How to Develop a Content Strategy: Step 1
Six Steps to Developing Your Communications Content Strategy
Step 1. Articulate your strategic vision, goals, and objectives.
Begin by asking: What is your organization’s vision? What are your strategic goals and objectives? How can communicating your expertise, products, or services help you reach those goals? Your strategic vision is your overarching intention for your content. Objectives are the measurable outcomes of your content efforts (i.e. increase website traffic by 70%), while goals are the overarching principles behind your efforts (i.e. engage with professionals in our field).
To start, it’s helpful to establish your organization’s vision:
- Are you a boutique business wanting your voice to be heard by a niche market?
- Are you a technical expert looking to become a thought leader?
- Are you a lifestyle brand hoping to connect with readers on a personal level?
Once you’ve established your organization’s vision for the content, it’s smart to set strategic goals and objectives.
Setting Strategic Goals
Goals should address the overarching principles you hope to achieve through your communications or marketing efforts. These are thematic in nature, and should serve as more specific manifestations of your organizational vision.
Setting Strategic Objectives
Objectives are much more specific and measurable, and might include metrics like:
- Increased website traffic, measured by: new visitors, return visitors, click-throughs, and contacts.
- Increased engagement, measured by: number of comments, shares, and likes.
- Increased sales, measured by: client communication/contact and conversions (the number of people who visit your content and then become a customer).
With these high-level considerations in place, it’s now time to consider: What communications will help get us there? Who do we need to connect with? It might also be advantageous to think ahead a little and realize with these hopes of new traffic, will your website perform the same?
