Best Practices for Creating a Long-Term Content Strategy

Every marketer knows planning is essential to success. But, what about long-term plans? Is it necessary to have a long-term content strategy? The answer is YES! This blog will provide an outline of why this is a fundamental element for your company as well as how to build one for yourself.

So, why is long-term content planning important?

Great question! Having a long-term content strategy gives you a sense of direction. It allows you to map out your content which not only allows you to see the full picture, but also keeps you organized. It ensures you stay consistent, and gives you the best chance at achieving ROI from your content efforts. Remember, consumers want to know your story—and the best way to tell it is through you content!

Now, how do you build one?

There are three main steps in creating a long-term content plan:

1. Set marketing goals

2. Audit or assess your organization’s initiatives and assets

3. Identify the buyer’s journey for your buyer personas

Let’s dig a little deeper into each.

Set marketing goals

How will setting goals help you? They give you long-term outcomes to work towards, as well as short-term motivation. Remember to make sure these goals are SMART goals, which means they are:

1. Specific

2. Measurable

3. Attainable

4. Relevant

5. Timely

For example, one goal could be to get 10 new customers to join your wireless network by the end of the month.

Audit or assess your organization’s initiatives and assets

Next, you want to perform two types of audits: content and event-based.

Content audit:

Here, you want to identify all of the marketing assets that you have at your disposal. Make sure you identify gaps or opportunities that could further your strategy as well. Another good tactic is to use resources you already have. Re-use some content that was previously successful!

Organize your content audit based on these categories:

1. Content title

2. Buyer’s journey stage

3. Marketing funnel stage

4. Format or type of content

5. Which buyer persona it’s targeting

6. Any additional notes that provide value or context

Also, look in places old content might be stored that you haven’t checked before, like a marketing folder.

Event-based audit:

For this type of audit, you want to note any upcoming projects, events, or priorities that may need content creation.

Organize your event-based audit by:

1. Upcoming priorities by month

2. Initiative overview

3. Theme

4. Prospective blog post topics based on your buyer personas

5. Inbound marketing campaign that ties your efforts together

The goal is to tie every piece of content together so it is smooth-flowing.

Identify the buyer’s journey for your buyer personas

Lastly, you want to make sure you are keeping your buyer persona’s in mind and meeting each step of the buyer’s journey so the odds of engagement are high. Meet them where they are! Show them that you care and want to help them through each step of the process.

And there you have it! Use these tips to help your company define where it is now, and where it wants to go. Happy planning!