What is the best way to build a successful content marketing strategy. What are the required steps to ensure success.

1. Build A Content
Marketing Strategy

2. Fail To Plan Then Plan To Fail
Without a solid content marketing strategy and plan any inbound or content
marketing process is destined to fail.
Why plan?
• Content marketing is resource intensive.
• A lack of focus dissipates effort and wastes time and money.
• Avoid blind alleys and shiny new objects.
• A reference to refer back to.
• It’s a marathon not a sprint – A step at a time – Avoid tangents
• Monitor results and check progress

3. The Planning Process
The steps to take to build a sound content marketing strategy and
plan are, in principle, no different to the long established standard
marketing planning process
• Establish the required outcome.
• Analysis
• Review analysis and build scenarios
• Select a scenario and define objectives
• Build strategies to achieve those objectives
• Break down those strategies and build a plan

4. Establish The Required Outcome
Must come from senior management.
•
What does the business wish to achieve – where is it headed
•
What are they key numbers – what represents success
•
What are the timescales
•
What resources are available and when
•
What is the role of inbound (content) marketing

5. Analysis
Analysis is the foundation upon which any successful content marketing plan is built
•
Where is the business now – its markets, its customers, the numbers
•
How did it get there
•
Define the customer base and segments
•
Why do customers buy – what are the drivers
•
Product / service range analysis – Stars and Dogs – And why
•
Organisational / operational strengths / weaknesses
•
The competition

6. Scenarios
A
Where the business
Is now
B
Where the business
Would like to be
How To Get From
A to B
Limited By Available
Resources
Possible Routes =
Scenarios
Make A Choice
WARNING : The Wrong Choice Can Be
A Disaster In The Medium To Long Term
Limited By Results
Of Analysis

7. Marketing Objectives
With The Route Established Set Way Markers (Objectives)
Define The Objective – And Numbers
Define How The Objective Fits With The Route Chosen
Define The Timescales

8. Strategy And Planning
Strategies Are The Way In Which An Objective Will Be Achieved
•
The Detail
•
The How
•
What Are The Elements
Build Those Many Elements Into A Plan With Timescales And Outcomes

9. Conclusion
The content marketing strategy and plan therefore delivers
focus, timescales and required outcomes. Without a plan it
is all too easy to drift, deliver content that is not appropriate
to the task, on an ad hoc basis and fail as a result.

10. Resources
Content Marketing Strategy – An Overview - Content Strategy
What is content marketing? – A complete guide - What is content marketing
CIM marketing strategy and planning overview - Chartered Institute of Marketing
Get In Touch
Striga Consulting
Contact Phil Smith – Chartered Marketer, MCIM
Tel : 01670513378 Email : phil@striga.co.uk