Distributing content after it has been created is easy, but planning for the right content takes strategy, knowledge of your industry and the needs of your audience. When researching small business marketing tips that can make an impact, effective content planning should be high on the list. Why? As content marketing continues to dominate the way businesses do business with present and potential clients, understanding how the customer has evolved, their needs, achieving consistent ROI and satisfying the demands of the search engines takes center stage.
How do you effectively plan content? Here are a few tips:
- Have a goal in mind
You must first know what you want to achieve before you can actually get there. Defining which vehicles you will use to distribute the content, the frequency, the impact and how it will mesh with your other collateral is key.
- Know the audience
Define who your target audience is. You should understand their wants and needs, which will help you tailor each message to a specific persona. Every piece of content you have should have a purpose and should align with your goals and overall marketing strategy.
- Know your budget
What types of distribution will you use? Will you need to hire writers to provide the content you need? Your budget plays a major role in the quality of your content. This should be a cross-departmental opportunity and should be measurable in a number of ways. Understanding how your content will be financially advantageous and relevant to the company’s goals will properly position this aspect of your plan for success.
- Assess your distribution
If you have a plan, you have already decided on a few strategies in which to distribute your content. Once you have that list, consider how much it will cost, and which ones will have an immediate impact. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, this is your starting point.
- Create your content
Your content can either be done in-house or by an agency, but all the logistics, timing, topics and other items needed should be in place and on a consistent schedule to keep the flow going. Once you have your distribution and timing, things should run smoothly.
- Measure the metrics
You should have a date in mind where you will gauge how your content is doing on each platform you use. This should help you decide whether or not you need to change something, or reinforce certain messages. It’s all about the customer, their needs and the overall experience.
Writer Bio: Allaire W is a professional writer with a love for the written word and a sweet tooth that turned a hobby into a business. You can find her “cooking” up assignments while covered in cake batter.
