Learn how to put together a content marketing strategy in 7 easy steps.

1. How to Create a Content
Marketing Strategy in 7
Steps
How to Create a
Content Marketing
Strategy in 7 Steps

2. We are way too smart

3. and very busy

4. We know what we want

5. and we want it now

6. We’re not
interested in the
“hard” sales pitch

7. but we are interested in how you
can help us, inspire us or…make
us laugh

8. we’re you

9. today’s consumers

10. So, how can we
get your
attention?

11. And interest you
in what we have
to say, sell or do?

12. It’s simple
really….Start a
conversation

13. Get to know me and
figure out how you
can help me in some
way

14. Write great
stories filled with
really interesting
information

15. Turn them into
videos, slide shares
& webinars…

16. …and make sure I
find them and
see them on the
Web

17. Impress me

18. I’ll learn to
trust you

19. and before long…

20. We’ll find ourselves
in a happy
committed
relationship

21. It’s called Content
Marketing

22. Here’s “how it
works”

23. step One

24. Define Clear
Objectives

25. Understanding your
business goals seems like
a no brainer

26. But its not

27. What are your goals for your
content marketing strategy?

28. Do you want to generate
leads?
Or interest in your
products or services?
Do you want to build your
social communities?
Or help customers get the
most from your
products?
Are you looking for more
name recognition and
thought leadership?

29. Clearly define your
objectives and write
them down. Everything
else is driven from these
goals.

30. step two

31. Develop a Core Message

32. What’s your story?

33. Why are you in
business?

34. More importantly, why should we buy
your products or services?

35. Write down one
main message,
along with a
couple of
smaller ones
that are related

36. These will become the guiding
principles for the creation of all
of your content

38. step three

39. Target Your
Audience

40. The truth about marketing is if you
target everyone, you will hit no one
The truth about marketing is if you target
everyone, you will hit no one

41. Create fictional
representations of your ideal
customer

42. By actually talking to
customers…

44. These are called
Buyer Personas

45. Learn everything you can about
your audience (their age,
personality, education level etc.)

46. Give him/her a name
and even a picture

47. These personas will be
used to help you create
targeted content

48. Step Four

49. Develop a Content
Creation Plan

50. Different people consume and
process information in different
ways

51. Keep this in mind as you put
together your content plan

52. Once you’ve defined your personas,
create a keyword list based on your
buyer persona’s common search
terms

53. Identify which types of
content your buyer personas
like best

54. Focus your content creation efforts based on
what problems your personas are trying to
solve and which type of content makes them
stop, click and consume

55. Here’s what’s
working in content
marketing

56. Your Blog is the heart and
soul of your content
marketing strategy

57. Your blog fuels social
media search engine
optimization & the
sales process

58. Blogs are owned by you which
means you control them and their
message

59. Blogs are search friendly

60. Once you’ve decided
what content to
create, put together a
schedule and map it
out using a content
planning worksheet

61. Here is a worksheet
example from Hubspot

62. Some content carries more
weight than others

63. For example, a 30 page
eBook or a 2 minute video
weighs more than a blog

64. It’s also known as a
“content pillar”

66. This content pillar consists of your main
piece of content and an “arsenal” of
smaller pieces that support it

67. It can be a slide share, an
eBook, a webinar – any
significant piece of content
that holds a lot of weight

69. A content pillar strategy ensures
you’re reaching your targeted
personas via multi formats on
various social channels

70. Step Five

71. measure, measure,
measure

72. Establish up front what
your Key Performance
Indicator’s (KPI’s) are, so
that you what to measure

73. KPI’s could be the number of
new email subscribers, or
completed registration forms,
sales increases, etc.

74. What content is
engaging and what isn’t?
What content is
engaging and what
isn’t?

75. Focus on 4 primary
metrics:
1. Consumption
2. Sharing
3. Lead Generation
4. Sales

76. 1. Consumption Metric:
How many people consumer
your content?

77. 2. Sharing Metric:
How often do your
customers/prospects share your
content?

78. 3. Lead Generation Metric:
How many leads are you
generating?

79. 4. Sales Metric:
How many customers
are you generating?

80. Step Six

81. Amplify Your Content Through
Content Distribution Channels

82. Many people believe that
because they are creating
& publishing content,
people will see it

83. Most likely, they won’t

84. This is where a strong distribution
strategy comes into play
This is where a strong
distribution strategy
comes into play

85. You need a plan that support a custom
approach to each channel. You never
want to “spray and pray”

86. There are lots of ways
to distribute your
content

88. Step Seven

89. Dvelop a Define Social
Media Marketing Plan

90. “Content is Fire. Social Media is
Gasoline.” – Jay Baer

91. Being successful on Facebook,
Twitter or Instagram involves more
than just posting cool pictures or
quotes

92. It’s critical to have a clear social
media strategy in place

93. Where does your audience
hang out? (Pew has some good
research on this)

94. Define your
channels. Each
channel has a
specific
demographic

95. Create measurable
objectives for each
channel
Create measureable
objectives for each channel

96. Pick you posting
strategy (content,
tone, frequency,
messaging)

97. Start with 5
basic types of
social updates:
Links
Images
Quotes
Updates
reshares

98. Remember,
social media
is a 2 way
street. Make
sure you
“listen” as
much as you
“talk”

99. Define your
influencer list:
Definition: blogger,
competitor, or media
organization creating
content of interest to
your target audience.

100. Find influencers by
tracking keywords in
Google Alerts,
authors in industry
trade publications &
those talking about
the topic on twitter

101. Now get the
attention of your
influencers by sharing
their content on your
social media
platforms

102. It’s a win-win for everybody.
You get more content to feed
the “social media beast” and
your influencer’s content gets
spread far and wide

103. How to Create a Content M
Strategy in 7 Steps:
1. Define Clear Objectives
2. Develop a Core Messag
3. Target Your Audience
4. Create a Content Creati
5. Measure, Measure, Me
6. Amplify Your Content Yo
Distribution Channels
7. Develop a Defined Soci
Plan

104. More about me (Cindy Frei):
I am a marketing professional with more than 15 years
experience building customer relationships through
integrated digital marketing strategies, which help
businesses acquire new clients or deepen relationships
with existing ones.
A storyteller at heart, I combine the art of creation with
business acumen and new technology fluency to drive
business goals.
To learn more: cindyfrei.com