So you want to start a blog but have no clue where to begin. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Developing an effective blog content strategy may seem overwhelming, but by following these 10 simple steps, you'll be churning out posts in no time. The key is not to overthink it — start with what you know and build from there. Your readers want to hear your unique voice and perspective. Focus on sharing knowledge and experiences that can help them in a genuine way. Be consistent and patient through the process. Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint. If you stick with it, you'll gain valuable experience, build new skills, and potentially develop new opportunities.
Running a blog without prior planning is like driving to a destination without any road signs: possible, but disastrous. This article on how to develop a blog strategy will be your compass in navigating the unfamiliar.
1. Define Your Blog's Goals and Target Audience
To develop an effective blog content strategy, first determine your blog's objectives and ideal reader. Ask yourself:
- What do I want to achieve with my blog? Do you want to generate leads, build authority, or share knowledge? Establishing clear goals will shape your content and promotional plans.
- Who is my target audience? Picture your ideal reader in as much detail as possible. Determine their interests, pain points, and questions. Tailor your content to address their needs.
- What topics will interest my audience? Make a list of subjects, issues, and questions that your target audience cares about. These will inspire your content creation and give focus to your blog.
With your goals and ideal audience defined, you'll have a direction for your content strategy. You'll know what topics to cover, the depth needed, and the appropriate styles. Your content will resonate more with readers, keeping them engaged and coming back.
Creating a blog content strategy is an iterative process. Review your goals and audience regularly to ensure your content remains relevant and impactful. Make adjustments as needed to align with shifts in reader interests or business objectives.
Following these steps will give your blog focus and purpose. You'll have a roadmap for developing content that achieves your goals and provides value to readers. And that's the key to blogging success.
2. Creating Content for Each Stage of the Funnel
A sales funnel is a term used to represent the customer’s journey that they go through on their way to purchasing an item. At each stage, customers have different levels of awareness of their problems, knowledge of your solution as well as willingness to purchase.
Identifying their pain points across these broad categories can offer inspiration for what your blog content could cover.
Depending on what stage customers are along in the funnel, your content is going to differ greatly. Their needs will affect your blog’s content, the solutions you recommend, and your tone of voice.
We can examine how this can be done by looking at a few store’s blogs.
Awareness
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In awareness, readers have likely identified a problem that they’re facing and are seeking a solution. Blog posts here should aim to be thumb-stopping, attention grabbing and attractive to newcomers— anything to make them start thinking about it.
ILY Pet Co. successfully makes use of how-to blogposts to address common queries by pet owners.
How to get your cat to use a litter box
How to potty train your puppy or dog
These articles cater to people who are researching litter box training for their pet. The posts give new cat/dog owners a consolidated and detailed overview of a process that is unfamiliar to them.
These types of content are frequently seen in the Awareness stage:
- How-to’s
- Gift guides
- Q&A posts addressing readers’ questions
- Infographics
Consideration
In consideration, your audience has defined their problem and are researching heavily across different solutions.
They have likely already heard of your brand. The objective of blog posts targeting customers at the consideration stage is to make your target audience trust you. These range from more personal insights to unique research to demonstrate your understanding of your customer’s perspective.
In Solly Baby’s case, their blog posts connect deeply to the emotional side of their target audience.
Celebrating your postpartum self when you’re not where you want to be
Nurturing your identity after your baby
These articles allow Solly Baby to establish a strong brand voice, express their opinions about a niche topic as well as connect with their reader emotionally. All of which allows for a relationship of trust to be created between the reader and the brand.
These types of content are frequently seen in the Consideration stage:
- Relevant news
- Inspirational success stories
- Opinion pieces
Conversion
In conversion, your audience trust you as a credible brand to purchase from and are willing to be convinced. The goal here is for your reader to purchase.
Solly Baby does a great job at this by incorporating strong visuals accompanied by a description of their new collection.
Our Black + White Collection
It’s clear that the blog article here targets people who now trust the brand, and are looking to make a purchase. Promoting their new collection solves their customer’s problems of not being able to find fashionable, comfortable newborn carriers. The end of their blog post also has a clear call to action of subscribing to their text chain to get notified about the launch time.
