How To Build Your Content Strategy From Scratch?

Shownotes

In this episode, Jessica Vose talks about building content strategy from scratch, sharing what content and content strategy are, as well as her framework and approach to designing content strategy. Jessica also talks about the roles of a content team and the crucial lessons she’s learned from building content strategy over the years.

About the Guest

Jessica Vose has been working in marketing and communications for more than 15 years. Beginning at a small consultancy managing big-name tech clients, then in-house at a large multinational technology enterprise, and more recently at small and midsize companies in the security space. Jessica thrives on bringing internal consensus and cross-organizational alignment across companies both big and small to drive focused, scalable and repeatable growth. Most recently Jessica’s focus has been on-demand generation, target account, and ABM strategy, and how content has the power to bring all marketing strategies together.

Connect with Jessica Vose

Key takeaways

• Content strategy is the ongoing process of transforming business objectives and goals into a plan [and stories] that use the content as a primary means of achieving those goals.
• Jessica’s approach to content strategy involves SiriusDecisions integrated marketing, personas, and case use, an inventory of content, taxonomy, and metadata tags.
• This strategic process takes time, so don’t rush through it.
• Some of the core elements of a content team are an editor-in-chief, writer teams or freelance writers, and marketing operations as a close friend.
• It’s also really worthwhile to educate folks on the role that content plays in your customer journey and how important that is. You’ll need sponsorship at all levels to continue to feed the content strategy.

Quote

“There’s nothing a content marketer loves more than understanding exactly who our subject matter experts are across the board within an organization.”

Highlights from the episode

What is content strategy?

I like the definition from Market Muse, which is: Content strategy is the ongoing process of transforming business objectives and goals into a plan [and stories] that use the content as a primary means of achieving those goals. The content marketing tactic must align with the business objectives and goals, otherwise, it will fail.

What is content in marketing?

Content is information that is relevant in a given context and has a form that is shaped through which the medium that it is transmitted.

What is your framework for content strategy?

I really love the SiriusDecisions integrated marketing framework where you’re starting with brand awareness and messaging, layering your product roadmap underneath that, and aligning with analysts, PR, and AR. Then, you begin to design the programs/tactics/mediums. Once you have that, you can create the content to feed those programs.

What are the five elements of content strategy?

1. SiriusDecisions integrated marketing
2. Personas and use cases
3. Inventory of content
4. Taxonomy
5. Metadata tags

What are the roles in a content team?

It varies depending on the level of investment resources, executive sponsorship, and how well the executive team understands the value of content. Some of the core elements of a content team are an editor-in-chief, writer teams or freelance writers, and marketing operations as a close friend.

What lessons have you learned from building content strategy?

Put together the SiriusDecisions integrated marketing framework where you have a 6-month and 12-month plan with an outlook on what you intend on producing and the role it serves. Make sure your taxonomy is built based on a strong inventory of your content. Don’t forget to create a process for ensuring your content gets updated. It’s also really worthwhile to educate folks on the role that content plays in your customer journey and how important that is. You’ll need sponsorship at all levels to continue to feed the content strategy.

Do you have any resources to share with our listeners?

Kapost, a content marketing platform that was acquired by Upland, was totally life-changing for me and taught me everything I know. I recommend checking out their blog at Uplandsoftware.com/kapost. Check out the SiriusDecisions integrated marketing framework on Forrester.com. Also, you can’t beat HubSpot Academy.

Shout-outs

• Tracy Strauss – CMO at Clovers AI
• Maureen Taylor – CEO & Co-Founder of SNP Communications