Building an Effective Content Marketing Strategy in 2021
Branding, Audience Analysis, Content Strategy, Engagement, Conversion, and Advocacy.
CHAPTER 1: Who Are You Now
A robust content strategy begins with a practice in introspection, inspired by Madison Cunningham’s 2019 debut album ‘Who Are You Now.’
The act of defining who you are, what you do, and why you do it is the foundation from which impactful stories derive.
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
— Simon Sinek
CHAPTER 2: The People
American rapper, actor, writer, philanthropist, and activist Common has built a career around speaking to the experiences, triumphs and challenges relevant to his community.
Whatever your goals may be (promoting a business, selling a book, driving streams, converting subscriptions, supporting a cause, building a movement), you are working to gain the attention and support of a target audience.
Identifying who your target audience is, where they spend their time, and what inspires them to act is fundamental to building an effective digital marketing campaign.
“Build a brand you can love and have it loved by the people who matter the most…the ones who will love you for everything you are.”
— Erika Napoletano
PRO TIP: Once you’ve identified your audience, narrow your targeting scope down to a buyer persona. Establishing a particular buyer persona allows you to indivualize your marketing strategy, thus improving targeting and messaging accuracy around your product or brand.
CHAPTER 3: Help!
The Beatles’ 1965 hit song “Help!” leads us to the subject of content, posing the question: “How do I add value for my audience?”
Help, I need somebody
Help, not just anybody
Help, you know I need someone, help
YouTube identifies three core categories of content: Hub (entertainment), Help (instructional), and Hero (inspirational). The most effective content managers utilize at least one of these three ideas in every piece of content they publish, some examples:
- Hub: Current Mood, by John Mayer
- Help: How to Write a Blog Post From Start to Finish, by Neil Patel
- Hero: Make a Ruckus, by Seth Godin
- All of ’em: Pretend Cooking Show, by Jennifer Garner
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.”
— Seth Godin
CHAPTER 4: One Love
“One Love,” the 1977 hit from Bob Marley and The Wailer’s has inspired millions to connect — human connection is a powerful motivator.
One love, one heart
Let’s get together and feel all right
Once you’ve gained the attention of your target audience, regular engagement with this audience can earn their trust — an invaluable accomplishment that often leads to conversion in the form of follows, subscriptions, streams, sales and more.
“The best way to engage someone is to ask a question.”
— HubSpot, 2019
CHAPTER 5: Heroes
In David Bowie’s 1977 hit “Heros,” Bowie touches on sentiments of unity — that we can accomplish more together than we can on our own.
We can be heroes
Just for one day
Successful marketers understand the power a loyal group of advocates can yield, and take great care and responsibility to empower and foster this core audience base.
Recognizing and rewarding these valuable followers not only brings them closer to your brand, it encourages the spread of your message to others.
“You should be wondering how to sell to customers. Not how to sell to people who aren’t a customer at all yet.”
— Gary Vaynerchuk
