Remember when the āContent is Kingā claim was all over the digital marketing internet? It is not so niche or not a true idea. In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, having a solid content marketing strategy is crucial for success. It is also a base for SEO or Social Media activities.
But how to develop a good content marketing strategy? And how do you decide whether to create a platform-based strategy or adjust your content across multiple platforms?
Let’s dive into these approaches and help you determine the best path for your business.
Understanding Content Marketing Strategy
A content marketing strategy is your roadmap to creating, distributing, and managing content that attracts and engages your target audience. Similarly as of the marketing strategy, key components for content marketing strategy include understanding your audience, setting clear goals, choosing the right content types, and measuring success. With a well-defined strategy, you can build brand awareness, generate leads, and foster customer loyalty.
Everything starts from creating a repository of topics specific for your audience. Those are your audience’s pain points, questions, interests. You should also consider your audience stage (awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty, advocacy). Useful method is also to develop your content pillars (a key theme or topic you want to focus on in your content and become known to your audience). If you have not already decided, now is the moment – choose your platforms, including relevant social media platform(s). Next you need to ask yourself the question: should your strategy be platform based or platform adjusted?
Platform-based content marketing strategy
A platform-based content marketing strategy focuses on tailoring content specifically for individual platforms. This means creating unique content optimized for the features and audience of each platform. In other words, knowing your audience stages and platform specifics, you go there and brainstorm what and you can communicate.
Firstly, optimizing content for specific platforms can significantly enhance engagement. For example, Instagram is visually driven, so high-quality images and short videos perform well. Conversely, LinkedIn favors long-form articles and professional insights.
Secondly, building platform-specific audiences can be highly beneficial. Each platform has its unique user base, and by catering to these audiences, you can create a more loyal and engaged following.
Lastly, utilizing native features of each platform, such as Instagram Stories or LinkedIn Articles, can increase visibility and interaction with your content.
Platform-adjusted content marketing strategy
A platform-adjusted content marketing strategy involves creating core content (YouTube video, blog post, report etc.) that can be adapted across various platforms. This approach ensures consistency while allowing for adjustments to fit each platform’s nuances.
Maintaining a consistent brand voice and message across all platforms is a major benefit. This consistency helps in building a cohesive brand identity, making it easier for your audience to recognize and trust your brand.
Additionally, adjusting content for multiple platforms can be more efficient. Creating one piece of core content and tweaking it for different platforms saves time and resources compared to creating entirely unique content for each platform.
Moreover, this strategy allows for a broader reach. By adjusting content to fit different platforms, you can tap into diverse audience segments without losing the core message of your content.
For instance, a blog post can be shared on LinkedIn for professional engagement, summarized into a tweet thread for Twitter, and transformed into an infographic for Instagram. This way, you reach a wider audience while keeping the essence of your message intact.
Factors to consider when choosing an -based / -adjusted approach
When deciding between a platform-based and platform-adjusted approach, several factors come into play.
Understanding your audience’s demographics and behavior is crucial. Younger audiences might prefer Instagram and TikTok, while professionals might be more active on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Content goals and objectives also influence the choice. If your primary goal is brand awareness, a platform-adjusted approach might be better. For specific engagement metrics on a particular platform, a platform-based strategy could be more effective.
Resources and capabilities are also significant considerations. A smaller team might benefit from the efficiency of a platform-adjusted approach, whereas a larger team with specialized skills might excel with a platform-based strategy.
Lastly, the type of content you produce matters. Visual content like videos and images might perform better on certain platforms, while long-form articles might be more suited for others.
Hybrid Approach: Combining Both Strategies
For many businesses, a hybrid approach that blends platform-based and platform-adjusted strategies can be the best of both worlds.
Hybrid approach allows you to maximize the strengths of each strategy. You can create tailored content for key platforms while maintaining a consistent brand presence across all channels. Flexibility and adaptability are other significant advantages. By combining both strategies, you can quickly adjust to changing platform algorithms and trends without overhauling your entire strategy.
To implement a hybrid approach, start with core content pieces that align with your overall strategy. Then, identify key platforms where tailored content will have the most impact and create specific content for those. For other platforms, adjust the core content to fit their formats and audience preferences.
Key takeaways on how to develop content marketing strategy
In summary, both platform-based and platform-adjusted content marketing strategies have their unique benefits. The best approach depends on your audience, goals, resources, and content types. By carefully evaluating these factors, you can develop a content marketing strategy that drives engagement and achieves your business objectives.
Ready to elevate your content strategy? Start by assessing your current approach and experiment with blending both strategies to find what works best for your brand. Happy content creation!