Introduction

For over a decade, the founders of DivvyHQ have been guiding some of the world’s top marketers in planning and producing impactful content. Through this journey, we’ve seen firsthand the significant time, effort, and strategic thinking needed to launch a successful content initiative.

In today’s crowded digital landscape, having a clear and well-defined strategy for each content campaign is crucial. At Divvy, we collaborate closely with our clients to help them refine their strategies and understand the practical steps needed for sustainable execution.

Before diving into the details of implementation, take some time with this ebook to ensure your new initiative is set up for long-term success.

1. What is the primary purpose or mission of this content initiative?

It seems like a simple question to ask, right? Yet, in the fast-paced world of marketing, marketers often skip articulating or documenting the strategic purpose behind their initiatives. Vague goals like “building brand awareness” or “generating leads” aren’t enough. You need to dig deeper and define a purpose that offers real value to your target audience.

If you ask any content marketing expert, “Where do we start?” the answer usually boils down to this: you need to figure out the “why” before addressing the “what.” Meghan Casey, lead content strategist at Brain Traffic, suggests breaking down your organization’s core strategy into four key questions:

1. Content product: What content should we create, curate, or share?
2. Audience: Who is this content for, specifically?
3. User needs: Why do they expect or need this content from us?
4. Business goals: What outcomes do delivering this content achieve for the business?

Answering these questions is the first step toward crafting a mission statement that will guide your content initiative and help focus your content-related decisions.

For example, L’Oréal’s Makeup.com provides a mission statement that clearly defines its audience, user needs, content goals, and business objectives. The mission? To create a personalized, educational, and fun platform for beauty enthusiasts. While the site subtly promotes L’Oréal products, it builds trust by focusing on user needs rather than overt sales pitches.

Using Meghan Casey’s framework, every piece of content should adhere to your core strategy. If it doesn’t align with your mission, it has no place in your initiative. As you make content-related decisions, consistently ask yourself: Does this align with our purpose, or are we just creating filler content to meet quotas?

Take time to thoughtfully craft your mission statement, and ensure it’s easily accessible to your audience. Keep your content team aligned by reinforcing it through internal communications and meetings.

Unlock the full potential of your content strategy! Dive into our comprehensive guide to content planning and discover actionable insights for creating engaging content across social media and newsletters. Learn the best practices for planning, execution, and optimization that will help your brand stand out. Ready to supercharge your content efforts? Continue reading and download the guide now!

Related report: How to ensure your content technology is solving, not creating, content problems | Brightspot

• 1. What is the primary purpose or mission of this content initiative?
• 2. Who is the target for this content initiative?
• 3. How long are you planning to keep this initiative going?
• 4. Have you chosen a content topic or area of focus that you can sustain?
• 5. Have you chosen a publishing frequency that you can sustain with high-quality, relevant content?
• 6. Do you have the people and processes in place to sustain this initiative?
• 7. How will you know if/when this initiative is successful?
• 8. Do you have the right tracking and reporting mechanisms in place to know when you get there?
• 9. Do you have a solid distribution or promotion strategy that will ensure you get enough eyeballs on this to reach your goals?
• 10. Which planning, production, and workflow tools are you going to need to execute your new initiative?

Number of Pages:

• 42 pages

Pricing: 

• Free