Other types of content that could lead to conversions
- Giveaways and competitions
- Informative posts about how your product’s key features solve their problem
This sales funnel is just a framework in which you can analyse your customer journey, and should by no means be exhaustive. Once you figure out the exact persona of your customer, it becomes a lot easier to target specific traits for more compelling content.
3. Conduct Keyword Research for Your Blog Content
To create a blog content strategy that ranks well in search engines and engages your readers, you need to do some keyword research. This helps ensure you're writing about topics people want to read.
Start by making a list of keywords and phrases related to your blog topic and niche. Think about what readers would search for to find content like yours. Use free tools like Google's Keyword Planner, Moz's Keyword Explorer, or Ahrefs to analyze search volume and competition for keywords.
Next, group keywords into themes to develop a content calendar. For example, if your blog is about organic gardening, these groups could be:
- Getting started with organic gardening
- how to start an organic garden
- easy organic vegetables to grow
- organic gardening for beginners
- rotating crops in an organic garden
- preparing an organic garden for winter
For each theme, choose a primary keyword to optimize and build a post around. Use related terms in your content, page titles, URLs, image alt text, and internal links. Publish one post per week, mixing up themes to provide useful info for readers at any stage of organic gardening.
With research-based content mapped to what people are searching for, your blog will become a trusted resource in no time. Keep optimizing and improving posts, and your readers and rankings will grow steadily. The effort you put into a strategic approach will pay off!
4. Map Out Your Blog Content Pillars and Topics
To develop an effective blog content strategy, you need to determine the main topics and themes your content will focus on. These are your content pillars—the foundation that will support your entire content strategy.
Identify Your Key Content Topics
Think about the primary subjects you want to cover that interest your target audience. For a travel blog, it could be things like:
- Destination spotlights
- Travel tips
- Reviews of hotels, restaurants, and transportation
- Travel stories and experiences
For a marketing blog, it might be:
- Content marketing
- Social media
- SEO and search ranking
- Email marketing
- Lead generation
Determine 3 to 5 key topics you want to focus on. These should be subjects you can cover from many angles over time.
Group Related Topics Under Pillars
Once you have your list of topics, organize them under 2 to 3 main content pillars. These pillars represent the major categories you’ll build content around. For example, a marketing blog may have:
- Content & Social: Content marketing, social media, SEO
- Promotion & Growth: Email marketing, lead generation, analytics
- Strategy & Examples: Campaign strategies, case studies
The pillars provide a structure to keep your content focused while still allowing flexibility in the specific topics you cover. You can rotate through pillars, publish content under different pillars each week or base entire months around a single pillar.
Map Out A Content Calendar
Using your content pillars and related topics, map out a content calendar for the next few months. Figure out how you want to rotate through and balance the pillars. See how specific topics fit within each pillar. A calendar will keep you organized and on track to develop a constant stream of content your readers will come to expect.
With your content pillars and calendar in place, you now have a solid strategy and roadmap for developing engaging and helpful content your audience will love. Stick to the plan, but also be willing to adapt as needed to keep things fresh and make changes based on what resonates most with your readers. A good content strategy is always evolving!
5. Create an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog Content Strategy
An editorial calendar will help keep you organized and on track to achieve your blog content strategy goals.
Map Out Your Topics in Advance
Plan your blog topics in advance and schedule them on a calendar. This could be a physical wall calendar or an online calendar tool. For each month, determine how many posts you want to publish and schedule the topics and publishing dates.
Some things to consider when choosing topics:
- Seasonality - Are there any topics that are particularly relevant for certain times of the year? Schedule those at the appropriate time.
- Trends - Keep an eye on trends in your industry or area of expertise. Timely, trending topics tend to resonate well with readers.
- Questions - What questions do your readers frequently ask? Blog posts that answer common questions are always useful.
- Gaps - Look for any gaps in the information you're providing. Are there any related topics you haven't covered yet? Fill in those gaps.
- Evergreen - Include a mix of trending and evergreen content. Evergreen posts on core issues or fundamentals will continue to drive traffic to your blog over time.
