Research to Develop your Content Strategy

research to develop your content strategy

Your content strategy wouldn't be complete without having a look at what others are doing. This is an important step because:
  • it will trigger new ideas for you
  • it will help keep you current with others in your industry
  • you should know what your competitors are doing

Here are some activities you can engage in regularly, perhaps quarterly, to develop your content strategy and keep it current.

1. Get online and check out:
  • What are others in your industry doing?
  • What are your competitors doing?
  • Is what they're doing working for them? How can you tell?

 2. Search keywords

 3. Search for articles that have content ideas specific to your industry. For example, if you own a restaurant, search "content ideas for restaurants" or "newsletter ideas for restaurants". Make sure any new ideas you adopt are ultimately valuable to your subscribers and meet your goals.

4. Sign up for newsletters - pay attention to the experience, as well as what you'll receive.

photo by petit hiboux

Comments

  1. Alice kristinaMarch 7, 2014 at 1:57 AM

    Thanks for the great tips friend! Till now i have thought, content strategies can be just made by copy writing but, now I have got ideas to enhance my approach towards content marketing.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Paper Counts

The paper you use when providing printed documents to contacts and clients is a big deal. Well, I should say that it's a big deal only if you use the right paper. It's a non-issue if you use plain old 20lb. paper and it's a real detriment if you use cheap photocopy paper. I have had a lot of people comment on my paper over the years and many have said it's an important part of my brand. Not only does quality paper look good, but it also feels good to the touch - it engages other senses - which makes it (and you) memorable. I think it also says that the person you're giving it to is worth the extra cost and effort. The environment: I try to compensate for my excess by recycling all the paper I print for my own use. Once done with, paper gets flipped over and used again. I had read that this isn't good for your printer but I just retired a printer after doing that for 11 years - can't ask for a printer to last much longer than that! (I also b...
Keep reading »

Why is List Building so Important for Small Businesses?

Image
Your contact list should be the most valuable asset your small business has, like a privately owned gold mine . Once you have added someone to your contact list, you can create more chances to get them as a client or fan, sell them a product or service, and get a referral or testimonial. The possibilities open up. How many times have you stifled a good idea because you didn't have an interested audience waiting to hear from you? photo by Merlijn Hoek / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article
Keep reading »

The Best Reading of 2013

Image
The best reading from our newsletter contributors during 2013... Does your writing pass the $1-a-word Test? by Neil Everton, Podium Media & Communications Coaching If you are looking for a quick and certain way of giving your words more impact, look no further than your purse or wallet. Take a look at the last thing you wrote. It doesn't matter if it's a letter, email, report, newsletter, web content or promo script... read more Marketing to Your Tribe by Stephanie Holmes-Winton, The Money Finder This just in: some people don’t like what I have to say. They might unsubscribe from my newsletter, or they might make a snide comment on social media... read more Anyone Can Find Business on Twitter by Anita Hovey, Twirp Communications That’s right... ANYONE. The next time someone says “Twitter is just a bunch of nonsense” I want you to share a link to this post... read more 6 Ways to Become Part of Your Customer's Story by Bernadette Jiwa, The Story of Tell...
Keep reading »

Super Easy Screen Recording

Image
For a long time, I've been meaning to research and find an easy free screen recording application. It just never made it up very high on my to-do list. A few days ago I had an urgent need to explain something to somebody and words weren't cutting it. I needed to record my screen while I did something but I sure didn't want to spend a bunch of time researching and installing and learning. Saying I am  really impressed with  Screencast-O-Matic (aff) is an understatement. In only 5 minutes I had recorded a 30 second video, signed up for a free account, and sent a link to the video off by email. Seriously, 5 minutes... my first time using it! As an example, here's another short screencast I made just prior to publishing this post, which was easy to share to my YouTube channel. It's about how to check your iContact statistics. Click to Tweet this Article
Keep reading »

Stop Saying "Feel Free"

