1. CONTENT
PLANNING
JUMPSTART
© Copyright 2013, Centerline Digital
by Caitlin Vlastakis Smith
GUIDE

2. Before you begin planning your content strategy,
make sure you’re leading with the right question.
WHAT DO I WANT
TO ACHIEVE?
ASK
YOURSELF:

3. WHAT SHOULD I MAKE?NOT.....

4. Otherwise, this can happen.
Content Business goal

5. This is awkward.

6. Let’s get started.
We’ll begin by answering questions in each of the 5 categories below.
Thinking through the answers is part of the process (and fun).
AUDIENCE MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT
Identify who you’re
trying to reach.
Craft messages to
demonstrate your
unique understanding
of audience pain
points and
propensities.
Identify which type
of content is best
suited to deliver the
message to your
audience.
Identify where your
audience lives and
works online. Seed
accordingly.
Establish
measurement
touchpoints so you
can learn, apply and
iterate.
START HERE FINISH HERE

7. AUDIENCE MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT
A narrowed group of
people primed for
your message
One sticky takeaway The most appropriate
vehicle for your
message, with an
intuitive next step
Placement across
channels that feel
natural for your
audience, not
intrusive
This is what success looks like.
Clear metrics to
determine future
content planning

8. HELPFUL RESOURCES:What barriers to understanding might
prohibit them from understanding your
message?
What single thing do you want them to
know about your product at this moment
in time? (Hint: This is your key
message.)
What does your audience currently think
about your product?
What medium will best meet the learning
needs of your audience?
What action or next step do you want them
to take after engaging with the content?
AUDIENCE MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE MEASUREMENTDISTRIBUTION
What channels and distribution methods will
best connect your audience to the content?
How will you measure success?
How will you apply these findings to
continue generating engagement?
How else can you re-package this
content for future marketing efforts?
Where are they currently in the buying
process?
CONTENT PLANNING JUMPSTART GUIDE
Here’s a blank guide with some starter questions.
Don’t be afraid to customize this. Make it your own!
Who are you trying to influence?
How is their success measured?
Who do they need to influence?
What is their role?
What is their greatest stressor?
How does your product make their
day easier?

9. Measurement over time.
HELPFUL RESOURCES:What barriers to understanding might
prohibit them from understanding your
message?
What single thing do you want them to
know about your product at this moment
in time? (Hint: This is your key
message.)
What does your audience currently think
about your product?
What medium will best meet the learning
needs of your audience?
What action or next step do you want them
to take after engaging with the content?
• Event seminars/presentations
• Third-party sites
• Targeted e-mails
• Newsletters
• Banner ads
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Google+
• SlideShare
• YouTube: In-stream/In-display
• YouTube: In-Search
• Brand’s website
• Other owned websites
• Internal communication
channels
• Dedicated sellers
• Business partners
• Direct mail
AUDIENCE
How will you measure success?
How else can you re-package this
content for future marketing efforts?
• Engagement time on site
• Engagement time with video
• Event registrations
• Click-though rates to other
assets
• # of registrations
• # of emails opened
• # of downloads
• Verbal feedback from
prospects
• Overall perception change
• Competitor proof points
• Gap in understanding of key
differentiators & business value
• Lack of compelling evidence
• Brand/product confusion
• Existing customers
• Warm leads
• Cold prospects
• Business partners
• Sales team
Where are they currently in the buying
process?
• Awareness
• Consideration
• Demonstration
• Opportunity
• Purchase
• Advocacy
• Complete registration to
access deeper content
• Share asset via email/social
• Register for event
• Initiate discussion w/
representative
• Complete registration form to
download summary report
• Submit feedback form
• Click through to next asset in
buyer’s journey
• Repackage into an interactive
• Add context for use at events
(e.g touch screens, seminars)
• Package in to video player
• Add context for targeted email
distribution
• Add context for distribution by
sellers or business partners
1
This is a content planning guide populated with
responses for a sample technology company.
[Fill in blank depending on
target audience.]
[Fill in blank depending on
target audience.]
[Fill in blank depending on
target audience.]
[Fill in blank depending on qualitative
and quantitative feedback.]
What channels and distribution methods will
best connect your audience to the content?
How will you apply these findings to
continue generating engagement?
1
CONTENT PLANNING JUMPSTART GUIDE
MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE MEASUREMENTDISTRIBUTION
• Case study
• Whitepaper
• Blog post
• Thought leadership article
• Process-driven Infographic
• Data-driven infographic
• Educational video
• Teaser video
• Customer testimonial video
• Data visualization
• Validated third-party article
• Interactive w/mixed media
• Interactive tool/calculator
• Interactive magazine/e-book
• Print collateral
• Email communication
• Executive presentation
Who are you trying to influence?
How is their success measured?
Who do they need to influence?
What is their role?
What is their greatest stressor?
How does your product make their
day easier?
[Fill in blank depending on
target audience.]
• IT Managers
• CMOs
• CEOs
• CIOs
• CFOs
• IT Managers
• CMOs
• CEOs
• CIOs
• CFOs
[Fill in blank depending on
target audience.]

