Build a 10-step content strategy for your business

As a copywriter, I often jump into a business’s content strategy team, working closely with marketing pros to create messages that really click with their audience.

Whether I’m writing articles from scratch, fine-tuning microcopy (UX copy) for a smoother user experience, developing website content, or creating voice-over text for avatar presentations, my job is to keep your message clear and on-point.

Below, I’ve outlined a logical, step-by-step approach to building a content strategy—a process I’ve seen work well in other organizations. It’s a simple guide to help you kick-start your thinking through each stage.

Content Strategy

1. Set clear goals

Start by pinpointing what you want to achieve with your content. What do you want to focus on? Maybe you want to drive more traffic, build brand awareness, or boost sales. Are there specific texts you need from a legal point of view? Understanding these goals will help you create content that serves your audience and moves your business forward.

2. Define your brand’s tone of voice

Consistency is key. Ensure your brand’s tone of voice is clearly defined and reflects your brand’s values. Is your voice casual, professional, or quirky? A consistent voice makes your brand instantly recognizable, building trust with your audience over time.

3. Know your audience inside and out

Get to know who you’re speaking to. Research what your audience cares about, their challenges, and their interests. When you truly understand their needs, you can create content that speaks directly to them, making your brand feel like a helpful friend rather than just another business.

4. Create a content roadmap

Map out what content you’ll create and when it will be published. Today’s advanced planning tools can simplify this process with features like scheduling, multi-channel coordination, and team collaboration. They also provide a centralized platform for managing campaigns, tracking performance, and assessing effectiveness.

As copywriters, we love it when we can dive into a single business project. Focusing on one project allows us to understand the nuances of the brand, its audience's needs, and the content's specific goals. This immersion leads to more creative and tailored messaging, resulting in quality content that works and adds value to your brand. Ultimately, a good copywriter is dedicated to delivering content that meets expectations and exceeds them.

5. Establish a structured process for results

A well-defined process is crucial to consistently producing compelling content that achieves your goals.

This includes outlining the steps for content creation, setting up a review process, and having clear criteria for what makes content ready to publish.

Consider using templates for content briefs and setting timelines to keep everyone on track. This ensures that each piece of content aligns with your strategy and contributes to your overall objectives, making the entire process more efficient and results-driven.

6. Incorporate content critiques into your review process

Integrating content critiques—structured feedback sessions—into your process can elevate the quality of your content.

These sessions involve team members from different areas, such as design, marketing, and strategy, reviewing and refining content. The goal is to assess how well the content aligns with your strategic goals and meets the needs of your audience.

By providing constructive feedback before content goes live, you can address potential weaknesses, ensure consistency with brand voice, and make adjustments that enhance user engagement. Content crits can lead to a more collaborative approach, ultimately delivering better content.

7. Focus on quality and SEO

Great content should be valuable and easy to find. Ensure your articles and web pages are well-researched and optimized with keywords your audience is searching for. Quality content ranks better in search engines and keeps readers engaged.

8. Share and promote your content

Don’t just create great content—share it! Use social media, email newsletters, and even online communities to get your content in front of the right people. The more eyes on your content, the better the chances of reaching new customers.

9. Measure, refine, repeat

Track how your content is performing. Use analytics to see which pieces resonate most with your audience. Did a certain blog post get more shares or conversions? Use this data to refine your strategy, creating more of what works and adjusting what doesn’t.

10. Define team roles and responsibilities

The success of a content strategy depends on the people behind it. Clearly outline roles and responsibilities within the team—who is responsible for content creation, editing, approval, and publishing.

Who has access to content management tools? Ensure there’s a process for managing user access, such as adding new team members or removing those who have left.

Establishing accountability at every stage ensures a smoother workflow and helps maintain the quality and consistency of your content.

How a copywriter can help bring your strategy to life

A copywriter like me can inject your strategy with content that connects with your customers at every step of their journey and ensures your brand’s voice stays consistent and true to who you are.

Want to chat about how we can make your content shine? Get in touch, and let’s see how we can kickstart your content strategy together!