How to build a flexible content strategy
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Emily Clayfield discusses flexible content strategy and how to adapt content plans swiftly in response to changing circumstances. The document outlines a framework for content strategy involving diagnosis, guiding policy, and coherent actions while emphasizing the need for teamwork and data-driven decision-making. Key aspects include defining the challenge, aligning with company values, and leveraging audience insights to inform content production and distribution.
How to build a flexible content strategy
- 1. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Flexible content strategy How to rebuild your content plan at the drop of a hat Emily Clayfield – emily@builtvisible.com
- 2. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Emily Clayfield emily@builtvisible.com • Head of Content Strategy at Builtvisible • +8 years experience in SEO, content strategy and digital marketing • Worked with clients across travel, financial services, ecommerce, health, B2B and more • Builtvisible is an independent agency, specialising in SEO, Content, Digital PR and Data
- 3. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com 1. An understanding of our approach to content strategy 2. A list of resources and people to ask for support 3. A couple of research tools and techniques to try 4. Access to my flexible content strategy template 5. Inspiration and motivation to get started! Today’s takeaways Anything could happen in the next half hour
- 4. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com What do we mean by content strategy? A document that helps your team understand and overcome a challenge by creating content with purpose. Good Strategy / Bad Strategy by Professor Richard P. Rumelt, UCLA Diagnosis Guiding policy Coherent actions Define the challenge you face Set out the overall approach to deal with the challenge Specify the steps to take in order to implement your guiding policy
- 5. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Content strategy should connect the dots all the way to the boardroom and back again All business functions can and should support content strategy and content strategy can and should support their goals. • Senior Management, Finance, HR • Product, R&D • Brand, PR, Sales and Marketing • Customer Service Content connects your brand to your customers, and it connects your customers to the information, products and services they need.
- 6. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com You probably already knew all of that, but what happens when the goal posts move?
- 7. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com We stick to this framework, but speed up our processes It’s still vital to get your strategy down on paper. • Adopt an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to unlock expertise, resources • Use your common sense along with available data • Use tools at your disposal and call in favours across your network Diagnosis Guiding policy Coherent actions • Decide and define your approach to meet short-term goals • Keep mid- to long- term goals in mind • Clarify what you know for sure • Accept you may not have all the information • Adapt your processes • Clearly communicate your requirements
- 8. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Try my flexible content strategy template builtvisible.com/resources/build- a-flexible-content-strategy/
- 9. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Part 1: Diagnosis Define the challenge
- 10. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com State the cold hard facts Don’t bury your head in the sand, you need to make your team aware of the challenge For example, the COVID-19 challenge: • Fear and uncertainty is everywhere • Budgets are being pulled • Customers asking for refunds • The public are panic buying • Media backlash against opportunistic brands
- 11. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Highlight the opportunities Take a step back and look for positive trends, topics and new audience groups For example, the COVID-19 opportunity: • People are looking for help and information • New audiences are emerging • New routines are developing • People looking for certainty and stability
- 12. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Spell out the key nature of the challenge Try to distil it into one idea, metaphor or analogy In this COVID-19 example, the key challenges many brands faced essentially boiled down to messaging: • “We want to help our existing and potential customers” • “We do not want to be opportunistic or mercenary” • “We must not confuse or dilute the safety advice”
- 13. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Part 2: Guiding policy Set out your overall approach to deal with the challenge
- 14. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Remind your team of your core mission and values New situations and challenges test your values as a business. Dig them out and put them front and centre in your strategy document to remind your team why your company exists and what you stand for. All content strategy, production and distribution should then be guided by these values.
- 15. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com List your three most important goals right now Your strategy document needs to clearly communicate what your organisation is trying to achieve. That way your team knows exactly what they are working towards and how content can help. • Use our resources and expertise to provide genuine assistance • Collaborate with others in our industry • Nurture relationships • Exceed expectations on quality and service • Provide clarity Retain existing customers Contribute value Seek new opportunities • Pivot our messaging to suit those who need our product most • Focus on audiences which are now thriving For example:
- 16. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Specify how content can help achieve these goals Your strategy document needs to clearly communicate what your organisation is trying to achieve. That way your team knows exactly what they are working towards and how content can help. • Use our resources and expertise to provide genuine assistance • Collaborate with others in our industry • Nurture relationships • Exceed expectations on quality and service • Provide clarity Retain existing customers • Bespoke guides • Customer service assets • Q&A sessions Contribute value • Training sessions • Webinars • Free templates Seek new opportunities • Industry-specific product guides • Case studies • Pivot our messaging to suit those who need our product most • Focus on audiences which are now thriving For example:
- 17. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Collate any available audience insights Your team needs new context to inform and shape the upcoming content, but what if you don’t have time or budget for in-depth research? Try spotting trends using these valuable sources of information: • Sales and Customer Services team • Recent customer feedback, reviews and comments • Search behaviour in Google trends • Online communities like forums, social, YouTube – try boardreader.com
- 18. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Collate any available audience insights Your team needs new context to inform and shape the upcoming content, but what if you don’t have time or budget for in-depth research? Try spotting trends using these valuable sources of information: • Sales and Customer Services team • Recent customer feedback, reviews and comments • Search behaviour in Google trends • Online communities like forums, social, YouTube – try boardreader.com
- 19. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Collate any available audience insights Your team needs new context to inform and shape the upcoming content, but what if you don’t have time or budget for in-depth research? Try spotting trends using these valuable sources of information: • Sales and Customer Services team • Recent customer feedback, reviews and comments • Search behaviour in Google trends • Online communities like forums, social, YouTube – try boardreader.com
- 20. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Part 3: Coherent actions Specify the steps to take in order to implement your guiding policy
- 21. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Make a list of suitable topics Look for ideas at the sweet spot between the audience’s needs and your specific expertise Things the home worker audience need and care about most right now Delivering high quality work Maintaining team culture Maintaining reliability and professionalism Work life balance Saving time and money Being able to enjoy their work Flexible hours Broadband provider’s area of expertise and values Reliable connection Customer service Contract flexibility Value Internet speed How to send large files Teams review remote meeting tools Home office set up tips How to improve video call quality Calculate cost of working from home
- 22. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Clearly outline your (possibly new) production process Your content strategy is nothing without production, so your document should define roles, responsibilities, procedures and sign off processes. Remember, these may have changed due to the new circumstances!
- 23. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Clearly outline your (possibly new) distribution plan New topics and types of content may require new distribution methods. For example, paid distribution budget cuts may lead to the need for creative alternatives! Here’s Builtvisible’s content distribution plan by type and funnel stage
- 24. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Finally, summarise how content performance will be measured Your content strategy document should specify what you’d like to get out of your content and how it ties back in with those key business goals. Your measurement plan section should answer these three questions: • What do we want someone to do when they read, watch, or listen to our content? • How can the content itself encourage that behaviour? • What tracking can we put in place to measure our performance? Retain existing customers Contribute value Seek new opportunities Hmm… what were my goals again?
- 25. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com That’s a wrap
- 26. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com 1. An understanding of our approach to content strategy 2. A list of resources and people to ask for support 3. A couple of research tools and techniques to try 4. Access to my flexible content strategy template 5. Inspiration and motivation to get started! Today’s takeaways Thank you for your time!
- 27. Emily Clayfield - emily@builtvisible.com Thank you. builtvisible.com Emily Clayfield Head of Content Strategy emily@builtvisible.com