A Good content strategy

Well curated web and social media content will help to tell the story of a brand after launch and can continue to tell that story as it evolves.

We regularly review how our clients are represented online in terms of the content they create and publish and whether or not that content is working well for the audience they want to reach. 

By carrying out a simple competitor analysis, using data from Google Analytics and performance measurement tools for social media, it is possible to assess whether or not our clients are acquiring, retaining and engaging a relevant customer base online and to provide recommendations that can improve their content marketing strategy.

Users expect to see high quality content online, without it a website can lose credibility, not to mention a place in the top ranking search results. Some time ago there was a meme circulating social media that said “the best place to hide a dead body is page two of the Google search results” and with good reason, less than 10% of users access the results on page two. Google prizes unique, up to date content and this is easier to manage if there is a content strategy in place or some easy to implement practices that make content creation a little bit less of a headache. 

Great content can generate positive conversations on social media that in turn strengthen brand position, and as Google values social signals and content that links back to an organisation's website, it is worth pausing to consider the value of that next blog entry, video clip or piece of third party content. 

For website navigation to be a pleasurable experience, it has to be a functional one and while Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has become a controversial subject amongst digital marketers it is simply a form of best practice. By reviewing content on behalf of our clients as well as the technical SEO elements of their websites, some of the pitfalls of basic website management can be avoided. If you are having trouble telling the difference between title tags and meta descriptions, we can help. 

Many of our clients, particularly those with e-commerce websites support their proposition with paid advertising campaigns whether it be a Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign or display advertising, however the effectiveness of this activity depends on the quality of the content behind it. So whether a business is looking to drive traffic, leads or sales, reviewing the whole picture at regular intervals is key. 

Three Tips to Kick off a Content Strategy

I work alongside talented designers who specialise in the creation of websites that solve a client’s problem by offering intuitive navigation and seamless design. If only there was such a thing as a “perfect project” though. Even with great clients and great intentions, some work can prove difficult to get over the line. 

Sometimes the toughest projects provide the most satisfying results, but after work has been delivered, it is important to think about the post launch period and what comes next for the client. 

A new or refreshed website is the start of something, even if it doesn’t sell products or services. Hitting the go live button without a content strategy will lead to nothing more than a large display ad. A website and an active social media channel offer businesses an opportunity to tell their story, humanise their brand and encourage customers to interact and share their experiences on a 24/7 basis. It can be difficult to know where to start when faced with the task of creating a content strategy: so here are three tips that can help kick off plans and set you in the right direction. 

1. Consider what are you trying to achieve with the content you publish online? 

If you have recently revised your brand strategy you are on the front foot! As a result of this work you are likely to have a fresh understanding of your proposition, your position in the market, your customers and competitors. All this is useful as you consider how to reach and engage the right audience online. Use the insight you have gathered as part of this process and if there has been a website migration, revisit the data from the legacy site to see what content worked well and what didn’t. It is also worth considering if the objectives you set at this point online are aligned with the objectives of an offline marketing strategy. 

2. Who will have editorial control? 

Planning content in advance means identifying who the authors are going to be and considering how frequently content will be produced. It also means determining who should have responsibility for quality control and sense checking content before it is published. Whether briefing freelance copywriters or working with an internal team, defining responsibility and collating ideas at this stage is an important part of shaping your strategy. 

3. How will success be measured? 

Defining KPIs as part of a content strategy keeps teams accountable and encourages a regular review of how content is performing. By drilling down into an objective or goal and deciding what metrics will matter you are providing clarity at a crucial stage for everyone involved and setting the bar for any content that is created and published on your website, blog and social media channels. 

These tips aren’t the outline to a content strategy but they will help to kick start a process that can save a lot of pain when it comes to content creation and an ongoing process that is fundamental to the success of any brand with an online presence.