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Once you determine goals for your Web site and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to drive and measure that goal’s success, the next step is to create goals and KPIs for your supporting Internet marketing efforts including content.
Content includes everything from the text on your Web site pages, to your blog, video, Tweets, white papers, case studies, calls to action, forms, AdWords campaigns, e-mail campaigns, PowerPoint presentations, news releases… Whew! It’s no wonder content is so vital to online success and precisely why you need a strategy!
A sample content goal: Company ABC is a leading online resource center for energy-saving ideas in your home.
Who are you writing for?
Company ABC must first clearly understand its target customer. What words would this customer use online to search out this kind of information? How basic or advanced is the customer’s understanding of in-home projects? What are the key demographics for your target group? Any details you include help you choose the right kinds of content and speak in the language of that customer.
What do you want them to do?
Once you understand the target customer, decide what types of content work best. You also need to decide what outcomes you desire. Do you want a visitor to simply read, listen, or watch your content? Or do you want the prospect to take additional action and pay for a service? Watch this Internet Marketing TV video for an in depth look at calls to action.
Plan your content calendar
Now that you selected the kinds of content you need online, schedule the time to create and publish it. If blogging is part of your content strategy, mark each publish date in the calendar along with a proposed topic. Schedule white papers, videos, webinars, and press releases in much the same way. Remember to plan content changes to your Web site on a regular basis. The major search engines reward site changes.
Cross promote your content
When your content is planned out in advance you maximize cross promotion. For example, line up a webinar to support your white paper. Use e-mail and a news release to promote both the white paper and webinar. Distribute links to your new content in all social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Please read for more cross promotion ideas.
Key points to remember…
Set a goal.
Know your target audience.
Plan your strategy.
Map it out on the calendar.
Cross promote.
For an in depth look at content strategy, follow Joe Pulizzi’s blog.
If you want to read some fantastic writing advice, watch Copyblogger.
The Google Business Solution Center lists several options for getting your content out through Google.
DoshDosh wrote an article about content strategy with some great suggestions.
