Formulate Your Content Strategy in 10 Simple Steps

by Steve Sponder

Published on August 31, 2010

Tags: Branding, Content, Customer Engagement, Digital Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Tips, Value Propositions

More and more, brands are recognizing that a strategic approach to content is becoming important. Content is moving from being among the final considerations of a Web-development project to being front and center in a digital-marketing strategy.

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It's easy for brands to get drawn into the hype around the latest format, platform, or tactic. A couple of years ago, brands were all asking for a "viral," whereas now they all seem to be asking for iPhone apps.

But content is merely a means to an end: Content drives conversations, conversations are how you engage with people, and engaging with people is the only way brands will be able to survive in the social-media-disrupted world we now live in.

Formulating a content strategy can be a difficult process, partly because of the many considerations and partly because of the number of stakeholders. So, to help, here's a simple 10-step systematic process for formulating a content strategy.

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Steve Sponder is the chief digital officer for Lawton Communications Group Ltd. (www.lawtoncommsgroup.com). Reach him via email at steve@sponder.co.uk or on social hubs such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and FriendFeed

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Comments

by cyberROTH Tue Aug 31, 2010 via web
Steve, I think your headline is a misnomer: I don't think anyone would call these steps "simple." Important, yes. But unless you've been doing this for a living, as you and I have, these steps will seem overwhelming. Better to call this, "Thinking Your Content Strategist Will Lead You Through."

Further, I would add a heaping dollop of consumer research at the beginning, to identify which types of content and which media are favored by the specific target market. Everything starts with the consumer.

Otherwise, good post. It really shows some of the thinking that goes into effective content strategy.

cyberROTH
www.cyberroth.com
by Macel Legaspi Tue Aug 31, 2010 via web
Steve,

Can you expound on principles vs brand purpose?
by fahmi Wed Sep 1, 2010 via web
Great Read! Appreciate It.
by Peg Mulligan Sat Sep 4, 2010 via web
I especially like your description of content value (social currency), both here and at your own Posterous post. I especially agree with your approach to blending various values together to make them more potent.

How though do we measure blended content (serving different content values)? Is it more difficult to measure blended content's more holistic effectiveness? Do you know of any measurement examples?

Thanks for an inisghtful post.

Peg