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Have you thought much about your content strategy?

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you’re running 90 miles an hour, trying to make things happen. Your website and other marketing materials are probably low on the priority list--nice to haves but not necessities.

Depending on your stage, you could be right of course. If you’re in the early stages of an idea, you probably aren’t ready to think about marketing copy. You don’t even know what you’re selling yet!

But, let’s assume you have a product or service you know you’re ready to offer. You’ve done the customer discovery, and you’re confident you’ve got something people want to pay actual money for.

At this point in the game, there is little as important as the content you produce.

When the average person hears “Content” they think of blog posts or, maybe, social media posts. While content strategy includes those things, it definitely doesn’t end there. Content strategy encompasses every word, video, logo, and audio clip you have that pertains to your product or service. And in today’s consumer-driven market, you can’t just throw things out there without a plan.

How to Build a Basic Content Strategy

Now, content strategy (once known as marketing, but times change) is vital, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It is possible to design and implement a simple content strategy that will get you started.

1. Know your story

This is so simple, but often overlooked. Don’t just talk about who you are because customers don’t really care. Instead, as Simon Sinek preaches, start with why.

Why should the customer care about you? What problem do you solve for them and how will their lives be different if they use your product?

Why do you do what you do and why should the customer care?

This statement or story might never make it into your marketing materials as a solid piece, but it will inform the basis of everything else you produce.

2. Know your audience

It’s amazing how few companies get this right. Pro tip: the answer is not “everyone!”

Dig in to the people who are actually paying you money (or you want to pay you money). Create audience profiles that get as specific as name, age, job title, and location. What does your audience do in their spare time? Where do they hang out, online and in real life? What else do they care about, besides the initial problem you’re solving?

Don’t know these things? Take a guess, then start testing. The more you know about your audience the better your chance of catching their attention in a busy world.

3. Decide your priorities

What is the most important message you want to convey? You can’t have fifty or even ten. You can have one -- maybe two -- most important messages.

4. Play with media

Once you know your story, your audience, and your message, the fun can really begin.

Get creative and don’t be afraid to try new things. Videos, podcasts, blog posts, social media. Anything is fair game as long as it conveys your important message where you audience is already hanging out.

5. Test and review

In the beginning, try everything and see what sticks. Make sure you use great tracking tools so you can see what’s working and what isn’t. Double down on the media and messages that produce for you, but don’t get too deep into a rut. There’s always room for innovation in content strategy!

Content strategy doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but if you want some help and guidance, we have a dedicated content strategist in the office. Give us a call and we’ll be happy to help!