A content marketing plan can come in any form – a simple content creation and editorial plan or a complex arrangement. No matter how much research you have done, there are a few things that you really need to consider when developing a content marketing plan.
It won’t take much long for your plan to fall into pieces if you don’t consider a few important questions to ensure its accountability. Here are they:
Question 1: Is it feasible to achieve the goal that you have set?
Every small or big, simple or complex plan has a set goal. It may be to create awareness, drive thought leadership, answer critical question or entertain readers. Sometimes, companies set goals that kooks like not achievable within their sales cycles and budget limit. I am not against stretch goals but be realistic when you set your content marketing goals.
Question 2: Have you identified the right audience?
Crosscheck once again when developing a content marketing plan if you have identified the right audience. One way to do this is to understand which segment of society your product can serve well. Remember there is nothing one-that-fits-all. You can’t sell the same product to everyone. Understanding who and why you are targeting can help you drive your content marketing plan.
Question 3: Is the content going out timely or evergreen?
In the information era, most content pieces have a shorter shelf life. However, you need to produce timely as well as evergreen content to serve the needs of different audience. This factor may play an important role in your plan.
Question 4: What is the budget associated with your content marketing plan?
Budget plays an important role no matter how small or big an organization you are. Decide the maximum budget that you can afford to easily manage for your content marketing campaign, without affecting your company’s current financial standing.
Question 5: Who will create the content?
Are you going to produce content in-house or appoint freelancers or outsource the job to a content development firm? You can also consider dividing the work among your in-house team and content development company. In fact, this will help you decide your budget.
Question 6: Where will be content published?
You don’t have to be omnipresent in the beginning. You can do it as time moves on and you gain exposure online over a period of time. Initially be present on the platforms where majority of your target audience is. Gradually, you can start churning out more content, exploring more platforms.
Question 7: How are you going to promote the content?
Just because you created and published the content, it doesn’t mean your audience would come and read it. Promote your content and give your prospects ways to find it online and stay to read the entire piece. Work on your content promotion and develop a well thought out strategy.
Question 8: Have you figured out whether you’re going to promote similar content on all channels or you have the budget to create, publish and promote different content?
By now, you might know that content can be rephrased and re-purposed to use it in different manner on different or same platform. Figure out what your strategy will be. Find out whether you have the resources, time and budget to produce new content every time or will have to rephrase or re-purpose the existing content.
Question 9: How will you measure success?
Without a solid understanding of current industry trends and deciding appropriate benchmarks, you really cannot measure the success of your content marketing campaign. Your entire campaign will fall apart if you don’t have a solid idea on what’s driving you online.
Question 10: How Content Should Continue to Exist?
Figure out how you’re going to update the existing content. Develop a complete life-cycle of your content and make sure to timely update, edit, re-purpose or dispose it.
Tell us what else you will incorporate into your content marketing plan.