time to get real and decide where you want your numbers to be? Hence, in a nutshell, put a question mark after all the aforementioned marketing terms and set goals. A word of caution though — always set your goals reasonably to avoid disappointment.

Identify your Niche Keywords – No matter how good a writer you are, don’t try and push for perfect rankings on whatever you write. Start with getting writing around popular keywords and make them rank high.

Visualize the Future of Content Plan – Predictive Analytics is magic for us — possibly witchcraft for baby boomers. It will forecast your content performance. You know what to do when the analytics engine tells you that your content will not do well.

Patience, Most Certainly – Sometimes, writing is like breaking a rock with bare teeth. While writing, practice monastery-trained-monk patience. The rest will follow since the path you have chosen is right.

Ubuntu – I am because you are! Speak with the entire enterprise to be aligned with their goals. Often, brilliantly optimizes writing and gives amazing clarity!

As plain as it sounds, marketers often forget these ground rules. Sometimes, while chasing a higher ambition, we often forget the basics. It’s like if you walk looking at the sky, you will most likely trip over a pebble. To stand at the highest point on Google ranking’s podium might be every marketer’s dream but here are a few pointers that will keep the whole process under control.

Your goals should sync in with business goals.
Landing page content is a must-have in your writing.
Never underestimate the criticality of optimization to drive conversions right off the landing page.

When you follow these rules plainly, your content strategy is more than likely to succeed.

Also Read: Interview with Geoff Hoffmann, CEO, North America, Adstream

Step 3: Be Systematic

Even if you have a photographic memory or have a million words written in the best-looking journal in the world, it is extremely likely that you may forget something important in your status quo. Not just the embarrassment, it might cascade into a huge problem for your enterprise’s core. Possible because even the mighty Achilles was killed by an arrow, shot in his tendon.

The solution — a good project management software. Not just will you have everything in one place, the platform will help you and your immediate team better deploy content. Choose the right software! Begin with the basic — compatibility with business goals, scalability, ease of access, permission rights, et al.

Ultimately, be creative and flexible. You cannot be very robust about following a strict content regimen. Not just does it kill the fun in creativity, it also deprives a writer of adapting to changes that Google is making or if content trends are changing.

A fool-proof content strategy is always hard to come by. But with time and experience, it should only get easier. Marketers need to remember that content strategy is extremely critical to inbound marketing success.

Recommended Read: Marketing Technology Bulletin Covering the Week Gone By

Viraj T

Viraj has worked in diverse industries for a decade and brings in six years of Technical Writing experience to Martech Series. As a writer, Viraj has written on a plethora of subjects and styles that include Information Technology, BlockChain, Fiction et al. When not writing Viraj loves to binge-watch Hollywood movies and American TV shows, cook, go riding and most importantly play with his cats.