How to Build a High-Impact Content Creation Strategy

There’s more to an effective strategy than posting and hoping for the best.

Such a strategy should be aligned with your brand goals, audience needs, and market opportunities.

It’s all about creating the right content for the right channels, right people, and right purposes.

This all calls for expert-level thought, creation, and analysis.

Thankfully, you can rely on De Bono Marketing, with our specially selected experts promising support in the crafting of on-brand stories for a stand-out presence.

Read on as we explain the key phases and expected impacts of a content creation strategy, referring to the MG Motor case study.

Focusing on Your Audience

As LinkedIn expert John Espirian says, “You can’t write for any audience until you know who they are”.

So, it’s worth taking the time to research and reflect on your ideal business prospects.

This might begin with a focus on basic characteristics, such as the customer's age, location, general interests, and personality traits.

You could use customer interviews, surveys, and social listening to build a clear picture, following up with questions like:

• Where do they look, and which channels do they engage with most?

• What are their hopes and fears?

• What kinds of brand communications do they prefer?

• What’s their version of success?

• Who or what are their main influences?

Such insights can be used to create an audience persona for focus in the creation of your content.

Messaging based on established audience characteristics will make for greater connection and loyalty.

Researching Your Rivals (and finding your edge)

Along with the target audience, it’s essential to have a good understanding of the competition.

As mentioned in our blog on using a competitor framework analysis (link), your rivals may be direct (offering the same types of products and/or services as you) or indirect (offering similar products and/or services to different audiences).

You should consider the themes and topics that they focus on, the channels that they use, and their messaging approach.

Rather than imitation, the focus should be on building a unique position and delivering value to your audience.

Defining Your Voice and Messaging

Your competitor research should help in setting a distinctive tone of voice for messaging that connects.

Reflecting your brand personality (friendly, authoritative, bold, etc.), it should have a bearing on your choice of style and language.

Consistency will be key, with your audience coming to recognise your communications and build a strong connection over time.

From the choice of on-brand words to the stylistic and grammatical rules, such details could be included in a brand messaging guide to keep your content marketing on track.

Again, you can count on De Bono’s support, as we promise guidance in setting a tone of voice that will resonate with your audience.

Planning Your Content Calendar

Next up, you should decide on the types of content that are a good fit with your brand and the goals that you’re looking to achieve.

Suitable channels should be chosen, depending on your audience characteristics and forms of engagement.

This should feed into the creation of a content calendar, specifying your chosen formats (blogs, videos, case studies, etc.), posting regularity, and the goals for each piece of content.

It’s a good idea to combine the content calendar with a higher-level editorial calendar and share for creative guidance.

Developing Your Content

Having set the strategic foundations, you’ll be in a good place for the creation of stand-out content.

Such content should weave in the types of stories and paint pictures that connect.

From the compelling website copy to thought-leadership articles, you can rely on De Bono Marketing.

Based on a knowledge of your goals, target audience, and ideal brand voice, we’ll ensure content marketing consistency for the results that you want to see.

The MG Motor’s Example

The benefits of strategic content production have been reflected in De Bono Marketing’s partnership with MG Motors.

This began with research into the motoring brand’s family audience, considering their priorities and buying motivations ahead of a new vehicle launch.

Building on this research, we recommended the creation of natural, simple, and family-focused communications.

Such marketing would make for a sense of inclusion and emotional connection.

The campaign results included:

• An 82% increase in dealer visits

• A 58% rise in sales against annual targets

Such positive impacts prove the value of clear insights and creativity.

Measuring and Optimising

Despite such successes, content strategy should never be considered as a “one and done”.

There should be a commitment to monitoring the results and making any necessary changes for the intended impact.

Essential content metrics include the levels of engagement, conversions, and customer feedback.

Content performance reviews will help in the refinement of your content calendars, campaigns, and means of audience connection for continuous improvement.

Turning Strategy Into Results

To sum up, the setting of a content creation strategy will align brand purpose with creativity.

With research into your audience, market, and brand positioning, it’s possible to create content that makes the desired impact.

You can take the first step with the guidance of the De Bono Marketing Communications expert marketing team.

Promising an innovative, creative, and bespoke marketing strategy, you can expect us to hit the ground running.

Get in touch and discover the business value of powerful, audience-focused content.