How to Create a Content Marketing Plan You Actually Stick To

Have you ever created a content marketing plan and not been able to stick to it? Maybe you have a whole calendar dedicated to it or even a planner where you map out what kind of content you create, but then never show up to create the content. Well, you are not alone. I know there are a lot of people out there who are trying to create content and it can feel very overwhelming. That’s why in this post, I am covering how to create a content marketing plan you actually stick to. Let’s get to it!

 

 

Content marketing is actually one of my favorite things to do and talk about because it’s such a big part of my personal brand. I am constantly dreaming up new and creative ways to market my content, as well as teach all of you how to do the same for your brand. There are a lot of content marketing tips you can use to help you grow so much faster! The trick is just to find the right biz coach and really let what she tells you sink in and start applying it to your business. (Psst..it could be me!) 

I was sitting with a bunch of friends recently who are also influencers or have done something great in their industry. And they all had one thing in common–they all felt paralyzed by content marketing. So I know if they are struggling, then there are people reading this who are struggling. But I’m here for you!

 

 

What is Content Marketing? 

So, what is content marketing exactly? You probably know what content marketing is, you just may call it something else like “posting on Instagram” or “creating a TikTok video.”  It’s basically using content to market your biz across different platforms. Whether it’s on Instagram, any kind of social media, blogging, podcasting, YouTube, etc. all of that is content to market your business. 

I created a visual to help us all understand this content marketing framework, and I am calling it the content marketing funnel. I think this visual will help demonstrate exactly how powerful content marketing is and how you implement it into your business. 

 

 

Content Marketing Funnel: Content Consumers

At the very top of the funnel, we have content consumers. These are the people who have been looking on Google, Instagram, TikTok, etc., and have stumbled upon your content and then start to consume it. This is a really important phase because we want that first experience of consuming your content to be valuable enough that it will make them want to follow you. 

So how do you create content that makes people want to follow you? You want to make sure your content is solving a problem that your target audience has. This will make your content more credible and encourage the consumer to trust what you’re teaching them. 

 

Content Marketing Funnel: Followers

Usually, if someone finds your content by accident and likes what they read/see then they will follow you. This is exactly what you want to happen. When people follow you they will start to buy into the why of your business and your brand. This is how you really start connecting with them because they are following you on your stories where things are a bit more personal. And after they follow you for a while and consume the content you are creating they will become a buyer. 

 

Content Marketing Funnel: Buyers

When your followers become buyers this means they start to buy your products. This is where they’re finally investing in you and your brand and business. They are ready to take the next step as one of your customers. And once they’ve become buyers, you take really good care of them. And then, if their experience is good they will start telling their friends about it and hopefully become raving fans of you! This brings us to the last level of the funnel.  

 

Content Marketing Funnel: Raving Fans

Raving fans are the best because they will tell more and more people about you and send more people up to the top of your funnel and have this content marketing funnel process start all over again. So we want our funnel to be growing wider and wider because we want our followers and our raving fans to grow.

 

 

Why Content Marketing is Such a Big Deal

There are lots of reasons why content marketing is so huge for your business’s success, but it really comes down to two things. And these two things make it so much easier for you to grow your business faster, especially when you have a content marketing plan you actually stick to.

Reason #1: People more now than ever want to know the real side of a brand. It doesn’t matter if you’re a huge brand or a small brand–people want to connect with the person behind it. So if you notice some bigger brands, they will pull in real employees and share their stories. This helps their audience connect on a deeper level. 

Reason #2: Content marketing is easier now than ever. We used to have to depend on huge marketing ad budgets to get in front of the right audience, but now all you have to do is create great content for free! So, just to give perspective…a mom in her house can sit and create content and be just as effective and moneymaking as big corporations. That is a big deal!

Yes, it takes time to create content and to grow and get to a point where you actually feel like it’s worth it. But if you feel like this is really what you want, then nothing is going to stop you. And if you hire me as your biz coach I will be that catalyst to get you and your brand where you want it to be. But even if you want to casually follow me for biz tips and tricks, you can do that too! I just want to help you wherever I can because I believe in you and your business.

 

 

How to Create a Content Marketing Plan You Actually Stick To

Content Marketing Plan Step #1: Create a solid foundation for your brand message.

You may have heard before that a solid content marketing plan needs pillars. And I agree that your plan needs pillars too, but first, it’s important to solidify the foundation of your brand. Without nailing down the foundation of your brand, your pillars can seem a bit random. So, first, build a solid brand message.

A solid brand is made up of four Ps. And those Ps are the person you’re serving, the problem they have, the product you sell that solves their problem, and the promise of transformation to your person. (Click here to learn more about this concept!)

 

Content Marketing Plan Step #2: Create 3-5 pillars.

Think of what your overall goal is for your business. Based on that goal, you will then create 3-5 content pillars within that goal that you will talk about to your audience. For example, my overall goal in my business is to help women and men build successful businesses that are efficient and effective. Now I can decide which topics within this goal will help transform my people into successful and confident business owners. So, one of my content pillars is content strategy. (Listen to my podcast episode here to find out the rest of my content pillars.)

 

Content Marketing Plan Step #3: Setting biz goals.

You may know in your heart what your business goals are, but it can be really effective to write them down and get a bit more specific about what they are. And it’s super helpful to create some smaller goals to help you reach your bigger ones. If you want some direction on this, you can text “money maker” to 951-309-7885 to get my biz goal sheets. These will help you get organized and meet your goals faster!

 

Content Marketing Plan Step #4: Create your content marketing framework.

This content marketing framework is where you make some big decisions. This is where you decide how often you’re going to show up and what you will share and teach your audience. So, are you going to have a podcast? Are you going to show up on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube? Will you have a blog? Decide which platforms you want to show up on and how often. 

For me, I show up at least twice a week on my podcast and YouTube. And then I always turn my podcast into a blog post (like this very one you are reading). This makes it so I am not creating brand new content for each platform, but just spreading it across different platforms. (Learn more about this trick known as my Core Content Code, and how you can apply it to your content plan here.)

Biz Pro Tip: Go to any piece of content you’ve created and ask yourself two questions: How is this content serving my audience? And how does this content grow my business? Knowing the answer for any single piece of content you create (podcast episode, Instagram post, TikTok video, etc.) will help you stay on track with what you really want. If your content is not serving your audience or growing your business then it is a waste of your time. 

 

 

How to Create a Content Marketing Plan You Actually Stick To

Now you know how to create a content marketing plan you actually stick to. Building this framework is the first step and it’s super important to have it in place before you actually start to build out your content strategy. That’s because you can now see how your content supports your goals and how it’s going to make you money. 

So whether you’re just starting out in your business or you’re at a turning point in your business where you’ve already had some success and now you’re ready to take it seriously, building out this content framework is going to be the step for you. It’s going to really change how you show up online and give you a lot less stress! Doesn’t that sound magical?

OK, I hope you stick around and I can get to know you better! Make sure to follow me on Instagram @iammichellegifford and you can find me on TikTok here too where I share all the tips and tricks you need to grow a successful biz!