When it comes to writing a content strategy, there is only one place to start \u2013 research!<\/p>\n
The truth is that research is time consuming; it can be boring and it can make you feel overwhelmed. The \u2018what do I do with all of this information?!\u2019 feeling is not uncommon.<\/p>\n
However, it is so important. It is lovely to base a strategy around your instincts, your passions and your interests \u2013 but that won\u2019t cut it for long.<\/p>\n
You have got to put in some hard work and get some evidence and reasons for your strategy choices. And yes, though it is time-consuming, you will never regret it. You will learn new things, you will become more knowledgeable and you will have even better and bigger ideas. Importantly, this will then show through when speaking with clients, when producing your content and when keeping on course with your strategy long term. All of the time and energy will not go to waste.<\/p>\n
So, what are the key areas of research? Let me give you some suggestions:<\/p>\n
Whether it is when I am discussing strategy with clients or running the Business Skills Workshops<\/a>, so many people seem \u2018scared\u2019 of researching their competitors.<\/p>\n Firstly, remember that research is nowhere near the same as copying or stealing ideas. You know where that \u2018line\u2019 is and you mustn\u2019t cross it. However, you are also a fool if you don\u2019t have a look at competitor websites and social media accounts (information which is publicly and easily available to all) to see what they are up to. Do you think Tesco doesn\u2019t keep an eye on Sainsbury\u2019s?<\/p>\n Competitors don\u2019t have to been seen as your enemy. As a sole trader or small business, your company is unique because it is run by you \u2013 you<\/em> make it a success. Equally your competitors will do things unique to them. Some people will prefer that and others will prefer you and they will<\/em> be your clients. That\u2019s how the world works!<\/p>\n When I mention competitors, think far and wide, not just locally, but nationally and, even, internationally. Think big, as well as small. Take a look at \u2018quantitative\u2019 elements as well as ‘qualitative’ elements of their content output. This means not just want they are actually saying (qualitative) and assessing what you think of that, but also the numbers (quantitative)\u2013 how often are they posting across how many different social media accounts? How often do they blog? How many pages does their website have? How often do they send out a newsletter? How often do they run special offers? Get some numbers and make some comparisons.<\/p>\n All of this information is available by simply searching via the internet \u2013 it is all there for you to see and assess\u2026for free!<\/p>\n Then, figure out where you fit or where you would like to fit and how your strategy will reflect this.<\/p>\n As I mentioned above, don\u2019t just look locally and small when it comes to research, think big too. Just because you are a small business yourself, doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t learn from what the big brands and industry leaders are doing in your field.<\/p>\n Obviously, you won\u2019t have the resources to create the amount of content they do, but looking at industry leaders isn\u2019t just about quantity, it is about quality, style, variation, approach and innovation.<\/p>\n Thought leaders are those in your field or profession who are seen to be experts. The Brian Cox of science, for example. Find out who they are in your field and find out more about their \u2018content output\u2019. Are they active on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn? Who also follows them? Are there other \u2018thought leaders\u2019 you didn\u2019t know about?<\/p>\n Put simply, these people will be saying interesting things. They will have interesting opinions \u2013 not that you necessarily agree with!!! \u2013 about relevant areas in your field.<\/p>\n Follow them and see what they are saying. Learn more about their jobs or businesses. This research will really help with more innovative ideas for your own content. This is important because content can\u2019t always be about who you are and what you are selling. Let\u2019s be honest, that is boring and there is enough of it flooding our feeds and inboxes as it is.<\/p>\n Interesting, content is about sharing new ideas and (when you have the confidence) sharing your own thoughts, attitudes and opinions on areas of your profession. You can’t do this without researching, reading and evaluating the latest discussions and developments yourself.<\/p>\n Another area of research is to look at your own content output so far. It\u2019s time for analysis and reflection.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t only think about \u2018what\u2019 worked well, but \u2018how\u2019 it worked well? So for example, you may have written a social media post that you would consider worked well because it got \u2018100 likes\u2019, however, you may also have written a social media post that only got ’20 likes\u2019 but two new clients or leads. Think about that – which is better and how (perhaps in different ways)! Then, think about the content that leads to the different kind of engagement.<\/p>\n It is the same for blog posts, one post may have got 50 views, whereas another only got 10, but there were 5 comments.<\/p>\n Likes, share, views, reach are all great for exposure, but engagement and actual enquiries or leads are going to convert to sales more readily, I suspect. So, analyse the content. In your strategy, you probably want a bit of both. Importantly, don\u2019t dismiss content because of its lack of ‘likes’ alone!<\/p>\n Finally, take the time to think about and \u2018research\u2019 your time. I know it sounds weird, but it is all very well doing loads of research, coming up with a strategy and plan, only to realise it is simply not realistic.<\/p>\n If you decide from your research you want to blog once a week, but were struggling to post once a month only last year, then investigate how you are actually going to make this happen. Consider outsourcing; consider focussing on one form of content or platform more than another for now, or consider doing less overall.<\/p>\n Importantly, analyse your research and make informed decisions.<\/p>\n With any research, it is something which shouldn\u2019t be done once and forgotten about. Ideally, keep it all in a format which is easy to return to, look at again and update \u2013 perhaps a spreadsheet or Word document, with clear headings or tables. Even if you do lots of handwritten notes or print off items, keep them in a book or folder that you can easily access and add to.<\/p>\n As I said at the beginning, research is time-consuming and hard to make space for when \u2018doing the day job\u2019, but you will never regret it, not even the tiniest amount, and will make any strategy more effective and more realistic. Good luck and get googling!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When it comes to writing a content strategy, there is only one place to start \u2013 research! The truth is that research is time consuming; it can be boring and it can make you feel overwhelmed. The \u2018what do I do with all of this information?!\u2019 feeling is not uncommon. However, it is so important.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[202],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nIndustry Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Thought Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Your own content<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Your own time<\/strong><\/h2>\n
This is just the beginning\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Image credit: Bruce Mars\u00a0(Pexels.com)<\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"