How to make Content for Social Media Marketing Strategy

After publishing on social media platforms a few times, have you ever run out of content ideas? It has also happened to me, but I have discovered the secret: develop a content marketing strategy or plan. You can think of it as a comprehensive document that includes your keyword research, audience analysis, buyer's journey, funnel phases, type of content, distribution plan, and success metrics. It might sound complicated, but don't worry; I'll walk you through the process by using an actual example. A content plan helps you stay focused on your marketing (growth) objectives so that you don't make a Snapchat or TikTok video just because the music is popular. Since it is centered on the issues or interests of your audience, it also improves your chances of success.

Ten steps are listed below for developing a content marketing strategy:

Set SMART Objectives: Because it guides the course of your approach, having a goal is crucial. The objectives ought to be established in light of your current situation and desired state.

Example: In our case study, Karachi Sweets, a Calabar, Cross River-based online bakery that specializes in cookies and cakes for all occasions. By utilizing the power of social media, Karachi Sweets hopes to transition from having very few sales (and perhaps no sales for weeks) to having regular sales.

The company's objectives include:

Increasing social media presence, particularly on Instagram, from 194 to 1,000 followers during the next two months 100k (naira) in organic sales over the following two months. The company currently struggles to generate consistent monthly revenue, making it difficult for it to cover advertising costs. Create a Facebook and TikTok presence with roughly 500 followers each. There are currently no followers for Karachi Sweets on various networks since she does not have an account there.

2. Audience Analysis:

It's crucial to know who and where your content is being viewed, as well as the issues that each of your audience groups are dealing with. You should also know what kind of material gets the most interaction from your audience. It is advisable that you now develop a buyer persona—a visual representation of your target clients. By conducting user interviews, focus groups, surveys, and other research methods, you may create buyer personas.

As an Example: People in the working class and students are Karachi Sweet's target market. In order to represent both groups of people, I would develop two buyer personas. Since the majority of Karachi Sweet's sales will come from customers in the same area and she sells perishable foods, geography is a crucial factor to take into account.

Customer Persona

Even if you are a part of this section, don't presume that your behaviors match those of your audience! It's a beginner error that a lot of my pupils frequently commit.

The real-life situation of content consumption

We choose to employ many linked gadgets in our multi-device environment to complete various jobs. Additionally, these gadgets frequently include a screen and/or speech capabilities.

Marketer translation, which are:

To reach your target audience on the device and in the context of their choosing, deliver your content marketing in a number of formats across numerous platforms. Users can access your stuff anytime, whenever, and however they choose. So that they can access your stuff whenever, whenever.

Recognize the informational demands of your target market and cater to them. We have information, definitions, and practical advice on how to use content marketing to help you do this. to enhance outcomes.

The exception to this rule is entertainment, which in my opinion is content that has long-term value. But you should try to avoid anything that does not immediately assist you in achieving your goal. Inspirational content, in my opinion, is always superior to motivational stuff. And this is where the two differ from one another. The right motivational material can be very motivating. But there is no empowerment or enablement. The lack of a technique or procedure in inspiring information makes us feel as though we want to achieve a lot but are unable to. Inspirational content, on the other hand, is not overstimulating. However, it offers sufficient knowledge to put that excitement to use. Both enthusiasm and capacity are raised. It gives us the ability to act. So keep in mind that inspiration is preferable to motivation.

3. Analyze your competition:

There are typically two categories of rivals: indirect rivals and direct rivals. Direct rivals are those with comparable offerings and the same target market, whereas indirect rivals have the same target market for various product offerings. In order to determine what is working and potential gaps to fill, you must identify the leading companies in your field and observe their strategies. It's also a good idea to observe other leading figures in related fields so you can pick up a few pointers from them. You can gather and analyze the data by performing a SWOT analysis on three to five rival companies.

Example: Karachi Sweet's immediate opponents in Calabar are those who sell cakes and pastries, while their indirect competitors are those who run food enterprises. I conducted a SWOT analysis and arrived at the following conclusions:

Threats:

They had a comfortable working area where people could come, as opposed to working from their kitchen, and they could also afford to train students, which was a substantial source of money. They all also provided catering services.

Opportunities

In recent years, many of her competitors have constantly posted content online. This is due to the fact that they already had a consistent network of individuals who trusted them, and when they posted, they simply shared images of their final product, which is in my opinion insufficient. Because few bakers use content to develop trust, this is definitely a potential for Karachi Sweets.

I also examined competitors in states such as Lagos, and the content that had the most momentum were BTS videos, whether it was frosting a cake, making a batter, or packing an order; consumers seemed to really enjoy that type of content.

4. Conduct thorough topic and keyword research:

Now that you've identified your target audience and competition, you must determine what they're looking for online. There are various tools for this, but one of the simplest methods I recently discovered is to use Google or YouTube. Enter your topic of interest, and the search engine will automatically guess what you need based on popular searches. Finding relevant keywords will provide you with new article ideas.

Example: For Karachi Sweets, her specialty is Cake and Cookies, thus I utilized YouTube to find popular search results.

5. Examine Your Current Content and Channels:

Which channel do you currently use? Instagram? Website? Tiktok? Which article generated the greatest sales and traction for you? You may already have good material released; thus, you must investigate why that content and channel performed so well.