Image
The next time you start to type “Feel free to phone or email me” -- Stop. If you’re in business, shouldn't it be obvious that you want calls and emails? "Feel free..." is a little wishy-washy, like using the word “just” . Instead, use a more direct call to action . Assume that people will have questions, concerns or feedback. “Call or email with your questions and concerns.” “Questions? Call or email – I’ll be happy to answer them.” “Tell me what you think of this. By phone or email is fine, at your convenience.” Even better, be specific about the type of response you desire . “Call me Friday morning so I can answer your questions and we can discuss the next steps.” “Send me your questions by email so I can give you detailed answers.” Create your own unique version of this call to action , use it, make it a habit -- make it part of your brand. Not only does “feel free” send the wrong message, it’s overused. This is an opportunity for you to stand out. Cli...
Keep reading »

Make Sharing Easy

Image
example of sharing buttons I'm such a critic - an enewsletter critic that is. Of course, critiquing other newsletters is partly how I get better at my job. I'm often disappointed when I receive a newsletter or promotional email that doesn't give me buttons for easy sharing, especially when it's something I want to share. In many cases, with the amount of information to read these days, I will shrug and move on. I would have shared the information but the sender turned it into a job. Another job I don't have time for in my already busy day. How often do people shrug because they can't share your information easily? Think about your own activities, what encourages you to share? And how easily do you give up? Click to Tweet this Article
Keep reading »

This Simple Tip Will Improve Your Writing... and Your Confidence

Image
Sometimes it's hard to heed my own advice. Even when I know this particular piece of advice is perhaps the most important when it comes to creating content. I can give you a number of tips to help you write better articles. But there is one simple thing you can do that can really improve the quality of your work, to make your content more useful and interesting. This tip is particularly ingenious - are you ready for it? Prepare your content over two separate sittings , preferably on two different days. It's a simple concept but often not so easy to implement with deadlines looming . First sitting: do an outline research if necessary write a draft Second sitting: review and edit your draft add appropriate links to past articles run spell-check and proof (read aloud if you don't have a proofer) Coming back to your writing with fresh eyes will almost always result in improvement. Because you are taking extra care to craft your messages, you'll feel mo...
Keep reading »

Gift Certificates, Holiday Specials, and Stocking Stuffers

Image
If your business sells to consumers, you definitely should consider doing some extra promotional emails leading up to the holidays. This is something you need to plan now and start executing soon. You could simply add more targeted promotional messages to your regular newsletter. BUT you've worked hard all year to build your reputation and gain the attention of your readers. Now is the time to capitalize on that a bit. I'm not suggesting that you start blasting your readers with advertising. I am suggesting that a well-planned campaign can be very effective at this time of year. Here are some ideas to consider: If you sell gift certificates , you'll definitely want to promote them. Recommend who they will be suitable for. Insert Buy Now buttons directly into your newsletter with an immediate call to action. Do a holiday countdown with number of shopping days left. Create special offers or promotions only for your email subscribers. This can also help to get yo...
Keep reading »

Use Linked In to keep your Contact List Up-to-date

Image
You can export your connections from Linked In and import them into your Outlook address book or other contact list database.  On the MY CONNECTIONS page, in the bottom right corner, click on EXPORT CONNECTIONS.  Follow the directions to easily create a spreadsheet of all your Linked In connections.   Click to Tweet this Article
Keep reading »

Does your Content make your Readers feel Guilty?

Image
During a recent workshop, I remarked that sometimes health and wellness newsletters make me feel guilty. The two professionals in the room who work in that field were a little surprised. Of course, no one intends to make their readers feel guilty – or at least they shouldn't. We want our readers to feel positive emotions, like confidence and motivation. Perhaps even to take some positive action. Do you know how your readers feel when they read your newsletter? Or even before they open it? Consider how to craft your message so that negative emotions, like guilt and helplessness, are overcome by positive, empathetic ones. Here are a few tips: Use 'we' to show you empathize - instead of 'you' - when it makes sense. Avoid words like 'must' and 'should'. Try 'can' and 'will' instead. Tell a personal story that illustrates your point. Reread your content from the perspective of your target market. Put yourself in your ideal ...
Keep reading »