To evaluate your current content marketing strategy, consider three key areas: types of marketing content, messaging and frequency of contact. By evaluating your efforts in each category, you will discover which areas are strong and which ones could use a boost. You might also see opportunities you didn’t recognize previously and get energized about expanding and modifying your current programs. This process doesn’t need take long but it is vital to be at the top of your game.
Types of Content
We live in a highly connected world. The types of content you can produce seem endless. But most companies do not have unlimited budgets. Consider which mediums work for your company and which ones your target markets gravitate toward. Some of the most popular include:
- Blogs
- Bylined articles
- Case studies
- Direct mail
- Email campaigns
- E-books/guides
- E-newsletters
- Infographics
- Interviews
- Podcasts
- Presentations
- Print books
- Research reports
- Social media posts
- Speaking engagements
- Testimonials/success stories
- Tradeshows
- Videos
- Webinars
- Website content
- White papers
Important questions to ask regarding content marketing mediums include:
- What type of content do you currently produce?
- What type of content have you used in the past that you aren’t using anymore?
- Which forms of content engage your target audiences?
- What content would you like to develop and test?
- Which types of content best showcase your company’s expertise and thought leadership?
- Which types of content best fit your marketing team’s skill set?
Content Marketing Strategy: Messaging
Too many marketers want to talk about the great attributes of their products or services. But, being overly self-promotional can be damaging to your brand. Buyers want solutions to the problems that keep them up at night. Therefore, messaging has to answer the question, “What will it do for me?”
To ensure your messaging is achieving its goals, ask yourself:
- Is your content focused on benefits, rather than features?
- Is your content solutions-oriented?
- Does your content provide something of value to readers?
- Is your content relevant to your target audiences?
- Does your content enhance your credibility and thought leadership status?
- Is your tone consistent with your company brand?
- Does your content serve as an important part of the sales and lead-generation process?
- Does your content have a clear and strong call to action?
Content Marketing Strategy: Frequency
There’s no magic number for how often companies should reach out to their target markets. It depends on a variety of factors, including content type, marketing budget and team capabilities. Yet, research shows that the frequency with which a company communicates with customers and prospects directly correlates with customer loyalty and advocacy. Consider our recommended frequency guide, but build a consistent schedule that can be maintained.
Based on your overall strategy, identify the factors that impact ideal frequency of contact and ask yourself:
- Historically, how often do you reach out to your prospects and customers?
- What’s worked in the past?
- What new approaches do you want to test?
- Do you have any events planned that need extra promotion?
- What are your growth plans, and how does frequency of outreach need to change to achieve your goals?
- What adjustments in the marketing mix do you need to make when considering frequency of contact?
- How well-staffed is your marketing team?
- What industry research exists to guide your frequency of contact decisions?
- What are your competitors doing?
Content Marketing Strategy: Distribution
Once you collect data related to types of content, messaging and frequency of contact, it’s time to look at how to distribute content. Whether it’s through your website, industry magazines, social media, in-person events or other channels, it’s important to reach your target audiences when and where they are most likely to engage.
Want a Head Start?
It’s true that with today’s world of connectivity, it can feel like we have to post, produce and promote constantly in order to keep up. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or aren’t quite sure where to start, take our 5-minute content marketing survey to request a free evaluation from an expert. Once we review your input, a member of the Trade Press Services team will provide you with specific observations and recommendations to help you expand your marketing outreach.
