Create a content marketing strategy that actually works (plus a free content calendar template)

Far too many brands confuse “output” with “outcome”, and there are few places where this is more evident than content marketing.

So. Much. Noise.

It’s a problem that’s causing brands to waste thousands of dollars and hours every year on marketing that offers limited value.

Content marketing shouldn’t be about creating content simply for the sake of it, or because everyone else is doing it. It should be tied to very specific business goals and aligned with your overall strategy.

Here are the six steps (and the exact content calendar template) I’ve used to build out my content marketing strategy for the upcoming year.

(If you already have your strategy and just here for the free content calendar template, here you go!).

If you don’t know where you’re going, how do you know when you get there? Before you even start, consider: Why are you doing this at all? What is content going to do for your brand?

Consider, too, how every piece of content you create will be aligned to these goals and serve a clear purpose for your marketing efforts.

For example, a common content marketing goal is to increase lead generation. It’s a great goal to have, but how will each piece of content drive you towards that goal? Call-to-actions in the copy? The places you promote it? Blog design?

Make sure your big picture goals can trickle down into your day-to-day.

Who are you trying to reach? If you say “everyone,” it will be difficult to reach anyone. There isn’t one product or service for which the target audience is “everyone”. Not Apple. Not Facebook. Not anyone.

Not all customers are equal, though. And people are different. They want different things, have different dreams, and like to be communicated with in a different way.

If your content marketing goal focuses on sales or leads, you may want to create specific buyer personas (or adapt existing buyer personas with content in mind). This will involve profiling your customers to understand what they look like, what their problem is that you can solve, and the specific types of content that will reel them in.

(If you’d like to get a better understanding of your customer persona, there’s a whole lesson on it in my 7-step marketing strategy course).

You need to create content that your audience wants, and that’s going to differ from brand to brand. It might be regular blog content, video, online training, ebooks, whitepapers, graphics…anything they’ll find valuable.

Similarly, you’ll need to understand how to talk to them in their language. Are they serious, professional, and stern in their communications, or fun, light-hearted, and informal?

One of the biggest challenges marketers face with content marketing is sticking to the plan. With so much inspiration and ideas surrounding us online every day, it’s easy to simply start creating content off the cuff.

Don’t fall into that trap.

There’s room for flexibility, but it’s critical you don’t divert too far away from your original plan. After all, that’s the plan you’ve purposely set out and aligned with your core business goals.

For example, while I create an annual content calendar at the start of the year, I complete it month-by-month. If I get inspired one day when a content idea comes to me, I’ll add it to a separate list in my content calendar. Then, when it comes time to create content for the next month, I already have a list of ideas to pull from. Any inspiration I have, though, that doesn’t align with this strategy, I’ll put aside as “content ideas for the future”. As exciting as they may be, if they’re not aligned with my current goals, I won’t spend time on them.

And of course, although I plan out the calendar on a monthly basis, I’ve already set out key categories, topics, and goals for my content in my overall strategy.

If you’re looking for a calendar template, feel free to download the exact content calendar template I used to create my own content calendar this year.

You’ve invested hours creating your content, now how are you promoting it?

Beware of assuming the promotion is the easy piece and skipping over it in your strategy. “Just” a few social media posts, emails, or ads can really add up. Similarly, if you’re promoting through various channels, it’s easy to forget one or two each time.

I’d recommend having a tab in your content calendar that identifies the channels that your content will be promoted on and exactly what’s needed for each channel. Promotion will take time and possibly money, so you’ll want to get it right.

What constitutes as success, and how will you measure it?

Your metrics, of course, are defined by your objectives. Identify all the tools by which you’ll use to track success and establish a regular schedule for tracking content performance.

Personally, I analyze my efforts monthly, using Google Analytics (for website traffic and goal conversions), Active Campaign (to verify email subscriber and lead conversions), and PayPal (to verify product purchase conversions).

If you’re serious about learning more about content marketing, consider joining our small, private Facebook Group. It’s a place to connect with others and brainstorm ways to increase the impact of your marketing. You can request an invite here.