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  As the name implies, content marketing is the act of optimizing content to boost the marketing process of a business. You must have heard or read this statement; “content is king”. This means that it is the quality of the visual, audio, and textual content you put out that will determine how seriously you will be taken by the world. It is what quantifies the credibility of your business. 
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This is practical. If you dish out shabby and uncoordinated content, no matter how good your product is, your entire business will be viewed as crap. However, if your content is top-notch, even when your products/services are not excellent (which they should, anyway), you will be seen as an authority in that field. In the same vein, applying the right content marketing strategies will help boost your business from even a zero percent to a hundred. I am delighted to be sharing with you, in this article, the best practices, when it comes to creating a content marketing plan.

  • Set goals

Like every other thing you do in life, to create a content marketing plan, you need to have set goals. You need to define what you want to achieve with your content. What are your goals? More sales? More leads? More social media engagements? Whatever your goals are, you should be aware, in the first place, so you will know if you are working in the right direction.

  • Know your audience

You should know who you are preparing a meal for before you even set out to the kitchen. Before drafting your strategy, you need to know who the content is meant for. Imagine having an audience that is solely interested in business, but you end up giving them content on politics or comics. Trust me, they wouldn’t appreciate it. Your audience and prospects should determine your content. So, examine their values, before you get to work.
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  • Carry out keyword research

Since you know your audience, the next step is to find out what they are searching for online. There are some keyword research tools you can explore to help you know what your audience could be searching for online. Use Google and other search engines. Type topics and keywords you think that particular demographics will be searching for. Collate them and be ready to develop them.

  • Choose a platform

Now that you have an idea of the kind of content you will be creating, you will have to choose a platform. Whether it will be blog posts, IG, or Twitter posts, you will determine which to go for. For instance, if it will be Instagram posts, you know that IG is mostly visual, so you must create your content, factoring that in. If it will be blog posts, you already know that you should create quality and well-researched written content. This will give you that edge over many of your competitors in your given field.
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  • Determine the creators

There is no content without content creators. At this stage, figure out how you will be generating the content, depending on its type and category. Will it be in-house, within the organization/business, or will it be outsourced to freelancers? Whatever you choose, be sure to have a definite plan. Map out the roles and responsibilities of the creators, their KPIs, and everything else you expect from them. In all, ensure you are getting an output of quality and engaging content.

  • Have a content calendar

One resource that will be beneficial to the content creators is having a content calendar. From creating sales copies for email marketing campaigns to creating content for social media. You must have a plan! And that plan is the content calendar. It will help you schedule your posts beforehand, so you are not confused as to what to post and what not to post.

  • Promote it

What I consider the last stage of this content marketing process is promotion. After you have created quality content, you need a ready audience to consume it. And this audience cannot appear from the stars, you need to go get them. Run ads and promote your content in every way possible, and be sure to get more engagement.  This process is not a herculean task. Carry out these steps and keep gauging your progress. Your unique content will sail, only believe it and work towards it. Featured Image Source: Business 2 Community
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This article was first published on 12th May 2022

chidiogo-akaelu

Chidiogo Shalom Akaelu holds a degree in English and Literary Studies, from the University of Nigeria. She is a freelance writer, editor and founder of Loana Press, a budding online publishing outlet.

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