What exactly do you think we mean when we talk about Content Marketing?
Is it the way you get people to engage with your content? Yes. Is it a form of promotion; a way to make your content stand out from the rest? Yes! Is it the way you add legitimacy and authenticity to your content? Absolutely yes!
For successful Creators, content marketing is all the above and more. And to really make an impact, grow an audience, generate engagement, and turn your favorite hobby into a life-long career, you need a stellar strategy.
So, let’s dive deep into what makes a successful content marketing strategy!
As a content creator, your content marketing strategy is one of the best tools you have at your disposal.
In a nutshell, your content strategy describes the ways in which you use your content to achieve your goals. But don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be complicated! Many of the things you already do on a day-to-day basis as a content creator fall under the umbrella of your content marketing strategy, like:
- Vids and pics
- Podcasts
- Live streams
- E-mails and newsletters
- Social media posts
- Blog posts
Content marketing shouldn’t feel like reinventing the wheel. Rather, it’s all about adding intention to creating and distributing your content to build and retain an audience!
You want to send the right message – to the people who already follow you, and the people you want to have following you in the future.
To add intention and make sure you’re communicating the right message to the right people, you need to develop a content marketing strategy for yourself. So, how do you go about figuring that out?
While every strategy will vary a bit from one to the next, you’ll find that the most successful content creators all share a handful of similarities. Let’s call these overlapping elements the core components of content marketing strategy!
1. Understand your Audience
When you’re cooking a meal for a friend, do you think about what they like and don’t like; what they’re comfortable with and what might be off the table? Chances are, you do because you care about them and want to do right by them.
The same should be true about the content you create! You can’t connect with someone if you’re not even sure who’s listening. So, ask yourself these questions to help identify your audience:
- What trends or similarities do you notice among your current followers?
- How many different audiences are you creating content for?
- What kinds of content appeal to them the most? Which of them the least?
- What potential problems are you solving for them?
2. Understand your Positioning
To do well as a content creator, harnessing the full power of your audience’s preferences is important! While real life companies translate this data from their users and audience into their brand’s mission, values, and purpose, you can use it to define your story as a Creator.
We’ve spoken about this one before... it’s your brand voice!
It’s how you position yourself and the content you create; it’s what you want to say and how you say it; it’s what makes you relatable and gives your words weight. It’s the certain je ne sais quoi that attracts new followers and makes your current ones stick around for every new post.
So, think about what it is that you can specifically offer your audience. Think about the impression you want to make and how you want your content to impact their lives.
Don’t be afraid to define yourself with adjectives and especially don’t be afraid to shed those definitions the minute they don’t fit anymore. Creating content, like life, is all about growth and evolution!
3. Understand your Plan
You can have all the information in the world, but it won’t mean much unless you have an efficient and actionable way to use it. Formalizing everything into a real content plan will help you effectively apply your strategy to each piece of content you make!
- What topics do you want your content to explore?
- What formats do you want to create in? Vids, pics, live streams, or more?
- What platforms do you want to distribute your content on?
- How often do you want to post and how often do you want to create?
Next, it’s time to make a content calendar. We’ve talked about this before, but few things are more important to a successful content creator than a well-organized planner.
Schedule everything: when you’re going to record yourself, take pics, or live stream; when you’re going to edit and post; and even when you’re going to engage with fans and reply to questions and requests.
Not only will this help you consistently create content and grow your community, but it will greatly help you manage your stress and mental health as a content creator. If it feels overwhelming to even start creating a content calendar, then start small – every little bit helps, we promise!
4. Understand the Data
Now, more than ever, we have access to unprecedented data and analytics regarding our posts and activity online! So, you may as well use it to your advantage. You simply can’t overstate the importance of reading your analytics, determining what is and isn’t working, and readjusting accordingly.
This is where experimentation can really be valuable for your content marketing strategy:
- Play around with different thumbnails and graphics.
- Try opening your Vids in a new way – rather than a cold open, add something at the start to grab your viewer’s attention.
- Dabble in an entirely new content type or blend new themes into your usual content.
See what boosts engagement and what simply doesn’t push the needle. Double down on what works and never stop trying out new things, you would be surprised to find out that even minor adjustments can prove massively valuable when it comes to attracting new followers and getting people to enjoy your content!
There’s something very special about the MV Community... Not only are our Members and Creators eager to support one another, but they’re also just as invested in each other’s success as they are in their own – and we think that’s a beautiful and generous thing!
Please Re-MV our announcement post, RT us on X, or comment below and let us know what you think of your own content marketing strategy! What techniques have worked particularly well for you?
Let’s go, MV!