Making sure your content is compelling and strengthens your position as an authority

One of the best ways to extend the reach of your brand is to bring it to a wider audience by applying a well thought through content strategy.

That strategy will help your content marketing activity to achieve a greater impact.

For example, long-form (typically 1,200-2,000 words) or in-depth content should increase lead generation by up to 800%, compared to shorter blog posts. And if you update your posts at regular intervals you are likely to get a stronger return again.

The strategy delivers impact because consumers will use a brand’s content offering to judge the brand’s trustworthiness. Get it right and you generate more loyal followers (and consumers), get it wrong – or fail to consider a strategic approach – and you’ll stand still, at best, and slowly lose the attention of existing followers. That’s detrimental to every type of business. So content strategy is relevant to everyone.

Some things to reflect on in your strategic approach…

• Infographics are more likely to be shared than all other content on social media;
• Interactive content (assessments, quizzes, calculators, polls and such like) might double your conversion rate, compared to ordinary content.

But although the benefits of a strategic approach are clear, applying content marketing successfully isn’t as simple as drafting a plan. There’s more at stake here.

Your brand’s reputation hinges on your content

What you say reflects on who you are and says a lot about your values and how you see the world around you. If that vision doesn’t align with your customers’, they are more and more likely to walk away, regardless of any price advantage you offer, quality advantage you provide or any other considerations.

The way you create content, and how you choose to distribute that content, is also an integral element in your brand’s proposition. One ill-judged blog or unintentional association and that can damage your brand irreparably – it’s the law of unintended consequences.

The more solid and consistent your brand proposition, the better clarity your content strategy will have, and the more powerful your brand will appear to your audiences.

Your strategy must therefore reflect what content you want to release, how you want it to be communicated, and how channel choice and core messaging can develop your overall image.

Attention spans are fickle

Your content strategy will stop you repeating the same few facts over and over. That would bore your audience. It also allows you to hone relevant content that is valuable to your target audience, making it planned and consistent across a period of time, and ensures that you will really engage your audience.

Not only does this ensure your content is fresh, it makes it relevant to their needs: and that makes them value it and your brand.

Telling stories

Content marketing and content strategies don’t simply mean gaining likes or getting a greater return. That’s the outcome, but the strategic focus is on telling relevant, authentic stories in the right tone of voice.

Your focus is always on your target audience and what motivates them.

You will create a stronger brand appeal if you plan how content will be released just as carefully as what topics that content will reflect.  

Remember, a content strategy helps you spread the word of your brand, your company’s main values, and your advocacy in a much more cohesive manner. And that adds value, so give it some real time and consideration.