Example: In the case of Karachi Sweets, her primary channel is Instagram (seen below), and the post that performed exceptionally well was a video of her presenting the 360-degree view of a cake. Her alternative channel, WhatsApp, has produced few results.

6. Idea Generation

You now have a better understanding of what your target audience wants as a result of your study. Put your mind to work. Don't limit yourself to the keywords; come up with as many ideas as you can. Don't worry about refining it; the more thoughts you have, the better. After brainstorming, you should consider your distribution methods. What format and where will your content be available? Is it going to be published on your blog, website, or social media? Will it live on as an interview, template, video, or something else? It can exist in a variety of forms through numerous channels.

Example: For Karachi Sweets, I held a brainstorming session and came up with the following ideas:

• The simplest method for decorating a cake.
• How to Mix Cookie Batter Properly
• How to Measure the Ingredients for a Cake
• Cake Baking Instructions
• Common cake decorating blunders.
• Cookies require the following ingredients.
• Attempting new recipes
• Recreate a popular cake vendor's cake.
• I'll pack an order for you.
• How to Keep Your Cake Fresh
• Use your imagination when eating cakes (a dessert video)
• When it comes to cookies, get imaginative.
• Recipe for a Fruit Cake
• Recipe for Banana Bread
• As a newbie, here's how to price your cake.
• Help me decorate a cupcake order.
• Help me decorate a cake.
• How to Bake a Cake in the Absence of an Oven
• Cake baking advice.

Social Media Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook will be utilized as primary distribution platforms because that is where the majority of her ideal customers hang out. I propose developing a YouTube channel for lengthier videos and a blog for lengthy pieces because such channels help create and, if done correctly, can rank in search results, resulting in increased traction for the social media channels. But we must remember that Karachi Sweets is self-sufficient and must focus on doing the best she can with what she has right now.

7. Arrange Your Content Ideas

You start grouping your thoughts into funnel stages here. Consider the funnel as a progression from awareness through contemplation to the ideal applicant for the position. I'll outline the funnel stages using Karachi Sweets as our case study.

Visitors at the top of the funnel are those who are just learning about cakes or baking. They usually have no intention of purchasing because they are simply reading your content to relax, learn, or pass the time. As a result, Karachi Sweets must broaden its outlets with digestible formats. For instance, an Instagram clip or TikTok video demonstrating how to create a cake.

The content in the middle of the funnel is usually for folks who have given their problem a name. They frequently look for things like how to make chocolate chip cookies. Fortunately, Instagram and Facebook enable users to publish films that go longer than 10 minutes. So Karachi Sweets can create longer-form material, such as how-to films for chocolate chip cookies.

People at the bottom of the funnel are eager to make a purchase. They'll probably be on Karachi Sweet's page, looking at images of her work and reading comments and testimonials. As a result, Karachi Sweets will have to rely on user-generated material (a compilation of gathered reviews, a client reaction video, and so on).

Post-Purchase Content: What additional content would purchasers require in order to use your product? Karachi Sweets will benefit from articles such as how to preserve your cake or inventive ways to enjoy your cake or cookies.

8. Make a Resource Plan

It's time to get your hands on some grass! You have a lot of great ideas, but can you afford to implement them all? What do you require to complete flawlessly? When will you carry them out? You must structure your content strategy in a schedule that includes the following items:

• Content type Keyword
• Stage of the funnel
• Channels of distribution (for websites, this would be the section of the layout where it fits)
• Editor's title was assigned to the content.
• Update on progress or status
• Assets are required to support content.
• Date of publication
• Distribution plan.

Because I have not yet built a content calendar for Karachi Sweets, I am unable to provide specific examples. You may, however, discover downloadable templates on Google, so you don't have to start from scratch.

9. Generate Content

Remember to keep your users in mind. In a world where attention is cash, whatever you create must be valuable. Text material (everything that will be read) must be devoid of ambiguity; simple terminology win; and storytelling should be used (don't be too hard on yourself if you don't grasp it the first time; it's a learning curve).

10. Finally, Distribute Forever!!!!

Publish, publish, and publish some more. Allow the rest of the world to see your work. You can utilize one platform to promote another platform's content on your primary channel, for example, utilizing WhatsApp to promote your Instagram post and vice versa. You can also choose to back up your content with sponsored adverts, although I do not encourage it if you are bootstrapping or just getting started with content development. It's worth noting that after 3-6 months, content can be recycled by cutting it up into bite-sized pieces.

11. Bonus: Track Your Progress

Measure everything, as Peace Itimi says. You must know whether your efforts are successful or not. These are the KPIs to measure your marketing effort, based on what I've learned thus far (this list is based on a website/blog standpoint, so adjust accordingly).

• Traffic from organic search
• Session, dwell time, and bounce rate are all factors to consider.
• Participation in social media
• Conversions
• generating leads
• Keyword positioning
• Backlinks
• Sales
• Current authority.

In conclusion, with the appropriate content strategy, you will have your own audience of dedicated clients, and your brand will become instantly recognizable.

"Effective marketing strategy is like a chess game – you need to think several moves ahead to win the market."

Hard work pays off...

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