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How to Plan and Build a
Successful Content
Marketing Strategy
Michael Brenner
NewsCred – Head of Strategy
@BrennerMichael
#thinkcontent


Agenda
• 

The key factors for content marketing success

• 

The core components of a content marketing strategy

• 

How to utilize content across the buyer journey

• 

How to work with NewsCred to document your strategy
and achieve success

#thinkcontent


Content Marketing

Success

Building a Successful
Content Strategy

Utilizing Content Across
the Buyer Journey

Working with NewsCred:
Crafting a Successful
Content Strategy


Every single day…

There’s been a fundamental
shift in the way we create,
consume, and share content.

4.75 billion

piece of content are shared

1.8 billion

photos are uploaded and shared

500 million

tweets are posted

700 million

snapchats are sent

#thinkcontent


“
Marketing used to be about making a
myth and telling it. Now it’s about
telling a truth and sharing it.

”

- MARC MATHIEU Unilever

5

#thinkcontent


I have no patience for useless
things.

6


“
The buyer journey is nothing more

than a series of questions that must
be answered.

”

- IDC -

7

#thinkcontent


Online Communities
Search Engines
eBooks
Email Newsletters
Editorial Articles
White Papers
Podcasts
Case Studies
Online Videos
Webcasts
Virtual Trade Shows
Product Literature
Trial Software
Online Vendor Demos

Awareness

Begin

decision
process

Consideration
Align IT with
business
objectives

Identify
business
problem

Explore
technology
options

Preference

Determine
solution
strategy

Establish
requirements/
build RFP

Assess ROI

Research
products/

vendors
Research
solutions

Build
short
list

Make
decision


Content Marketing Defined
“Content marketing is the marketing and business process for creating and distributing
relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and
understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.”
-Content Marketing Institute
• 

Not Advertising or PR

• 

It is Customer, Not brand-focused

• 

Seeks to answer customer questions across the buyer journey

• 

Owned media

#thinkcontent


Behind every tweet, share,
and purchase is a person,
like you and me.

#thinkcontent


Put Your Customers’ Needs First.
Make them the hero.

Brand
Purpose

Our Natural Instinct

Content
Marketing

What
Customers
Want
Charity

#thinkcontent

“
We need to stop interrupting what

people are interested in and be what
people are interested in.

”

- CRAIG DAVIS -

#thinkcontent


Unique Point of View Trap
Too easy to become consumed
with your story, not your customers.

#thinkcontent


Six key factors to content marketing success:
1 

Document content strategy

2 

Have someone in charge of content

3 

Consistently publish quality content

4 

Map content to buyer journey

5 

Balance Paid, Owned, Earned Media

6 

Track Content Marketing ROI

#thinkcontent


Content Marketing
Success

Building a Successful
Content Strategy

Utilizing Content Across
the Buyer Journey

Working with NewsCred:

Crafting a Successful
Content Strategy


What is a Content Strategy?
• 

Delivering content your audience wants

• 

Managing content as an asset (with an ROI)

• 

Thinking and acting like a publisher

#thinkcontent


Why is it important to have a documented
content strategy?


3 Steps to Building a Content Strategy

1

Why?

2

How?

3

What?

What’s the Business Case?

Team, actions, and budgets needed.

Show results tied to your business objectives.
#thinkcontent


Content Marketing Roadmap
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Budget
Destination
Frequency
Amplification / Optimization
Collaboration (Who does what)

Discovery

Destination

Team

Customer
Journey

Topic Models

KPIs /
Reporting

Optimization

• 

Business Case

• 

Branding/Design

• 

Who does what?

• 

Structure

• 

Content by Stage

• 

Define report

• 

Content

• 

Current State
Budget

• 

Platform
Firm Integration

• 

Agency
NewsCred
Distribution

• 

Topics
Types

• 

Conversions
Subscriptions

• 

Who / when?

• 

Platform
Distribution

• 

• 

• 
• 

• 

• 

• 

#thinkcontent


Content marketing mission statement
Become a destination for [target audience]
interested in [topics]. To help them
[customer value].
This will help us [content marketing goals]
•  Earn your audience’s attention vs. just
buying it
•  Reach, engage and convert NEW buyers
AmEx Open Forum Example: Help Small
Businesses Do More Business. To become
the largest source of inbound leads.

#thinkcontent


Commit To Measuring Your Results
Awareness / Reputation:
Classic Brand / PR objectives. SOV, SOC, and press mentions. With Whom? On What Topic?
Measured by?
Reach:
Who is the target Audience? What are their online interests? How can we measure?
Engagement:
Drive deeper relationship with the brand. Measured by time spent, bounce rate, social shares
Convert:
Subscribers, Leads, Sales

#thinkcontent


Define Content Marketing Roles and Functions

Content
Marketer /
Editor
Strategizes, writes,
and oversees
content projects to
ensure brand
consistency and
alignment with
business
objectives.

Community
Manager
Distributes content
across social
channels, engages
online communities,
and contributes to
content projects.

Analytics

Designer

Curation

Contributors

Defines best/ worst

Brings content to life
through the user
experience and rich
visuals.

Fines and re-

Any content creatorblogger,
photographer,
designer — who
contributes to your
project.

performers,
conversion
optimization and
measurement

purposes the best
content from your
business and from
around the web.

SEO / Paid

Specialist
Manages the paid
distribution of
content online.

communications.

#thinkcontent


Define The Business Case, Workflows,
Gain Organizational Buy-in
• 
• 
• 
• 

Make sure all stakeholders understand your mission statement and business goals
Determine who needs to sign off on content
Set approval processes for publishing and sharing content in order to cut down on
back-and-forth
Leverage technology to automate that entire process is a great way to get ahead


Consider Your Destination and Branding

#thinkcontent


Content Marketing

Success

Building a Successful
Content Strategy

Utilizing Content Across
the Buyer Journey

Working with NewsCred:
Crafting a Successful
Content Strategy