As a content specialist you are continuously working on the production of content, so it is important to have a regular content strategy. Content is the foundation of your marketing mechanism, so it’s important that you regularly post new content, in all forms. Of course you want this in an efficient, money- and time-saving manner, but how? In this article we explain what a content strategy is, and how you can best design and use it. 

What is a content strategy? 

You use a content strategy to share relevant content with various target groups via various channels. So you make well-considered choices in the things you place, and where you place them. By placing valuable and relevant content in a targeted manner, you get a clear picture of your target group and you also know how to bind them to you. In principle, a good content strategy is the basis of the entire process of content marketing.  

Why regular content? 

You have to keep renewing and adding to your content. This is the only way to be seen by your target audience. It sounds logical, the more up-to-date information you offer, the more interesting you are to a potential customer. But there are more reasons why regular content is an important part of your content strategy.  

Search engines and SEO 

To to appear higher in the search results of a search engine like Google, it helps if you regularly post content. Every time you post new content, Google will take a look at your website. If your website is frequently viewed by a search engine, you have the chance to rank higher in search results with your SEO based on your new content. You can also add new keywords to it. Every addition in your online content is seen by a search engine, after which the valuation of your website increases. 

How do you develop a content strategy? 

It is best to proceed step by step. Start by defining your goal. Then try to make that goal as tangible as possible. What is the highest attainable goal for your company? Is that an online sale, for example, or maybe brand awareness?  

Target audience 

Once you’ve determined your goal, you need to figure out who your target audience is and what they want. To create an efficient content strategy, you need to know the wants and needs of your target audience. This can be done, for example, by simply collecting information from the customer himself, or an involved body or customer service. But you can do more to get to know your target audience.  

keyword research 

Researching your target audience’s keywords will teach you a huge amount about how to reach them. After all, you know how you can respond to this with your SEO. But in addition, the search terms also teach you what information your target group needs. That way you can respond to that with the regular content you create.  

Choose topics and format 

If you know what goal you are pursuing, and you know your target audience, then you should have a mountain of information that you can convert into valuable content. Pick an angle to deal with your topics, and find the most appropriate format to reach your audience. This can be in the form of blogs, for example, but if a video or a comic strip better suits your target group, you have to take this into account. Try to make a kind of calendar of your content. When in the year do you want to post which information. Can you respond to the seasons? 

Types of content 

A well-known model among content specialists is the 3H model. A distinction is made here between Hygiene, Hero and Hub. You should see hygiene as your basic content. So this is the information that answers the frequently asked questions. Hero stands for unique content that is intended to introduce a large group of visitors to your product or service. The content does not have to be about a product, it can also be an event or theme, for example. With Hub you try to maintain the relationship with visitors. This can be done, for example, by offering free products or consultations. With Hub, visitors will continue to follow you. 

Distribute content 

If you have created content and placed it neatly on your website, this does not automatically mean that visitors will immediately reach your item. That still requires a good SEO strategy. But if you don’t have one, or are just starting out, it is therefore important to find the target group independently. You can do that by sharing your content at the right time via social media. But also consider the possibilities of a newsletter or an advertisement on social media. 

What else can you do? 

There are many more options to set up an effective regular content strategy. Whether you’re an experienced content marketer or just starting out, it’s just hard to keep the flow of new content going. Especially if you’re on your own. Therefore, try to use the strength of your team to maintain regularity in your content provision. 

Strong together 

If you involve your team in taking care of the content, you will see that this can be beneficial in several ways. Employees often enjoy being involved in substantive issues, you feel important and the mutual team bond is strengthened. Also don’t forget that every player on your team has different specific knowledge, and can therefore suggest an angle or choice of subject that you might not have thought of yourself. Finally, you spread the workload if it is carried by more people. 

Be creative 

There are always new ways to offer content. And every subject has an ideal approach, just as every target group is drawn by a different format. Look beyond your nose at the themes you deal with. For example, do you write multiple blogs on the same topic? Then it can be interesting to bundle these in an E-book. Or is a subject difficult to explain? Then use an infographic, for example.