When it comes to content marketing, some organizations hit home runs—and others strike out big time. The causes can vary, but the most common reason content marketing programs fail is this: a lack of content strategy.

Why You Need a Content Strategy

Governing your content marketing efforts with a holistic strategy brings five big benefits:

1. A documented strategy makes content creators organized and efficient. When content creators work in silos—each producing their own work based on their disparate goals and timeframes—they waste time and resources. They also risk mixed messaging being delivered to audiences.
2. It focuses content creation efforts on achieving your organization’s goals. A good content strategy levels up to the organizational strategy and helps deliver on organizational goals. Without a strategy, what are you aiming for?
3. It allows for better refinement of content program objectives and strategies over time. Organizational priorities shift, and needs change. With a documented content strategy, content efforts can pivot strategically as needed.
4. It enables content to be reused or repurposed in multiple formats. This helps ensure ROI from content investments, creates efficiencies among content creators and delivers a consistent, on-brand experience for the audience.
5. It gives stakeholders a clear understanding of how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. Everyone remains on track and focused when it comes to producing content that resonates with target audiences and contributes to the development of the brand’s overall message strategy.

How to Create an Effective Content Strategy

Developing a content strategy is essential to content marketing success. Without it, content programs will lack direction and purpose, leaving content creators scrambling to create content that may or may not be effective.

Here are six steps to create an effective content strategy:

1. Audit existing content in all channels, including your website, social media channels, email, videos and publications.
2. Conduct a competitive audit to assess the content your competitors offer and may be delivering to your intended audience.
3. Dive deep into your audience—their needs, wants and preferred communication channels—and create personas.
4. Set content goals based on your organization’s goals and objectives.
5. Establish KPIs for tracking performance and ensuring ROI.
6. Create a content plan that includes how content will be produced and distributed across media channels (e.g., websites, social media accounts, email campaigns).

Ready to Create Your Content Strategy?

You can avoid the most common reason content marketing programs fail. Fill out the form below to download our guide, and take the first step toward establishing a content strategy and processes for planning, creating and distributing content.