What is Content Strategy ?

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What Is Content Strategy

Social media is a double edged sword, as such, it is vital to ensure that we work this technology to our best advantage. The solution to this problem is content strategy.

What exactly is content strategy? Very simply, content strategy is the planning, development and management of content, for all platforms – online and offline. These contents include not only the worded information, but also the images and multimedia used.

Why Is Content Strategy Important

Consumer experience begins the moment they engage with the brand; Consumers expect you to impress them, to give them exactly what they are looking for and to make their search easy. As such, it is evident that content strategy sets the groundwork for a long term relationship with these consumers by providing valuable, interesting and engaging information. Strategic and thoughtful planning of your content maximises awareness, branding and leaves behind a positive presence.

Most businesses do not understand the importance of content strategy, as such, the planning and development of content is seldom done thoroughly. However, businesses must now realise that with the world going online, competition is at its best. Thus, with the lack of content strategy, there is lesser incentive for potential clients to veer towards you.

When strategically planned, your content will lay a chartered path, directing consumers straight to where you want them to go. Whether it be leading them to making a purchase, or for them to initiate communication with you, your content is responsible for steering your consumers’ actions. It is all about creating material that evokes the intended emotions while setting reasonable expectations.

Content strategy ensures uniformity and continuity across all communication platforms. This uniformity is integral to gaining brand followers and induces their loyalty; if your content isn’t consistent with your manifesto, how are your consumers going to understand your brand?

Effective Content Strategy

  • Reflect your business’s goals and consumers’ needs.
    • You can discover your consumers’ needs through conducting market research, user research, and analysing web metric
  • Understand how consumers’ think and speak about a subject. 
    • Content should then be created and structured based on that.  Doing this will also help you with search engine optimization (SEO).
  • Communicate to consumer in a way that they understand.
    • Embracing relevant writing principles and style that is in line with your corporate image but yet simple and clear for the general consumers to comprehend
  • Be useful.
    • By being purposeful in the content that you include
  • Stay up-to-date and remain factual.
    • When new information becomes available, update your content
  • Be accessible to all people. 
    •  To make sure that all people can access and benefit from your information.
  • Be consistent. 
    •  Consistency for both language and design, helps people understand and learn what you are trying to communicate, and understand your brand identity

 

Fyooz Feeds

The web, social and mobile revolutions have changed the world, connecting everyone and enabling the seamless flow of instant information. Traditional Marketing techniques are no longer as effective as they used to be. The amount of content and messaging being delivered to consumers every day is increasing exponentially. As such, it is essential that business are equip with the skill of integrating traditional platforms with the new age media, and generating content that serves to attract, engage and build relationship and trust with their consumers.

Depriving your marketing ventures of quality content deprives your business of an identity; your business is nothing but an empty shell. Your consumers need to know and trust you, and if your content doesn’t induce the required response, connecting with your consumers will be ineffective.

We need to acknowledge and understand content strategy and its importance. Treat content strategy as a fundamental process and you will notice a difference.

 

 

 

 

 
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_strategy
http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/oct/14/selling-content-strategy-digital-business
http://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/content-strategy.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2012/09/18/what-is-a-content-strategy-and-why-do-you-need-it/