To optimize the results of our digital marketing strategy, it is essential to create a content plan for both social media and our blog. An appropriate content strategy will prevent us from wasting our communication channels by publishing without a clear objective and without meaning. When we talk about content strategy, we refer to the planning, creation, publication and control of valuable content for users; useful and original content. In this post we want to teach you how to create a content plan step by step .
When we create a Marketing Plan, we must implement different strategies to achieve our objectives. Within this plan, the content strategy is one of the most important, as it will serve as a guide to publish the content that our audience expects and seeks . That is why planning it is so important!
A widely used tactic is to analyze the competition to see the type of content they generate and use it in planning our own content.
Remember that SMART objectives are: S (specific), M (measurable), A (attainable), R (relevant) and T (time-limited). Here are some examples of SMART objectives :
What is a Content Plan?
The first thing we need to be clear about is that a content plan is a document in which we will fully compile the development and programming of our content strategy. With this plan we can specify the date and time to publish, the channel and, of course, the type of content. When we create a Marketing Plan, we must implement different strategies to achieve our objectives. Within this plan, the content strategy is one of the most important, as it will serve as a guide to publish the content that our audience expects and seeks . That is why planning it is so important!
Objective of the Content Strategy
The goal of a content strategy is to impact the public and do so with clear and direct messages. There is no point in saturating users with information that they may not even be looking for; it is better to create quality content that produces meaningful and interactive experiences. If we want to create content that leaves a mark on users and creates a positive effect without overwhelming or saturating, it is necessary to have a content plan. This plan will help us achieve our goals as a company.Step-by-Step Content Plan
Now that we have a clear idea of what a content strategy is and what it is used for, we can now specify the steps to create an appropriate content plan . With this guide, it will be much easier for you to specify your type of content, the time of publication and the best way to do it.Analyze the Situation
The first thing we need to do is to analyse the current situation briefly and concisely. For this analysis, it is best to use a SWOT analysis that will allow us to know our Weaknesses, Threats, Strengths and Opportunities. Remember that it is essential to keep this information up to date to always have an optimal and up-to-date strategy.- Weaknesses : Here you need to ask yourself what is failing in your current strategy. You can base this on visits and the quality of the content.
- Threats : Highlight those factors beyond your control that may complicate the achievement of your objectives.
- Strengths : You will also have content that works and you must analyze it well and draw conclusions about the topics that succeed and that give you the best performance.
- Opportunities : You should also analyze the type of content that works in the environment to know if you can apply it to your business.
A widely used tactic is to analyze the competition to see the type of content they generate and use it in planning our own content.
Competitive Analysis
As we have said, analyzing our competitors will allow us to know which publications work best for them or what type of content they offer on their website and social media. In this way, we can achieve differentiation . Take the top six competitors in your sector and visit their website, blog and social media and start to extract relevant information:- Content type.
- Frequency of publication on each channel.
- Day and time of publication.
- Better results.
Definition of SMART Goals
Once we have analysed our current situation and that of our competitors, we must move on to defining the objectives we want to achieve with our content. It is important not to take this step too lightly and to really stop and think about what goals we want to achieve. Start by asking yourself these questions: why do I want to create content? What type of content could I offer? What is my main theme? With the answers to these questions, we can move on to defining SMART objectives . Remember that SMART objectives are: S (specific), M (measurable), A (attainable), R (relevant) and T (time-limited). Here are some examples of SMART objectives :
- Increase subscriptions by 10% this semester.
- Increase website traffic by 20% by the end of the year.
- Increase conversion rate by 15% over the next six months.
- Improve positioning and reach the first page of Google in the next two years.
Know Your Audience
Your audience will be anyone who might be interested in your product or service, so it is necessary to be clear about who your target audience is in order to focus your strategy on them. Knowing your audience will help you offer them content adapted to their characteristics and needs. You will be able to create solutions to their problems and empathize with them. The key to connecting with our target audience is to know them in depth and know what their interests, concerns, experiences and consumption habits are. You can research social studies, find people in your audience and connect with them. In short, know how they behave.Defining the Content Strategy
Once we have our objectives and have defined our audience, we can move on to specifying the content that our business needs and that our audience is looking for. We have to specify the actions that will lead us to achieve the set objectives. We must make sure that our content is useful, relevant and, above all, understandable. Using an overly academic tone will not help us, but be careful, it should not be vulgar either. Remember that it is important to adapt the content to the channel we are using: Blog, social networks, email marketing, etc.Content Creation
This is the most creative part and you should know that there are many ways to create content : Tutorials, guides, press releases, collaborative posts, newsletters , infographics, videos, etc. You should choose one type or another based on the objective you want to achieve and what your audience demands in that specific topic. For example, in the case of tutorials, it will be much better to offer them a video since it is easier to learn by watching how it is done.Content Promotion Plan
It is essential to promote the content properly, as it is useless to have wonderful content if we do not spread it. The best thing to do is to combine paid, owned and earned media and analyze which works best in your specific case.- Paid media : Google Ads , Youtube Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.
- Own media : Website, blog, email, social networks, etc.
- Earned media : Press, mentions, reposts, etc.
