CONTENT STRATEGY GUIDE A Guide to Creating Great Content
Editor. Tope Onanuga @Topeo12
A strategic thinker with a background in Advertising and Marketing Communications. Always asking brands that one question to help them think deeper and connect with their customers. Supported strategy teams with in-depth
Contents. 04. Overview of Content Strategy
1. Overview of content strategy
06. Interview with Ronke Lawal
Lisa Sayer
@contentstrategyguide
08. my Interview André Anderson 2. Read reviewwith on content with Top
research on consumers and industry trends for brands such as; Estée Lauder, Tourism Ireland, Virgin Media and Noah’s Ark. With experience in producing insightful digital content for award winning platform Levile and creating a short film in response to a brief set by Channel 4’s in house creative team 4Creative. An activist for Disability rights, to relax I enjoy watching shows on Netflix. Instagram: @Topeonline
Interview with Kei Maye Kai 10. Oteng @contentstrategyguide
3.Find out how I make my content with Tope 12. Guide to Plan Content
Sandra Deir
@contentstrategyguide
1. Overview of content strategy 14. Thank You’s
Tope Onanuga @contentstrategyguide
5. Roadmap to conent strategy
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W h a t i s c o n t e n t strategy?
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Content strategy is defined by “Brain Traffic” as,
“The creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content.”
(Source: www.braintraffic.com/articles/what-is-content-strategy)
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R o n k e L a w a l . How can you adapt your content to stand out? Authenticity and clarity of messaging is key. If you’re authentic to your brand purpose and goals as opposed to trying to copy others you’ll stand out. If you have clear messaging around your content highlighting the “why” behind it, that will also help it stand out.
What is a key problem that you have faced as a content creator and how have you solved it? Time and perception. Time doesn’t necessarily correlate to the exact hours/ minutes but actually whether I have the desire to create something. If I don’t want to write a piece or film a video then the energy is off and I don’t create the best content so knowing the right time to create is crucial. Perception is another problem - people have this perception that content has to be perfect and slick when in fact as long as it’s clear and well presented it doesn’t have to be perfect.
What would be your three pieces of strategic advice for engaging/ reaching audiences?
What are the key areas you consider when creating new content for your audience? The value that I am adding to my audience is a major key consideration and also how accessible is the content. Accessibility can mean a range of things including the types of content I create not always being written but also video and can the video have subtitles etc? If not directly but automated on the platform I’m using.
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- Integrate social media - you cannot rely on your content to sell itself you have to sell. - Be responsive - look at what your audience wants from you and if you can give them more of that.
R on k e L a w a l
“Your content doesn’t have to be static and just sit in one space.”
R on ke L a w a l
- Repurpose content - embed youtube videos into your blogs, take screenshots of posts and share on Twitter, post audio clips of podcasts on IG - your content doesn’t have to be static and just sit in one space. @ronkelawal @ronke.lawal www.ronkelawal.com/
A n d r é A n d e r s o n . How can you adapt your content to stand out? I often treat my content less like ‘content’ and more like journal entries. I often upload my personal notes, voice notes, and collages. I often show my work process, and not just the finished product. That way it does not feel like I’m trying to keep a flashy image that’s not real. I hope that when people see content from me, they feel it’s coming from a personal place, and that goes a long way I think. It lasts for longer in people’s memory too.
What is a key problem that you have faced as a content creator and how have you solved it?
A n d r é A n d er so n
What are the key areas you consider when creating new content for your audience? I am a creator. I like to see those who follow me not as an ‘audience’ but a type of co-creator. That really affects the type of content I post, and how I speak. I want anyone who follows my work to also create their own educational journeys, as I am with Freedom & Balance. Because of that, I am very adamant on showing the process, making it feel accessible, and sharing it with the audience as if they are my friends, not faceless strangers.
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“Be as eager to understand your audience as you want to be understood.”