10. • Case study
• Whitepaper
• Blog post
• Thought leadership article
• Process-driven Infographic
• Data-driven infographic
• Educational video
• Teaser video
• Customer testimonial video
• Data visualization
• Validated third-party article
• Interactive w/mixed media
• Interactive tool/calculator
• Interactive magazine/e-book
• Print collateral
• Email communication
• Executive presentation
Who are you trying to influence?
How is their success measured?
Who do they need to influence?
What is their role?
What is their greatest stressor?
HELPFUL RESOURCES:
How does your product make their
day easier?
What barriers to understanding might
prohibit them from understanding your
message?
What single thing do you want them to
know about your product at this moment
in time? (Hint: This is your key
message.)
What does your audience currently think
about your product?
What medium will best meet the learning
needs of your audience?
What action or next step do you want them
to take after engaging with the content?
• Event seminars/presentations
• Third-party sites
• Targeted e-mails
• Newsletters
• Banner ads
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Google+
• SlideShare
• YouTube: In-stream/In-display
• YouTube: In-Search
• Brand’s website
• Other owned websites
• Internal communication
channels
• Dedicated sellers
• Business partners
• Direct mail
AUDIENCE
How will you measure success?
How else can you re-package this
content for future marketing efforts?
• Competitor proof points
• Gap in understanding of key
differentiators & business value
• Lack of compelling evidence
• Brand/product confusion
• Existing customers
• Warm leads
• Cold prospects
• Business partners
• Sales team
• IT Managers
• CMOs
• CEOs
• CIOs
• CFOs
• IT Managers
• CMOs
• CEOs
• CIOs
• CFOs
By meeting and exceeding
target efficiency metrics
Unplanned downtime and
maintenance
Product X gives them greater
visibility into how they can
identify redundancies and
become more efficient
They’ve heard that Product X is too
costly compared to competitor
products in the same category of
Product X.
The long-term efficiencies
delivered through Product X
outweigh the upfront costs.
Where are they currently in the buying
process?
• Awareness
• Consideration
• Demonstration
• Opportunity
• Purchase
• Advocacy
• Complete registration to
access deeper content
• Share asset via email/social
• Register for event
• Initiate discussion w/
representative
• Complete registration form to
download summary report
• Submit feedback form
• Click through to next asset in
buyer’s journey
• Repackage into an interactive
• Add context for use at events
(.e.g touchscreens, seminars)
• Package in to video player
• Add context for targeted email
distribution
• Add context for distribution by
sellers or business partners
Will deliver outputs from the
tools to sales team for follow-
up contact.
Now the guide has been customized for a specific audience.
The next step? Create your content!
What channels and distribution methods will
best connect your audience to the content?
How will you apply these findings to
continue generating engagement?
CONTENT PLANNING JUMPSTART GUIDE
MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE MEASUREMENTDISTRIBUTION
• Engagement time on site
• Engagement time with video
• Event registrations
• Click-though rates to other
assets
• # of registrations
• # of emails opened
• # of downloads
• Verbal feedback from
prospects
• Overall perception change
1

11. Now that you’ve established....
Who you’re trying to reach
What you’re going to say
What content you’re going to create
How your content will be distributed
How you will measure and iterate...
and

12. 3quick things to remember....just

13. QUANTITY DOES NOT EQUAL QUALITY.
You can do more with less content if you plan appropriately.
1

14. YOU’RE TALKING TO HUMANS.
Make sure you sound like one. Not a brand robot.
2

15. HELP PEOPLE DO SOMETHING.
3
It’s why they’re investing time with your content in the first place.

16. DOWNLOAD THE CONTENT PLANNING
JUMPSTART GUIDE, AND GIVE IT A GO.
Happy planning, creating and measuring!

17. GUIDE TO CONTENT PLANNING
THANK YOU
Connect here:
Here:
And here, too:
centerline.net
twitter.com/caitvsmith
twitter.com/centerline