Leave Room for Flexibility
While planning your editorial calendar in advance is important, also leave some flexibility for emerging topics or opportunities. Maybe a trending news item comes up that you want to comment on, or a new question arises from your readers. Have a few "open" slots each month that you can fill in as needed.
Review and Revise
Revisit your editorial calendar regularly to review how your content is performing and make any needed changes. Are there any topics that aren't resonating as well as you expected? Swap those out for alternative topics. Are there any new opportunities you want to take advantage of? Revise your calendar accordingly. An editorial calendar should be a living document that evolves along with your content strategy.
Following these steps will help you establish an effective framework for your blog content planning and keep you on track to publish useful and relevant content for your readers. Sticking to a consistent schedule and reviewing and revising as needed are key to success.
6. Set Benchmarks for Success Metrics to Track
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
Once you have your blog content strategy mapped out, it’s time to determine how you’ll measure success. Without benchmarks, you won’t know if your strategy is working or needs tweaking. The key metrics to track for a blog include:
Traffic
How many visitors are coming to your blog? Use Google Analytics to see your daily, weekly, and monthly traffic numbers. If traffic stalls or declines, it may be time to refresh your content or switch up your promotion tactics.
Engagement
Are people actually reading your posts? Track metrics like page views, time on page, and bounce rate. More pageviews and longer time on the page are good signs. A high bounce rate means people are quickly leaving your site and indicates your content may not be engaging enough.
Social Shares
How often are people sharing your content on social media? Use the social sharing buttons on your blog to see share counts for each network. Higher shares mean you’ve created content people find valuable and want to pass along to others.
Subscribers
Are readers subscribing to your blog? Look at your total subscriber numbers and new subscribers gained each week. An average of 2.5% a month is a good email growth rate. Email subscribers are your blog’s biggest fans and will help spread your content through shares and word-of-mouth.
Backlinks
How many other websites are linking to your blog posts? Backlinks are an important ranking factor in Google and drive referral traffic. A successful blog should gain at least a few authoritative backlinks each month. Track your backlinks with a tool like Ahrefs, Majestic, or Moz.
7. Optimize Your Blog Content for SEO
To optimize your blog content for search engines like Google, follow these steps:
Use Relevant Keywords
Include important keywords and phrases in your title, headings, and throughout the content. Think about what words and phrases your target readers would use to search for that topic. Using those keywords, especially in headings, will make your content more findable.
Write Compelling Titles and Headings
Your title and headings should capture interest and contain keywords. For example, “How to Skyrocket Your Blog Traffic with These 10 Proven Tips” or “The Beginner’s Guide to Driving Blog Engagement: 7 Must-Know Strategies”. Keep headings short, scannable, and keyword-rich.
Include Internal Links
Link to other related content on your blog. This keeps visitors engaged with your content and passes “link juice” to help rankings. For example, if you mention “content pillars” or “social sharing buttons”, link to content explaining those concepts.
Have a Clear Structure
Use headings, bulleted lists, numbered instructions, or a table of contents for long posts. Break up paragraphs to make content easy to read and navigate. Organize your content in a logical flow or chronological order. This clear structure helps both search engines and readers understand your content.
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Include Media
Add images, graphics, videos, or slideshows to illustrate your points. Media makes content more engaging and shareable. Use alt text, captions, and transcripts to describe the media for search engines and accessibility.
Be Active in the Comments
Respond to any comments or questions from readers. This shows you’re engaged with your audience and the topic. It also gives you another chance to use keywords and internal links, which search engines notice.
Promote Your Content
Share your content on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Engage with others posting about the topic. The more social shares and traffic your content gets, the higher it will rank in search results.
Update and Refresh
Go back to older content and update it with new details, examples, statistics, or media. Then re-share it on social media. This revives the content and shows search engines it’s still relevant, which can improve its rankings.
8. Promote Your Blog Content on Social Media
Promoting your blog content on social media is one of the best ways to increase traffic and build your audience. Share each new blog post on all your social channels to maximize visibility.
X (formerly Twitter)
Tweet a link to your new blog post as soon as it’s published. Include an attention-grabbing headline and image. Ask followers to retweet to spread the word. You can also tweet quotes or key stats from the post to spark interest. Engage with anyone who comments or retweets — say thanks and continue the conversation.
