Content planning comprises all the data-gathering functions and marketing assets required to achieve your goals.
What is Content Planning?
Everything from the basics of white paper writing and blogging, to engagement tracking and SEO research are functions of an effective content plan.
A content plan is supposed to help you overcome your daily content marketing challenges, including:
- Optimized Engagement: A content plan will help you divide your attention so that your content pieces maintain high engagement.
- Unique Content: It will create ease in collaborative planning by allowing you to work with your stakeholders and creating new ideas.
- Productivity: With every step properly planned, it will be easy for your resources to execute them. Hence, productivity will increase.
- On Schedule: It will not only help you follow a proper timeline, you won’t face problems trying to solve run-time tasks or manage multiple projects.
The Components of Content Planning
En-listed below are the pillars to create an efficient content plan:
- Documentation: Remember that all of your stakeholders and teammates are following the same process. Therefore, it’s important to document all the workflows and production to avoid any roadblocks.
- Training and Onboarding: Pre-defining all trainings and interventions will help ensure a smooth workflow and eliminate friction.
- Content Calendar: It’s ideal to create a content calendar on your company’s central network. The content won’t only be visible to everyone but it will allow open communication and easy updates.
- Communication and Transparency: This allows instant communication within the team and ensures organized teamwork.
- Distribution and Promotion: A content plan will help you in identify the appropriate channels to connect with potential consumers.
- Optimization and Measurement: In the future, a proper plan will help track metrics.
What Does Content Planning Entail?
When you are planning content, it’s important to have multiple considerations in your mind, especially when you decide the “what” and “how” of your plan. To get a better idea of what your content should be and what tone it should carry, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does your content align with the message and theme of your plan?
- Does the content make sense?
- Is it clear and readable?
- Can you use infographics or a video to enhance user experience?
- What other content opportunities have you come across through competitive research?
An Effective Content Plan Creates an Efficient Strategy to Execute
The chances of an organization creating the perfect content plan with regards to the defined content strategy are minimal. The key to success here is keeping in mind the following points:
- Keep your content unique and powerful.
- Identify the buyers’ need.
- Create and adhere to a schedule.
- Leverage resources.
- Measure effectiveness.
- Avert your competition.
- Maintain engagement.
No matter how religiously you stick to your plan, content planning entails unexpected challenges. However, with the right tools and focus, your content plan is sure to work out. To know more about content planning, use our resources at Beginner’s Guide to Marketing.