Motivation to continually post content. There is this unspoken assumption that you have to be creating content ALL the time. Like, you HAVE TO post 3 times a day, or else! And while that is okay for some, it’s not for me. That’s dry. I don’t like talking a lot of faff when I don’t need to. It waters down your message. I see people struggling to create content when they should be more focused on creating context; by that I mean, creating the type of work that lasts for 24+ years, and not just 24 hours on their story. The pressure to post content all the time can be very distracting, so I’ve now just settled with the idea of posting when I feel I need to, and hopefully, long-term, the work will speak for itself.
What would be your three pieces of strategic advice for engaging/ reaching audiences? Speak from your heart, with humility and curiosity. Be as eager to understand your audience as you want to be understood. Take us on a journey. The process is the prize. @freedom_balance www.freedomandbalance.com Photo Credit: Feruza Afewerki
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K e i M a y e . What is a key problem that you have faced as a content creator and how have you solved it?
How can you adapt your content to stand out?
Generating an income during the building process. I haven’t solved it yet as the business is brand new (established in May 2020) I’m still learning how to navigate this and create automated systems that will allow for consistent income while in the process of building new content. This will also require me to look at the way I structure my days and my tasks as well.
By staying true to yourself and your purpose. Inject a bit of your personality into your branding, listen to the needs of your audience and use this to help you create solutions. Speak their language by speaking to their needs.
What are the key areas you consider when creating new content for your audience?
Ke i Ma ye
What would be your three pieces of strategic advice for engaging/ reaching audiences?
What they are struggling with? That is my biggest concern whenever I create something. If it’s a common pain point, this will mean there is a demand for some sort of solution. I also factor in the current climate and any extenuating factors that may be having an affect on the creative community at the time. This also helps me to figure out how best to try and help out.
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“Focus on providing quality over quantity and treat your customers with respect. ”
Kei May e
I’m no marketing expert so I wouldn’t be best placed to offer solid advice on a general basis, but what I can say is that one key thing would be to garner trust. Trust serves as the root to everything else. Focus on providing quality over quantity and treat your customers with respect. Listen to their feedback and their concerns. @kei_maye www.creativechamps.co
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1. The Process of Research and Ideation
Guide to Create Content Issues
Timeline
Reviewing performance of the content
Use of images/ stock images Accessibility (subtitles)
Social media Design tools (Canva, scheduling platforms Adobe Spark) (Hootsuite and Buffer)
3. The Design & Editing of Digital Content
Proof reading
Check that the link works
Target Audience Tone of voice
Catchy headline
Brainstorm/ mind map of ideas
Research competitors
Team members that are going to be involved
Trending topics/ hashtags/ key words (Google Trends, BuzzSumo)
Deliverables
Goal
Key performance indicators
Call to actions (CTA’s) What props can you use when taking photos?
Lighting Short overview of the project
Social media analysis – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
Phone editing apps
2. The Writing of a Brief
Have conversations with family and friends
(Snapseed for photos)
Have a notebook or use your phone to note down ideas Lists
Build up to launch, show stages of creating the content
For videos are there any clips that can be used for trailers?
Timing of the post
Use of hashtags
What social media platforms are you going to promote the content on?
4: The Posting/Launch of Digital Content
Thank You’s @allcontributors
I would like to thank the Sour Lemons team; Adrian, Aimee, Bashiie, Bel, Cain, Christy, Gift, Layla, Leo, Lizzie and Mabinty for helping me to develop the concept of the Content Strategy Guide. Special thank you to Sade and Amanda for your support and enthusiasm and Lauren for designing the guide. Twitter: @Topeo12 Instagram: @Topeonline/ @sourlemonsuk
Useful Resources Content ideas - Hootsuite Hashtags - Hashtagify, Ritetag Headlines - CoSchedule (Headline Analyser) Scheduling Content - CoSchedule Templates - Aha Roadmapping, Template Lab (Creative Brief), Hubspot Trending topics - Google Trends, Buzzsumo