You know that content marketing works.

Now, it’s time to make it work for you.

‍

At Ask Marketing, we hear it all the time: “I know I need content, but no one will tell me exactly what to create, when and where to get the results!”

You’re not alone.

‍
Let’s start by asking you a few questions:

• Are you posting a lot of content online but not attracting the right leads?
• Is your team running out of ideas about what content to create?
• Do you find it hard to coordinate when and where to deliver content to your target audience?

‍

Now imagine: what if you had a precise digital content marketing plan that told you how to optimise your content to address all of these problems?

And what if you had someone to execute this content to perfection without you having to worry about a thing? If this sounds good, just ask us how we can help.

You’d know exactly what pieces of content to develop and which ones to prioritise, including the channels to use to consistently pique your customers’ interest and keep them engaged. With it, you’d also be able to execute, manage and measure all of your content marketing’s results.

Sounds good, right?

It’s also very possible.

‍

Here’s how to set up your content marketing for success with a digital content marketing plan.

‍
What is a digital content marketing plan?

‍
A comprehensive content marketing plan is a high-level marketing guide that documents the “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, “why” and “how” of your content marketing.

‍
It clarifies the following items, giving you direction to produce and deliver value-adding content to the right people:

• Who will create the content?
• Who is the target audience?
• What kind of content should you produce?
• What topics will you cover?
• What is the goal of doing it?
• When is the content being published?
• Where is the content being posted and distributed?
• Why are you creating these content pieces?
• How will you share and promote your content?
• How will you analyse your content marketing results?

‍

If your content marketing plan lacks all of those answers, it’s time to re-evaluate it.
Most importantly, your content marketing plan should be driven by your overall digital marketing strategy. This means that it is aligned to your business objectives, vision statements, customer personas and budget to help you fulfil your overall digital marketing goals.

‍

The best content marketing plans come directly from your business’ digital marketing strategy, so that all of your content marketing efforts are aligned with your goals, vision, mission, customer personas and budget.

‍

For more information, check out our 9-Step Digital Marketing Strategy Guide.

‍
Benefits of a digital strategy-driven content marketing plan

‍

A quality content marketing plan goes beyond simply ensuring you have content ready.
It also provides the following advantages that help you earn strong and measurable results from your content marketing:
‍

• Coordination – With a united content marketing plan that guides your team (whether that be internal, or Ask Marketing who can manage it all for you) about what needs to be done, where and when, everyone will be on the same page when creating, sharing and measuring content.
• Consistent Brand Message – A content marketing plan ensures that the marketing and all other departments within your business have a brand communication framework to follow, using the same message across all types of content types and channels.
• Flexibility – With a set content marketing plan, you won’t have to create content on the fly. It also helps you be more prepared to adapt to the evolving needs of the market, so you can quickly respond with the most suitable content.
• Assurance – most importantly of all, having a content marketing plan that aligns with your business’ digital strategy gives you a road map to follow that always revolves around your objectives. This way, you’re never guessing – you always know your content marketing approach is pointed in the right direction.

‍

Reach a wider audience, increase your conversions and generate better returns with a content marketing plan that navigates you in the right direction.

‍

‍

How to build an effective content marketing plan

‍

Now that you understand the true value of a content marketing plan, it’s time to create one for your business.

‍
Here’s a quick guide to get you started.

‍

1. Make sure you have a digital marketing strategy in place.

‍

Your digital marketing strategy is the overarching business roadmap that outlines the various actions you need to take to achieve all of your digital marketing goals. So, this should be the foundation of your content marketing plan.

A digital marketing strategy also helps in clarifying your goals, KPIs and target audiences, so you’ll know how to best optimise your content to capture attention.

For more information, check out our 9-Step Digital Marketing Strategy Guide.

‍
‍

2. Assess and audit your current content.

‍

To fill the gaps in your current content marketing, you must first evaluate your existing content.

Document all of the content types you have (videos, blogs, photos, eBooks, and so on) and then examine which ones are working and earning results.

Evaluate where you are now and envision where you want to be, so you can transform your business through the power of content marketing.

‍

‍

3. Identify the best content types and channels.

‍

In addition to your content audit, you should also review your web analytics to see which channels and types of content are performing better than others. Having the right data will enable you to know what content to prioritise.

Just make sure to plan content around every stage of your marketing funnel and match it to your target audience.

‍
‍

4. Set the budget and resources.

‍

Part of creating a content marketing plan involves determining the budget allotted to producing each piece of content. Furthermore, you must list the tools, people and other resources required.

We recently launched Hire An Ask Marketer and content creation is our jam! You’ll get an Ask Marketing team member, 1-2 days a week, to execute ALL of your content, and the best part is they are managed by us, meaning you won’t have to stress about a thing.

The right digital strategy, tools and people will position your brand at the forefront of your industry.

‍

‍

5. Develop a content calendar.

‍

This is where you specify the who, what, where and why of your content strategy. With a content calendar, you’ll be able to track the status of every content piece – from the production phase to the distribution and promotion stages.

You can also include a section in your content calendar where you can compare the actual and expected performance of your different types of content, allowing you to continuously plan for the improvement of your content marketing.

Streamline your blogs, podcasts, videos, social media posts, white papers, lead magnets and other types of content to take your digital marketing to the next level.

‍
Download our free Content Calendar Template here.

Do you need help with strategic digital marketing for your business?

All you have to do is Ask!

At Ask Digital Marketing, we combine decisive digital strategy and managed marketing execution to help B2B service-based businesses build demand, establish thought leadership and own their industry through digital business marketing.

Stop waiting. Start building. Experience success.

Just get in touch with us and we can discuss your business to help you navigate the digital marketing landscape towards success.

Let’s harness the power of digital marketing today!

For more great marketing content, connect with our company leaders, Alexandra King and Stephanie King, or follow our Ask Marketing LinkedIn page.