Friday, May 16, 2014

The Content Marketing Checklist

Content marketing is a broad term for social media, customer engagement, webpage optimization, info-sharing, blogging, and other tools on the modern marketer’s tool belt. Whether you’re about to begin your own content campaign or are curious how Grammar Chic, Inc. works, here are the basics that need to be in place:


1. Name Recognition


The first step is to secure social accounts that match your brand’s name. This includes Google+, Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms you may (or may not) use in the future. By doing this, you lock down your company name and prevent others from abusing it.


2. The Fill-In Stage


Now that your accounts are secure, it’s time to fill in the basic information. Each platform requires some form of a bio, contact information, website links, and other elements. These are essential because they give social visitors a chance to find out more about your company.


It’s important to keep all of this info consistent throughout the platforms. While you’re at it, go ahead and add links to other social assets (Twitter handles on Facebook, social buttons to websites, etc.).


3. Web Optimization


Websites are like a home base for companies. They are a launch pad for campaigns and become the center of activity, not to mention the place you want social followers and visitors to wind up at.


Like social media, it’s important to fill out webpages with valuable content that explains who you are, what you do, and how customers can move to the next step (make a purchase, call, etc.).


4. Blog, Part I


Now it’s time to set up the blog, the cornerstone of any content marketing campaign. The blog is where you’ll publish original content and, hopefully, pull potential customers into your website.


Setting up the backend of the blog is essential. You need to investigate different themes, hosts, widgets, formats, fonts, and other aspects to see what works best for you.


5. Blog, Part II


Once the blog’s up and tied to your social media accounts and webpage, it’s time to start creating content. If you’re starting from scratch, the first step is to create posts that explain who you are and the purpose of your blog.


6. Creating a Post Schedule


Now that everything is in place, it’s time to build an editorial calendar to make sure you’re interacting with followers and posting regularly. We build editorial calendars for two reasons: 1) To query feedback from clients, and 2) They force us to work ahead.


Content marketing is all about consistency. In the calendar, consider working a week in advance and pre-writing your posts. This includes content for your blog, social media, press releases, and any other marketing material.


7. Developing Interaction


Once content is published, it’s up to the marketers to interact directly with followers, comments, shares, and likes. This is an important piece of the puzzle and reaffirms a company’s dedication to communication.


From here on out, it’s a rinse and repeat process that varies based on new trends, research, and attention (or lack thereof) generated by each campaign process.


Source: B2C_Business



The Content Marketing Checklist

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