The StyleSheet - For businesses that use the internet

Gaining an Advantage through Content Strategy

Posted August 10, 2010 By Nick Weynand |

As of ten years ago, companies of every size realized the importance of establishing a Web presence, but most sites only replaced the need to print and distribute brochures (the “brochure Web site”).

The next phase was the Search Engine Optimization process — or in other words, how we get our site to pop up on the first page of Google, Yahoo! — and now Bing.

“With so many opportunities there is also a lot of confusion about which tactics will get the best bang for your buck.”

That’s not to say that a basic Web site and SEO is no longer important (most traffic is generated from search engines), but it’s not as simple as embedding keywords into the text. The search engine algorithms are smarter than that now, and they rank new, relevant content higher than basic keywords and tags.

Using your Web site as a marketing tool and staying ahead of your competition now requires a content strategy, which includes getting prospects and customers to your site and having something more for them to do when they get there, such as buy products, inquire about services, download white papers, or enter contests and surveys.

With so many opportunities there is also a lot of confusion about which tactics will get the best bang for your buck, and so called “social media experts” (I’ve never claimed to be one) confuse the market even further.

In reality, the process of marketing has not changed — only the tactics by which we get our messages out. So instead of relying on mass media to carry our messages, you now have the opportunity to deliver your message to your target audience yourself.

Marketing your Web site starts with a solid content strategy (which is similar to a marketing strategy). Who are your prospects? What solutions do you offer? What do you want them to think about when they see your brand? And most importantly for a content strategy: what types of information can we deliver on an ongoing basis that will help our customers and prospects do their jobs better and engage with us as a solution provider?

Before you consider what tactics you’re going to use to distribute your message (Facebook, Twitter, newsletters, email, blogging, etc.) you must answer these basic questions. Once you’ve determined the issues of your audience, it’s a much easier proposition to figure out where your potential prospects are hanging out and how you can communicate with them effectively.

Need next steps? See Sarah Buser’s article called Five Easy Steps to Developing Content Strategy.

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