Even if content marketing campaigns and their goals - sometimes more, sometimes less - differ from each other, a basic procedural model for the operative implementation of content projects like these has been established. Most important are the five phases of analysis, conception, production, distribution, and evaluation, which have to be passed through one after the other.
Analysis
Content marketing always begins with a comprehensive analysis. First, you look at the initial situation and also at the goals that you want to achieve with the project. Therefore, the following steps have to be done:
- Defining the goal(s)
- Defining the target group(s)
- Topic research
- Topic weighting
- Keyword research and subsequent analysis
- Inventory and evaluation of current content (content audit)
Conception
Once the analysis is complete, the basic plan or concept for the content project can be developed. The following tasks have to be mastered:
- Idea development
- Content attribution (determination of benefit, format, media type, etc.)
- Preparing content for the target group(s) (content mapping)
- Prioritization
- Designing a draft considering content and user experience
- Creating an editorial plan
- Preparing briefings
Production
The next step is the actual production process in which the content to be marketed is created and prepared for publication:
- Creating the content
- Checking and releasing content
- Creating suitable landing pages
- Establishing tracking mechanisms
Distribution
The fourth phase of the content marketing process deals with all sub-areas associated with the publication and distribution of content:
- Publication
- Marketing automation
- Promotion of the content
- Outreach (media cooperations, press relations, blogger relations, etc.)
Evaluation
As with other marketing strategies, the campaign is finally evaluated using relevant measures:
- Monitoring and optimization
- Controlling
- Lead management
- Final evaluation