GatherContent is becoming Content Workflow by Bynder. Read More
Another common strategy often confused with content strategy is content marketing strategy. While both are linked, they are not the same.
Content strategy refers to the plan for generating, publishing, distributing, and updating content for any given purpose. Consider websites for government, educational, and healthcare organizations that regularly create content without a marketing goal. Their approach is still content strategy—just not content marketing strategy.
In comparison, content marketing strategy is the plan for creating, publishing, distributing, and updating content specifically for commercial purposes. The goal of content marketing strategy is to drive sales and grow revenue.
Essentially, the main differences between content marketing strategy and content strategy are the content goals. Often, the content development process for both is similar. It’s also not out of place to refer to content marketing strategy as content strategy since it is a form of content strategy.
Understanding which piece of content you can use in your content strategy framework makes it easier to plan.
Here are a few of the most commonly used types of content in content marketing.
These include search engine optimized (SEO) blog posts and thought-leadership posts written by (or ghostwritten for) company executives. Other blog post ideas include interviews and company-wide updates with useful audience tips.
Printable checklists make for great lead magnets and can reflect highly on your company’s expertise. Infographics are also highly-distributable and can go viral on social media, so be sure to brand them properly if you want traffic from them.
Case studies
Case studies show how quickly and effectively your product or service works. These are especially useful because they can be repurposed as blog content, downloadable assets, or videos.
Ebooks and white papers represent another type of long-form content. Because of the in-depth research in these content formats, they can quickly cement your position as an industry authority.
More and more businesses are tapping into the power of video. 99% of marketers who used the format in 2021 say they’ll continue using it in 2022. Can video help you serve your audience better? If you sell software, consider trying explainer videos to help your audience get more out of your software.
Sometimes words on a page don’t do enough to show people why they need your product. Share product demos (like we do!) on your site—don’t make users have to email you to see a demo.
There’s no better way to build trust with prospects than asking customers to share how your product has helped them grow revenue or work more efficiently. Add testimonials to your site with photos or videos of happy customers.
Podcasts are catching on fast as a powerful TOFU marketing channel. 55.6% of listeners admit to purchasing something advertised on podcasts. If you need ideas for your own, check out the top marketing podcasts available today.
Content strategy is best when it's a group effort. We’ve sourced some of the best tips you’ll find from several experienced content strategists and content marketers.
Whether your content strategy is geared towards increasing conversions, gaining backlinks, or other metrics, build a content strategy with a goal in mind. Start with your goals, not the editorial calendar.
Tina Donati, content marketing lead at Alloy Automation, explains,
Only when you know your goals can your content marketing support them. Donati recommends starting with a content audit to see what’s working and outlining some low-hanging opportunities. If your chief goal is driving sales, follow the advice of Tom Bangay, the Director of Content & Community at Juro.
Bangay says,
All marketing advice comes back to this—because it’s true. John Daniel Boone, content strategist at ExaWeb says the best way to create an effective content strategy is to
Knowing your audience goes beyond drawing up a fancy buyer persona in isolation. Content writer and SaaS strategist Lily Ugbaja recommends that marketers “focus on who their data says is their best user."
She says,
Many search engine results can look dishearteningly alike. If you’re a new brand, it’s intimidating to tussle with experienced players for those first ten spots. But it doesn’t have to be. Part of your content strategy should be finding ways to stand out with your content. Perhaps try a different channel or content format? Consider building stronger topic clusters than the competition?
Whatever you decide to do, document the need to always find a unique angle. Katheriin Liibert Head of Marketing at Woola agrees. She says,
Have a distribution strategy
You’ve made plans for all the great content you’re going to create, but is there a strategy for getting your audience to find your content? There should be. With millions of blog posts published daily, you’ll need more than search engine optimization (SEO) as a distribution strategy.
Not sure where to distribute your content? Johannes Larsson recommends finding out where your audience hangs out. He says,
Be flexible
Even the best content strategy shouldn’t be set in stone. Markets, trends, and customer preferences change. Have a content strategy that can adapt to common shifts without causing a brand collapse.
