To get your content in front of the right people at the right time, here’s a different take on the elements of a successful content marketing strategy.
1 Au – Gold Widely used for monetary exchange throughout history and synonymous with wealth, gold is an element of inherent value.
View your audience as equally valuable, they’re the ones who will dig into their pockets and give you their gold. Make it a priority to understand their perceptions, their opinions and their habits. Research trumps suppositions here; make sure you’re sure.In this list of
7 missing elements of your content strategy , not understanding your audience comes in as number five. The author recommends you create content personas to help target your content and speak to them specifically.In Brazen Profit Lab’s article
The 6 Elements to a Successful Content Marketing Strategy for eCommerce Business Owners in 2014 , she recommends getting to “know your audience as well as you know yourself.” How? By doing interviews, polls, podcasts, and giving away products for review.No matter how you do it, the idea is to tailor your content to your audience. Know how they consume it, where they read it and what the context will be.Someone who’s scanning your blog on a mobile while riding the subway home from work will want something different than someone who’s watching your videos on their tablet over coffee at breakfast. Most importantly, know what they think about your brand so you can address and mold those opinions.
2. Fe – Iron Used in metallurgy since the 4 millennium BC, Iron was molded into tools by our ancestors, and eventually, protected 19th century warships known as Ironclads.
You need an ironclad awareness and knowledge of your topic. You’re producing content that demonstrates your particular expertise. Whether its software, small-engine repair or sales training, your content serves as a proof point for your business. The key is translating that knowledge and experience into content.Plan your content around particular pieces of knowledge or experiences; this will position you as an expert and give your audience something of value.
3. N – Nitrogen It’s the most abundant element in our atmosphere, making up almost 80% of the air around us. Still, it goes mostly unnoticed. It’s invisible and largely taken for granted.
Without a strong message, your content will go equally unnoticed. In Neil Patel’s article,
Your content marketing campaign will fail without these 10 features , he highlights the importance of knowing your message. He advocates a three-step process for developing a message that starts with a mission statement and uses that to derive core and secondary messages.Your mission statement can be a good foundation for your message, you just need to identify it and make sure it’s a central part of your content strategy.
4. C – Carbon Carbon exists as both graphite and as diamonds. Consider the difference in value.
Here’s where a good designer and a good writer earn their keep. We’ve all got budgets to consider, but including professionals on your content team who will deliver the best is the difference between graphite and diamonds.Writers (and other creative) are included in this article on the
4 Critical Elements of a Successful Content Marketing Team ; you’d be wise to heed this advice. It’s the difference between appearing professional or amateurish, between making a point or sounding preachy, between selling your product or creating content no one reads. Their job is to make you look good, make sure you let them.
5. Cs – Cesium The Caesium standard defines the second; Atomic clocks use this element to accurately mark the passage of time.
You’ll need to invest time into your content marketing strategy. There are no shortcuts. It takes time to plan, time to execute and time to manage.Producing a library of valuable content won’t happen overnight. Set your goals appropriately and temper your expectations accordingly. Value consistent output over spurts of effort and a few months later you’ll find yourself looking back on your work, amazed at what you’ve produced.
