How to make a content strategy and plan for 2020

Content strategy or a content plan, whatever you prefer, is a KEY part of your 2020 business plan. If it isn’t right now and you have no idea what I am talking about, please read more about it here OR listen there. 

If you have been meaning to start a content strategy but don’t know what you want to do next, I have got your back!

If you have read a lot of my stuff in the last few weeks, I have spoken A LOT about content strategy and WHY you need one. So I thought I would describe to you how you can start your own! I just finished mine, and I am STOCKED. 

Format 

Firstly, you want to determine the structure of your content strategy and how it will work best for you! Will you have it on Google Sheets or Trello? Really it is up to you how you manage it, BUT what type of content marketer would I be if I didn’t be more specific with what I do?

Okay, so what I have done with my 2020 content plans IS…

I started a Google Document with my 2020 goals, and I drew up a table of all the different categories, like below….

You can add more goals here like investment goals etc. So, once you have mapped these out, you want to start filling them in. 

REMEMBER YOUR GOALS SHOULD ALIGN!! You can also use the SMART method to compose your goals. These are: 

• Specific

• Measureable 

• Attainable 

• Relevant 

• Time-Based 

But what are the differences between marketing goals, content goals and social media goals?? 

Marketing goals are your overall goals but can include content marketing, social media marketing, digital marketing etc. 

Your social media goals and content marketing goals are really just a more detailed version of your marketing goals. 

Some of these goals may include: 

• Increase website traffic by % (this will be a clear marketing goal)

• Increase IG following by % (this will be a social media goal)

• Increase blog views and podcast listens by % (this is a content goal) 

Once you have all of these set out, you want to go into more detail on these goals, and what will help you get to where you want to be at the end of 2020. 

Structure 

Now you have your goals, you want to structure your content marketing plan, to do this you need to, of course, have your content marketing and social media goals finalised! 

From here, you need to now firstly reinforce who your target audience for your content is. I did this by putting together a paragraph describing who they are, what their pain points are and what they need. 

After you have a clear vision on your target audience (this can be a few different profiles), you want to now start planning your content structure!! 

As you can see above this is a quick overview on the structure of your content platforms. So you will write in the platforms you want to use, how often you will post and what you want to achieve out of them. 

Doing this will also help you determine your main platforms for 2020. 

Content 

Once you have the platforms all ready to go, you want to brainstorm the content for each day/week/month. 

Make sure when you are doing this you use the inform, educate, engage and fun pillars (read more here). 

For example, on a Monday, you might go live on your Facebook and on a Wednesday, you might post your blog and share it across your channels. 

Map out each day, so you have a theme around your posts - this doesn’t mean you are locked into them, but it will help you create content during the year! 

Once you have mapped out all the content plans for the year (this doesn’t mean topics), you can add them into a calendar spreadsheet, download the one I use here, and start adding in all the days you will be showing up. 

With this calendar, you ALSO want to add in what you are selling in that particular month so you can tailor your call to actions and sales posts to that particular offer! 

Now you have mapped out ALL your days posting and your offers, you can start brainstorming all the different topics for the months ahead. Obviously, as you generate more questions from clients and your audience, these will change, but you can start planning what you will be talking about, which will make it easier to start BATCHING!! 

Accountability 

Okay, so you have your content plan, your content calendar… that is all good right? What if you never look at it?? Well, what I do to hold myself accountable IS to transfer this excel sheet into my actual calendar! 

This is where I write all my posts and brainstorming ideas, so I am CONSTANTLY reminded to show up!! 

Plus we ALWAYS look at our calendar, so we know what we have coming up when. This way, you will always know when you will be expected to post or show up!! 

Final thoughts 

A content strategy doesn’t need to be hard! It just needs to work for YOU, so YOU know when you need to show up. So YOU know what your goals are! 

All you need to do is make a start!! You can learn more about how I started my content strategy by watching the video below! 

BUT if a content strategy isn’t in your schedule before 2020 and you need help with your content mapping for next year, send me a message! I am offering content strategies for entrepreneurs and business owners so they can start levelling up with content marketing!! 

Let’s start making this happen!!