According to ExaWeb strategist, Boone content strategists can fall into the trap of planning six months or one year ahead without any room for flexibility. He also notes that strategists may get comfortable sticking to the same formula. He’s learned to guard against this because
Roberto Popolizio SEO specialist at Supporthost agrees that many companies rely on the same fixed schedule, content templates, and promotion channels. He believes there’s a place for templates,
“as long as they are used at the right time on the right platforms, but this has to be tested every time. Taking things for granted is a huge mistake when it comes to marketing in general.”
It’s never a good idea to base your strategy entirely on what others in your industry are doing. However, if a brand is driving revenue in the industry, they’re likely doing something well, and you could probably learn a thing or two from them. You can also learn from the things they’re not doing too well.
This is part of Gosia Hytry’s content strategy. She’s the head of content at Spacelift. Hytry recommends,
Never let your content become stale. Before you start strategizing, run a content audit and see what can be updated to serve your audience better. Shayla Price, founder of Primo Stats says,
“Content lifecycle planning is often forgotten in content strategy. Think beyond publication and build guidelines to update and archive content.”
Content marketer and copywriter Bill Gaule says,
As you publish, take time to review and update older content periodically. Remember, content is an investment—after all that strategizing, it shouldn’t go to waste.
To fully grasp what content strategy looks like in real life, let’s consider some (fictional) examples. Since most of us need content strategy for marketing purposes, this article will focus on content marketing strategy.
Creating and implementing this kind of strategy is vital for successful content marketing. Katheriin Liibert, Head of Marketing at Woola says,
In this section, we’ll look at three imaginary businesses and share their proposed content strategy. Although email marketing and social media marketing are different from content marketing, they sometimes rely (in part) on content produced by content marketing teams.
Our first business is in the HR industry, and the company has developed software to help facilitate employee onboarding, application processing, and payroll. They’d like to invest in content marketing. Here’s some of what the strategy could include.
Let’s assume that this is an ed-tech company with a learning app offering games and resources for learning math and reading.
When you’ve decided on a content strategy framework, it's time for active content creation. You’ll need efficient workflows, content management systems (CMS), and a working content calendar to support your content team as they create high-quality content. That’s where GatherContent comes in.
GatherContent is designed to make planning and writing content easier and more collaborative for content teams. With templates, task assignment systems, and easy exporting to your CMS, you can now take charge of your content.
Another common strategy often confused with content strategy is content marketing strategy. While both are linked, they are not the same.
Content strategy refers to the plan for generating, publishing, distributing, and updating content for any given purpose. Consider websites for government, educational, and healthcare organizations that regularly create content without a marketing goal. Their approach is still content strategy—just not content marketing strategy.
In comparison, content marketing strategy is the plan for creating, publishing, distributing, and updating content specifically for commercial purposes. The goal of content marketing strategy is to drive sales and grow revenue.
Essentially, the main differences between content marketing strategy and content strategy are the content goals. Often, the content development process for both is similar. It’s also not out of place to refer to content marketing strategy as content strategy since it is a form of content strategy.
Understanding which piece of content you can use in your content strategy framework makes it easier to plan.
Here are a few of the most commonly used types of content in content marketing.
These include search engine optimized (SEO) blog posts and thought-leadership posts written by (or ghostwritten for) company executives. Other blog post ideas include interviews and company-wide updates with useful audience tips.
Printable checklists make for great lead magnets and can reflect highly on your company’s expertise. Infographics are also highly-distributable and can go viral on social media, so be sure to brand them properly if you want traffic from them.
Case studies
Case studies show how quickly and effectively your product or service works. These are especially useful because they can be repurposed as blog content, downloadable assets, or videos.
Ebooks and white papers represent another type of long-form content. Because of the in-depth research in these content formats, they can quickly cement your position as an industry authority.
More and more businesses are tapping into the power of video. 99% of marketers who used the format in 2021 say they’ll continue using it in 2022. Can video help you serve your audience better? If you sell software, consider trying explainer videos to help your audience get more out of your software.
Sometimes words on a page don’t do enough to show people why they need your product. Share product demos (like we do!) on your site—don’t make users have to email you to see a demo.
There’s no better way to build trust with prospects than asking customers to share how your product has helped them grow revenue or work more efficiently. Add testimonials to your site with photos or videos of happy customers.
Podcasts are catching on fast as a powerful TOFU marketing channel. 55.6% of listeners admit to purchasing something advertised on podcasts. If you need ideas for your own, check out the top marketing podcasts available today.
