Content marketing - a viable approach

Content marketing isn't just a buzz word, its a shift from creating one piece of content for one purpose to creating several pieces of content that can be leveraged in different channels using different formats to achieve defined business results. And though at its base it is common sense, there doesn't appear to be a clearly defined approach - which is why I've written this. I hope it helps people understand all the work that is required up front but that in the end you can reduce work effort by leveraging one strong piece of content.

Approach to content marketing strategy

• Clearly defined marketing strategy
• including goals, KPIs, budget
• Identify channels that can be supported and are the most effective for target audiences
• Product marketing strategy for existing and new products/ services
• including defined audiences, messages, key differentiators, keywords, competitor review, pricing strategy including offers/discounts,
• Content marketing plan
• Persona development and content mapping (content type and channel)
• Develop content starting with most robust (e.g. report, whitepaper, ebook)
• Extrapolate other content for various channels (e.g. articles, blog posts, infographs, tip sheets,)
• Cross reference other content (e.g. case studies, webinars, presentations & video recordings, demos/tours, surveys)
• Campaign development per product/service
• Create lead generation forms including workflows and lead scoring
• Develop landing pages for robust valued content (e.g. report, whitepaper, presentations, guides); create confirmation pages with secondary calls to action (e.g. to other lead generation and to other content – e.g. articles)
• Develop emails  - per audience (type & lists) – with defined nurture streams (series of emails); personalize emails; schedule
• Align content type and channel per audience and stage of sales cycle (understand your product/service cycles and buyer behaviour)
• Create an advertising and promotion strategy
• Develop a news release for primary value asset
• Develop social media strategy utilizing all assets
• Develop an advertising strategy to promote lead gen items during campaign
• Measure and follow through
• follow up on leads generation
• measure lead quality and quantity
• track users through downloads and web sessions
• report on social media and news sharing
• report on ad click throughs and impressions
• report metrics against KPIs and make recommendations