12th February 2015

The art of content planning

Cartoon artwork showing a person typing on a typewriter surrounded by a smart phone, coffee, notebook, glasses and a pencil

In today’s world traditional marketing is becoming less and less effective by the minute. However, content marketing is the rising star. It’s the art of communicating with your current and prospective customers without selling. Instead of pitching your products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent.

What is content marketing?

‘Content marketing’s purpose is to attract and retain customers by consistently creating and curating relevant and valuable content with the intention of changing or enhancing consumer behaviour. It is an ongoing process that is best integrated into your overall marketing strategy, and it focuses on owning media, not renting it.’ Content Marketing Institute

In order to deliver the best results, a content plan is essential. To make your content plan effective there, are a few things that must be done.

1. You must understand your brand

Understanding and defining your brand values is key before you can begin to talk about content ideas. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis is always a good place to start.

2. Understand your audience

If you don’t understand who your audience is, how will you know what content will appeal to them?

3. Brainstorm

This is where you begin to gather content ideas. Just remember to take note of all ideas that you come up with.

4. Organise and segment

This is the time to organise your ideas and work out the best way to present your content for maximum reach.

5. Create your content plan

It is entirely up to you how you create your plan, whatever is most effective and easy for you to use. Whether you want to divide it into months or weeks, you can then insert your ideas as necessary.

Content marketing should always be part of your process no matter what sort of marketing techniques you are using – the better the content the more effective it will be.

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