Content strategy is best when it's a group effort. We’ve sourced some of the best tips you’ll find from several experienced content strategists and content marketers.
Whether your content strategy is geared towards increasing conversions, gaining backlinks, or other metrics, build a content strategy with a goal in mind. Start with your goals, not the editorial calendar.
Tina Donati, content marketing lead at Alloy Automation, explains,
Only when you know your goals can your content marketing support them. Donati recommends starting with a content audit to see what’s working and outlining some low-hanging opportunities. If your chief goal is driving sales, follow the advice of Tom Bangay, the Director of Content & Community at Juro.
Bangay says,
All marketing advice comes back to this—because it’s true. John Daniel Boone, content strategist at ExaWeb says the best way to create an effective content strategy is to
Knowing your audience goes beyond drawing up a fancy buyer persona in isolation. Content writer and SaaS strategist Lily Ugbaja recommends that marketers “focus on who their data says is their best user."
She says,
Many search engine results can look dishearteningly alike. If you’re a new brand, it’s intimidating to tussle with experienced players for those first ten spots. But it doesn’t have to be. Part of your content strategy should be finding ways to stand out with your content. Perhaps try a different channel or content format? Consider building stronger topic clusters than the competition?
Whatever you decide to do, document the need to always find a unique angle. Katheriin Liibert Head of Marketing at Woola agrees. She says,
Have a distribution strategy
You’ve made plans for all the great content you’re going to create, but is there a strategy for getting your audience to find your content? There should be. With millions of blog posts published daily, you’ll need more than search engine optimization (SEO) as a distribution strategy.
Not sure where to distribute your content? Johannes Larsson recommends finding out where your audience hangs out. He says,
Be flexible
Even the best content strategy shouldn’t be set in stone. Markets, trends, and customer preferences change. Have a content strategy that can adapt to common shifts without causing a brand collapse.
According to ExaWeb strategist, Boone content strategists can fall into the trap of planning six months or one year ahead without any room for flexibility. He also notes that strategists may get comfortable sticking to the same formula. He’s learned to guard against this because
Roberto Popolizio SEO specialist at Supporthost agrees that many companies rely on the same fixed schedule, content templates, and promotion channels. He believes there’s a place for templates,
“as long as they are used at the right time on the right platforms, but this has to be tested every time. Taking things for granted is a huge mistake when it comes to marketing in general.”
It’s never a good idea to base your strategy entirely on what others in your industry are doing. However, if a brand is driving revenue in the industry, they’re likely doing something well, and you could probably learn a thing or two from them. You can also learn from the things they’re not doing too well.
This is part of Gosia Hytry’s content strategy. She’s the head of content at Spacelift. Hytry recommends,
Never let your content become stale. Before you start strategizing, run a content audit and see what can be updated to serve your audience better. Shayla Price, founder of Primo Stats says,
“Content lifecycle planning is often forgotten in content strategy. Think beyond publication and build guidelines to update and archive content.”
Content marketer and copywriter Bill Gaule says,
As you publish, take time to review and update older content periodically. Remember, content is an investment—after all that strategizing, it shouldn’t go to waste.
To fully grasp what content strategy looks like in real life, let’s consider some (fictional) examples. Since most of us need content strategy for marketing purposes, this article will focus on content marketing strategy.
Creating and implementing this kind of strategy is vital for successful content marketing. Katheriin Liibert, Head of Marketing at Woola says,
In this section, we’ll look at three imaginary businesses and share their proposed content strategy. Although email marketing and social media marketing are different from content marketing, they sometimes rely (in part) on content produced by content marketing teams.
Our first business is in the HR industry, and the company has developed software to help facilitate employee onboarding, application processing, and payroll. They’d like to invest in content marketing. Here’s some of what the strategy could include.
Let’s assume that this is an ed-tech company with a learning app offering games and resources for learning math and reading.
When you’ve decided on a content strategy framework, it's time for active content creation. You’ll need efficient workflows, content management systems (CMS), and a working content calendar to support your content team as they create high-quality content. That’s where GatherContent comes in.
GatherContent is designed to make planning and writing content easier and more collaborative for content teams. With templates, task assignment systems, and easy exporting to your CMS, you can now take charge of your content.