Content Planning Guide - Centerline Digital - Content Marketing - 100713

CONTENTPLANNING JUMPSTART

© Copyright 2013, Centerline Digital

by Caitlin Vlastakis Smith

GUIDE

Before you begin planning your content strategy, make sure you’re leading with the right question.

WHAT DO I WANT TO ACHIEVE?

ASKYOURSELF:

WHAT SHOULD I MAKE?NOT.....

Otherwise, this can happen.

Content Business goal

This is awkward.

Let’s get started.

We’ll begin by answering questions in each of the 5 categories below.Thinking through the answers is part of the process (and fun).

AUDIENCE MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT

Identify who you’re trying to reach.

Craft messages to demonstrate your unique understanding of audience pain points and propensities.

Identify which type of content is best suited to deliver the message to your audience.

Identify where your audience lives and works online. Seed accordingly.

Establish measurement touchpoints so you can learn, apply and iterate.

START HERE FINISH HERE

AUDIENCE MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT

A narrowed group of people primed for your message

One sticky takeaway The most appropriate vehicle for your message, with an intuitive next step

Placement across channels that feel natural for your audience, not intrusive

This is what success looks like.

Clear metrics to determine future content planning

HELPFUL RESOURCES:What barriers to understanding might prohibit them from understanding your message?

What single thing do you want them to know about your product at this moment in time? (Hint: This is your key message.)

What does your audience currently think about your product?

What medium will best meet the learning needs of your audience?

What action or next step do you want them to take after engaging with the content?

AUDIENCE MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE MEASUREMENTDISTRIBUTION

What channels and distribution methods will best connect your audience to the content?

How will you measure success?

How will you apply these findings to continue generating engagement?

How else can you re-package this content for future marketing efforts?

Where are they currently in the buying process?

CONTENT PLANNING JUMPSTART GUIDEHere’s a blank guide with some starter questions.

Don’t be afraid to customize this. Make it your own!

Who are you trying to influence?

How is their success measured?

Who do they need to influence?

What is their role?

What is their greatest stressor?

How does your product make their day easier?

Measurement over time.

HELPFUL RESOURCES:What barriers to understanding might prohibit them from understanding your message?





• Event seminars/presentations• Third-party sites• Targeted e-mails•Newsletters• Banner ads• Twitter• Facebook• Instagram•Google+• SlideShare• YouTube: In-stream/In-display• YouTube: In-Search• Brand’s website•Other owned websites• Internal communication

channels•Dedicated sellers• Business partners•Direct mail

AUDIENCE



• Engagement time on site• Engagement time with video• Event registrations•Click-though rates to other

assets•# of registrations•# of emails opened•# of downloads•Verbal feedback from

prospects•Overall perception change

•Competitor proof points•Gap in understanding of key

differentiators & business value• Lack of compelling evidence• Brand/product confusion

• Existing customers•Warm leads•Cold prospects• Business partners• Sales team


•Awareness•Consideration•Demonstration•Opportunity• Purchase•Advocacy

•Complete registration to access deeper content

• Share asset via email/social• Register for event• Initiate discussion w/

representative•Complete registration form to

download summary report• Submit feedback form•Click through to next asset in

buyer’s journey

• Repackage into an interactive•Add context for use at events

(e.g touch screens, seminars)• Package in to video player•Add context for targeted email

distribution•Add context for distribution by

sellers or business partners

1

This is a content planning guide populated with responses for a sample technology company.

[Fill in blank depending on target audience.]



[Fill in blank depending on qualitative and quantitative feedback.]



1

CONTENT PLANNING JUMPSTART GUIDE

MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE MEASUREMENTDISTRIBUTION

•Case study•Whitepaper• Blog post• Thought leadership article• Process-driven Infographic•Data-driven infographic• Educational video• Teaser video•Customer testimonial video•Data visualization•Validated third-party article• Interactive w/mixed media• Interactive tool/calculator• Interactive magazine/e-book• Print collateral• Email communication• Executive presentation




What is their role?




• IT Managers•CMOs•CEOs•CIOs•CFOs



•Case study•Whitepaper• Blog post• Thought leadership article• Process-driven Infographic•Data-driven infographic• Educational video• Teaser video•Customer testimonial video•Data visualization•Validated third-party article• Interactive w/mixed media• Interactive tool/calculator• Interactive magazine/e-book• Print collateral• Email communication• Executive presentation




What is their role?


HELPFUL RESOURCES:


What barriers to understanding might prohibit them from understanding your message?





• Event seminars/presentations• Third-party sites• Targeted e-mails•Newsletters• Banner ads• Twitter• Facebook• Instagram•Google+• SlideShare• YouTube: In-stream/In-display• YouTube: In-Search• Brand’s website•Other owned websites• Internal communication

channels•Dedicated sellers• Business partners•Direct mail

AUDIENCE



•Competitor proof points•Gap in understanding of key

differentiators & business value• Lack of compelling evidence• Brand/product confusion

• Existing customers•Warm leads•Cold prospects• Business partners• Sales team



By meeting and exceeding target efficiency metrics

Unplanned downtime and maintenance

Product X gives them greater visibility into how they can identify redundancies and become more efficient

They’ve heard that Product X is too costly compared to competitor products in the same category of Product X.

The long-term efficiencies delivered through Product X outweigh the upfront costs.


•Awareness•Consideration•Demonstration•Opportunity• Purchase•Advocacy

•Complete registration to access deeper content

• Share asset via email/social• Register for event• Initiate discussion w/

representative•Complete registration form to

download summary report• Submit feedback form•Click through to next asset in

buyer’s journey

• Repackage into an interactive•Add context for use at events

(.e.g touchscreens, seminars)• Package in to video player•Add context for targeted email

distribution•Add context for distribution by

sellers or business partners

Will deliver outputs from the tools to sales team for follow-up contact.

Now the guide has been customized for a specific audience. The next step? Create your content!



CONTENT PLANNING JUMPSTART GUIDE

MESSAGE CONTENT TYPE MEASUREMENTDISTRIBUTION

• Engagement time on site• Engagement time with video• Event registrations•Click-though rates to other

assets•# of registrations• # of emails opened• # of downloads•Verbal feedback from

prospects•Overall perception change 1

Now that you’ve established....

Who you’re trying to reach

What you’re going to say

What content you’re going to create

How your content will be distributed

How you will measure and iterate...

and

3quick things to remember....just

QUANTITY DOES NOT EQUAL QUALITY.

You can do more with less content if you plan appropriately.

1

YOU’RE TALKING TO HUMANS.

Make sure you sound like one. Not a brand robot.

2

HELP PEOPLE DO SOMETHING.

3

It’s why they’re investing time with your content in the first place.

DOWNLOAD THE CONTENT PLANNING JUMPSTART GUIDE, AND GIVE IT A GO.

Happy planning, creating and measuring!

GUIDE TO CONTENT PLANNING

THANK YOU Connect here:Here: And here, too:

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