Regardless of the size or type of blog you own, you need to have a content strategy for it.
Your content strategy will help you to successfully manage and grow your blog by keeping you focussed and actively engaged with your blog content.
What is a content strategy?
Content strategy definitions abound on the internet, but in a nutshell, a blog content strategy is your content action plan.
This plan sets out clearly how you will create, publish and manage content that is relevant to your blog and useful to your blog’s visitors.
Your content strategy how to guide
Before starting on your content strategy or plan, be very clear about the purpose of your blog.
Are you selling a particular type of product or providing free advice on a niche topic? Perhaps you’re undecided. The more targeted the purpose of your blog, the easier it will be for you to draw up your content plan and deliver on it.
Next, look at how you will communicate the purpose of your blog through your plan. As well as publishing blog posts on at least a weekly basis, you should have ‘static’ blog pages. While your blog pages don’t need to be updated with anywhere near the same frequency that you add blog posts, you do still need to revise them regularly to strip out any out-of-date content or to add new information.
Set up a publishing calendar for your posts and pages using a print, electronic calendar or task management tool (or whatever else works best for you). Highlight dates or times of year when content updates must be made – weekly, monthly or annually.
Now add in some detail against the dates in your calendar about the type of content and/or specific pages or page types to be revised, as well as what action should be taken.
Here are some examples:
- Rewriting or editing general copy (the words),
- Overhauling or publishing new content – posts, pages, audio or video files
- Updating service-specific information – e.g. product/service prices,
- Maintaining functionality – e.g. upgrading to newer releases of forms and/or testing new functionality, revising social media interaction buttons/features
- Design/look and feel refreshes – e.g. periodic tweaks to template designs or adding the latest images from your portfolio of work
When updating your content, think about topics that are relevant to your audience and blog and theme your content accordingly. Do include all the related content tasks you would normally perform such as adding metadata descriptions and keywords.
If you are running your blog with others who work with you, agree on a publishing approval cycle so that you know who is writing, editing, approving and publishing each piece of content – so that you don’t end up inadvertently undoing the work your colleagues are doing.
Make a call to action part of your content strategy. For each service, product type or page, make it clear to your blog visitors what you would like them to do next.
You may want your visitors to call you, tell you their views, sign up for your free report and newsletter or buy something by a particular date to qualify for a special or reduced price. They won’t automatically know what you have to offer, so make it as clear as possible.
Remember to regularly evaluate your content strategy so that it continues to be workable and helps you to achieve your aims. If it is overly complex or ambitious, don’t ditch it in frustration. Simplify it, use it and revise it as your blog evolves and grows.
Debbie Legall works with businesses and individuals to deliver effective website content tailored to customers’ needs. Debbie is an experienced writer and copywriter and shares weekly ideas and strategies for managing web content on her blog, Content Matters.
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