The Best Content Marketing Plan for 2016

Almost every marketer with even a hint of experience in the field of marketing remains backed up with a content marketing plan. But just a few of them are able to get what they want from their strategies. According to a Content Marketing Institute report:

  • Just 30% B2B marketers believe that their content marketing strategies are effective.
  • 44% B2B marketers are not clear on what content marketing success or effectiveness looks like.

Given these stats, it isn’t difficult to understand that content marketing strategies aren’t working well for a majority of businesses. But why is that? What are the challenges that marketers are faced with? Stats available online reveals the challenges faced by marketers.

Here they are:

So, now you do have a clear picture of the content marketing industry? Given these numbers, what do you think, how would you make sure that your strategies stand out from the crowd? How would capture the interest of your audiences right from the outset? How will you make a mark in the ever-so-crowded market this 2016?

The answer is simple! You’ll need to learn from the mistakes that you made in the year 2015, get your basics right and develop ‘The Best Content Strategy’ for 2016 that’s worth a zillion dollars.

In order to help you out better, here we present to you the ‘high-thrust’ content marketing plan that will help your content marketing strategies win the battle for attention this 2016.

  1. Develop A Documented Strategy
  2. Build Your Buyer Persona
  3. Ensure Finest Ideas to the Best Channels
  4. Use Personalization to your Advantage
  5. Explore Social Media As A Channel

With the changing dynamics of the content marketing industry, just developing a content strategy wouldn’t help you out, you’ll also need to ensure that your content marketing strategies work.

So, without further ado, let’s get started and learn how to make these 5 simple to follow content market strategies work.

1. Develop a Documented Strategy – Only 32% marketers ensure documented content marketing strategy, according to CMI. You think having a documented strategy doesn’t really matter? Well, let us inform you that having a documented content marketing strategy means that you know how you’re going to push your content and promote it, right from the outset.

Conversion Scientist & TruConversion Founder, Hammad Akbar reveals in a blog that a documented strategy multiplies the probability of content marketing success. Clearly, if you’re looking forward to do away with the waste and improve the efficiency of your content strategy, you must do well to start documenting your content marketing processes as soon as possible.

Document the channels you’re looking to approach and the type of content you’re planning to produce. Do document your budget and the end goals that you expect to meet. And, most importantly, reassess and document your SEO content strategies to make timely adjustments.

2. Build Your Buyer Persona – Yep! You heard it right! You’ll need to build buyer persona to stay ahead of the curve in 2016. If you’re reading this, we’re sure you know what buyer persona is! But if you have been living under the rocks, here’s a quick, dirty definition for you – Buyer Persona is a sketch of what your ideal customer looks like.

Think this: who are you creating your content for? We’re sure the answer is – your buyers and prospects. So, why not create content that solves the problem, answers the questions and adds value to the life of your target audience.

The point here is to develop and create content speaks to your target market and resonates with them in the best way possible. So that when they look it, it’s their experience, their voice, their taste they see.  

3. Ensure Finest Ideas to the Best Channels – No matter how much you invest to create content that you believe will tickle pink the fancy of your target audience, if you aren’t pushing it on the right channel, it’s sure to fall flat. Instead of pushing of content here and there, do well to devise a strategies and pick the best channels that will provide maximum value to your content.

Once you narrow down the channels that you’ll be using, check what’s tending there and basis your findings create your content and share it with your audiences. For example, you may choose to post a thought-provoking blog on business insights at LinkedIn. Then, you may simply pull some key data points from the blog and cross-promote it on Twitter.

4. Use Personalization to your Advantage – A blog published at TruConversion.com explains that content personalization is vital for successful digital marketing strategies for 52% marketers. Modern day discerning customers’ demand personalized experience. This is because the content overload on the web has desensitized users towards brand content and now they look for content address their specific needs, preferences and tastes.

The one-size-fits-all approach isn’t an option if you’re looking to give your content marketing strategies a boost this 2016. Use segmentation, location orientation and dynamic messages to create more personalized and memorable content experience for your buyers this 2016.

5. Explore Social Media as A Channel - Social Media has become important than ever for businesses these days. No matter what industry you’re in, you got to be on social media to reach out to your target audiences. So, this 2016, use social media as a channel to push and promote your content. Still wondering why? Check out these stats presented by Mike Dane from TruConversion. We’re sure these stats will shake your content marketing strategies:

  • 120,000 Tweets are sent every second
  • An average user visits Pinterest for 89 minutes per month
  • Facebook shares influence Google Search Rankings
  • An average user Devotes 17 Minutes per month on LinkedIn
  • 45% netizens read and follows business blogs published at social platforms.

Given these stats, it’s no rocket science to understand how social media can help you get connected to millions of new buyers and prospects. Use these sites as publishing channel to get your content more eyeballs. A number of social sites now offer publication options.

Use Facebook’s ‘Instant Articles’ or explore Twitter’s ‘Project Lightning’ (soon to be launched) to publish your brand content to take elements of your brand and showcase it to the world in a way that’s even more awesome.

Over to You

So, there you have it! The high-thrust content marketing plan for 2016! Remember, it’s no rocket science and if you have not been able to bring your content marketing efforts on track, now’s the time. Embrace this high-thrust content marketing plan and lead the pack in 2016.

Leave us your comments and let us know what do you think of this content marketing plan for 2016? And don’t forget to sign up for ‘Promotion World Weekly Newsletter’ to get more of such interesting content delivered right into your inbox.

About the author

Daniel is the Chief Marketing Officer at TruConversion.com with both startups and enterprise clients have given him unique perspective and ability to connect the dots for brands of all sizes. He loves writing on content  strategy, marketing, and optimization initiatives.

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