A couple of posts ago, I started writing about content marketing, and why simply throwing content up on your site just because someone told you to have some or you think you need it isn’t necessarily the best strategy. Why? Because just having it isn’t enough.
My last post on this topic covered a couple of major points in helping you develop a real strategy to create and use content effectively for successful lead-gen and marketing purposes, the first steps being to figure out the why, what and how of your content, and analyzing past or current content failures.
Once you’ve completed these first steps, you’ll be in a good position to determine the frequency of publishing your content, how the heck you’re going to keep on top of it all, and the role that social media and sharing will play in helping you strut your stuff.
Now, onto step 3 in the series.
Step 3: Developing and creating content
The calendar – put it in writing
Now that you’ve stepped back and figured out why you’re creating content, what your desired result is and how you’ll use it, it’s time to sit down and hash out an editorial calendar. This is where you figure out how often you want to publish new content. Remember, content includes not just new web pages, but blog posts, articles, ads, special reports, case studies, white papers, and so on. Think you can stick to a twice-weekly blogging schedule? Write it on the calendar. Weekly industry-specific articles? Write ‘em down. Publish a new white paper on something-or-other once per quarter or twice a year? Get it in writing.
Aah, this is super-duper easy, you say. And you’re right, it is. But here’s the rub: rather than just writing generic terms on the calendar, write down what it is you want created as well as what topic it will cover. This can easily change, but if you’ve already put some thought into what you’ll be writing about, you won’t be stumped when it comes time to write it. And, you can produce content ahead of time. If you find there’s something more relevant you want to write about when the time comes, change focus and use your completed piece elsewhere.
Over-commitment has big teeth to bite you with, my dear
Be mindful of your schedule and/or budget when developing your calendar and topics. If you’re too ambitious, you may find you can’t keep up with the rigorous pace or need outside help from other writers. If you’re looking to outsource (or have no choice but to do so), do you have the budget to pay a copywriter to produce your stuff? (Click here for some helpful tips from Dean Reick on sourcing and working with a professional copywriter. I couldn’t have said it better myself.)
Shake it up
Don’t forget to be creative with your content! Video or graphics communicate your message differently and can engage your audience more effectively than the written word.
Content flop?
If you’ve developed what you think is a kick-ass piece of content that generates next to zero traffic, take a serious look at it. Dissect it. Put it under the magnifying glass. How’s the writing, spelling, grammar? What about the topic – is it relevant, and something your audience WANTS to read, or is it simply a topic you were interested in? Maybe it’s invisible: was the piece optimized for SEO?
Don’t be an Invisible Man – Optimize
While it’s true that search engines love content, keywords and phrases, when you combine the two you’re giving search engines an extra-special sweet treat to devour. This applies to blogs, articles, special reports, video – pretty much everything you’re putting online and want people to read.
Optimization = visibility. If you haven’t correctly optimized your content or website, you’re invisible online.
As you can see, there’s more to developing content than meets the eye. Stay tuned for Step 4 – the role of social media.
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