6 Steps to Developing a Content-First
Marketing Strategy

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CONTENT INC.
6 Steps to Developing a
Content-First Marketing Strategy
Joe Pulizzi
Founder, Content Marketing
Institute

ONE
@JoePulizzi@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi

JEFF ROHRS CHANNELS SLIDE EXAMPLE

90% USE
CONTENT
MARKETING
bitly.com/cm-research
@JoePulizzi

30%

30%
CAMPAIGNS BRAND TALK
NO CLEAR
GOALS NO STRATEGY
TREATING CONTENT LIKE ADVERTISING

THERE IS
ALWAYS A
BETTER WAY
Thomas Edison
@JoePulizzi

FIRST, BUILD AN
AUDIENCE
THEN, MONETIZE IT
Source: Gini Dietrich/Spin

FIRST, BUILD AN
AUDIENCE
THEN, MONETIZE IT

B A C K YA R D
P O U LT RY
T E A C H I N G
@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi

THE
CONTENT INC.
MODEL
@JoePulizzi

THE
CONTENT INC.
MODEL
@JoePulizzi

SWEET SPOT
K N OW L E D G E /
S K I L L
PA S S I O N /
C U S TO M E R PA I N
P O I N T
@JoePulizzi

SWEET SPOT
B A C K YA R D
P O U LT RY
T E A C H I N G
@JoePulizzi

FARMERS
A G R I C U LT U R E /
T E C H
O P E R AT I O N A L
C H A L L E N G E S
O N A FA R M
@JoePulizzi

The Furrow
By John Deere
CASE STUDY

THE
CONTENT INC.
MODEL
@JoePulizzi

100 YouTube Subscribers
January, 2012
ANN REARDON
2 Million
Subscribers
October, 2015
@JoePulizzi

EVERYONE STOPS AT
THE SWEET SPOT…
HARDLY ANYONE TILTS
THE CONTENT.

AUDIENCE F O O D S C I E N T I S T E D U C AT I O N
@JoePulizzi
I M P O S S I B L E F O O D
C R E AT I O N S
CONTENT TILT

@JoePulizzi
WHAT DO ALL
MEDIA COMPANIES DO
THAT YOU DO NOT
WITH YOUR CONTENT?

CREATE A
CONTENT MARKETING
MISSION STATEMENT

Indium Corp.
Blogs
CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi

Indium
Corporation
CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi

CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi

1. CORE TARGET
AUDIENCE
2. WHAT WILL BE
DELIVERED
3. THE OUTCOME
FOR THE
AUDIENCE
@JoePulizzi
“Welcome to Digital
Photography School –
a website with simple
tips to help digital
camera owners get
the most out of their
cameras.”

@JoePulizzi
CREATE YOUR MISSION
STATEMENT
• Defined audience
• Deliver
• Outcome YOUR
TURN

THE
CONTENT INC.
MODEL
@JoePulizzi

WAIT FOR IT…
LOADING

(1) Content Type
(1) Main Platform
Long Period of Time
Consistent Delivery
THE
BASE

CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi
Copyblogger

Jyske Bank
CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi
• iTunes Subscribers to
Email Subscribers
• Millions of Downloads
• ZERO to Multi-
Millionaire in 2 Years

@JoePulizzi
ONE CONTENT TYPE
One Platform
Consistent Delivery
OVER TIME (12+ MONTHS)

THE
CONTENT INC.
MODEL
@JoePulizzi

Facebook
CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi

Google+
CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi
FOCUS ON SUBSCRIBERS
AS A KEY METRIC

CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi
Copyblogger

CASE STUDY
@JoePulizzi
thinkMoney

@JoePulizzi
YAY!
BOO!

@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi
MUST HAVES
Amazing E-
Newsletter
Exchange of Value
(Ebook, Research Report, Etc.)

THE
CONTENT INC.
MODEL
@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi
RULE OF
THREE
• Magic Number is
Over THREE
• BE the OCTOPUS

@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi
DIVERSIFICATION

THE
CONTENT INC.
MODEL
@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THOSE WHO SUBSCRIBE TO MY
CONTENT AND THOSE WHO DON’T?

@JoePulizzi
MONETIZATION
Advertising /
Sponsorship
Increased Product Sales
More Loyal Customers
Data
Events
Cost Savings
Paid Subscriptions
Revenue Ripples

@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi

@JoePulizzi
YOU MUST CREATE VALUE
FOR YOUR AUDIENCE
BEFORE
YOU EXTRACT VALUE

@JoePulizzi
TAKEAWAYS
• Find a niche where you can be
the leading expert in the world
• Develop your content mission
• Focus on content type, platform
and deliver consistently
• Don’t build your house on
rented land
• Build an audience of opt-in
subscribers
• Need an amazing E-Newsletter
and remarkable download
• Diversify after the base is built.
• What do your subscribers do
differently?
• All eyes on building the
audience.
• Be Patient – speed the cycle
through paid content.

@JoePulizzi
TAKEAWAYS• Set Your Goals for Sales, Savings
or Sunshine
• Why Are You Using Each
Channel?
• Focus On the Reader’s Outcome
• Create the Content Mission
Statement
• One Content Type, One Main
Channel Per Audience
• Need an amazing E-Newsletter
and remarkable download
• Don’t Build Your House on
Rented Land
• What do your subscribers do
differently?
• Think About Buying vs. Building
• BE PATIENT!!!
TheStoryofContent.com

THANK YOU!
@JoePulizzi@JoePulizzi
For Book & Podcast visit
Content-Inc.com
Joe Pulizzi
joe@contentinstitute.com
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