Share your blog post on your Facebook page and in any relevant Facebook groups. Write an engaging blurb that captures the essence of the post. Include a thumbnail photo that is eye-catching and branded. Ask viewers to like, comment, and share the post to boost visibility in the News Feed algorithm. Respond to all comments and questions.
Publish your blog post on LinkedIn's publishing platform to reach professionals in your industry. You can then promote that post on your personal LinkedIn profile. Also, share updates about new posts in relevant LinkedIn groups to start discussions. Engage with everyone who comments to build connections.
If your blog post includes useful tips, how-to guides, or visual content, share images from the post on Pinterest. Optimize the images by including your blog name and a link back to the post. Pin to group boards in your niche to increase visibility. Engage with anyone who repins or comments on your pins.
Share snapshots or short video clips related to your blog post on Instagram. Provide a link to the full blog post in your bio or stories. Ask followers to check out the link for the full details. Engage with anyone who likes or comments on your Instagram posts. Respond to all questions and join in relevant conversations.
Promoting your content across multiple social platforms is key to maximizing traffic and building buzz. Be consistent and engage with your followers and connections on each network. Repeat promotion of evergreen content over time to continue reaching new potential readers. With an active social strategy, you'll gain more and more traffic from social referrals over time.
9. Repurpose Your Blog Content
Once you have a solid base of blog posts published, it’s time to get more mileage out of them. Repurposing your content into different formats and mediums is an easy way to reach more readers and get more value from the work you’ve already done.
Turn posts into video scripts
If you’re comfortable on camera, consider filming short videos discussing the main points from your blog posts. Transcribe the video to use as a script. Videos are highly engaging and help to build your brand's personality.
Create slide decks
Turn your posts into presentations by pulling out key ideas, stats, and images to build slide decks. Upload them to sites like SlideShare to increase traffic to your blog. Slide decks are easy to skim and share on social media.
Repackage content in different formats
Some other ways to reuse your blog content include:
- Turn posts into downloadable ebooks, whitepapers or case studies.
- Re-purpose posts as guest articles to publish on other industry websites and blogs.
- Use posts as newsletters or email campaigns to engage your subscribers.
- Compile and re-purpose posts into topic-focused resource guides.
- Turn step-by-step posts into video tutorials or podcast episodes.
Update and improve
Go back to your older blog posts and freshen them up. Update any facts or stats, improve the writing, and add additional details. Spruce up the images and featured images as well. Updated, evergreen content has a better chance of ranking well in search engines.
Repurposing content is an easy way to maximize your content creation efforts. While the formats may change, the message and value to your audience remain the same. Get creative with different mediums and see which ones your audience responds to the most. Keep tweaking and improving your content over time to build an impressive library of resources for your readers.
10. Evaluate and Refine Your Blog Content Strategy
Once you've been blogging for a while, it's a good idea to evaluate how your content strategy is working and make any needed changes. Here are some tips to refine your blog content strategy:
Review Analytics
Check your blog analytics to see which posts are performing well and not so well. See what people are reading and for how long. Look at traffic sources and see if any patterns emerge. Use what you learn to optimize existing content and shape future posts.
Get Feedback
Ask your readers for feedback on your blog content strategy. See if the topics, length, images, and tone resonate with them. Find out how you can improve to better meet their needs. You might run a survey on your blog, email subscribers, or social media followers. Act on the constructive feedback you receive.
Conclusion
You now have the 10 steps needed to create an effective blog content strategy. The key is to start with your goals and priorities, define your topics and themes, create an editorial calendar to keep you on track and optimize your content for search and social sharing. Don't forget to promote your content on social media and analyze how it's performing to make ongoing improvements.
Blogging is a long game, so stick with it. Stay consistent and committed to creating valuable content for your readers. Engage with your audience and build a community around your blog. Keep learning and improving your writing and content creation skills. With time and practice, you'll become an expert in your niche.
Developing a smart content strategy for your blog is well worth the effort. You'll gain authority, build trust, and increase traffic and subscribers.
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