Planning a good idea may sound counterintuitive, but it is vital for a successful marketing plan in the digital world. Take these steps to ensure your content creation is as effective as it is brilliant.
Content creation is where it all begins – it’s the place of origin for good social media engagement, click-throughs, web-page visits and genuine conversation with target markets. Content is what draws people in. It’s what hooks them.
Brainstorming, researching, idea gathering and planning are key elements in creating a solid content strategy.
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See what works (and doesn’t) for your competitors.
Research the current conversations relevant to your industry. Visit the web pages and social channels of successful competitors. What are they discussing? What’s getting people engaged? Follow these leads and think about how they might apply to your organization and client list. This process will help spark completely new ideas and future directions for your brand.
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Make a plan.
Make a yearlong content calendar so you always know what comes next. The calendar can be distributed organization-wide to give other departments the opportunity to contribute to the idea pool. Consider seasons, holidays and current events to ensure your content is timely and relevant.
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Optimize your visibility for organic reach.
Search engine optimization should be top of mind throughout your entire content creation planning strategy. Understand your market, target them, perform keyword research and create your content around the results. Create keyword-based titles and use tagging in your blog posts. This will dramatically increase organic reach.
These tactics will help your organization maximize content – but keep in mind that all blogs, websites and social media channels should be informed and leveraged by a larger, fully integrated marketing plan. Think of your marketing plan as a dynamic machine, with moving parts, all working together for the end result.
