Maisie Lloyd
Maisie is the Digital Content Manager at Intelligency, handling all things creative for the agency. Her experience centres around the production of digital content, pertaining to graphic design, writing copy, and video and audio content.
Content marketing is just one element of a strong marketing strategy; it wields the content your business puts out to promote success.
What is content marketing?
Content marketing utilises the content your business creates to attract and retain an audience, to encourage profitable actions, typically purchasing your product or service. You achieve this by producing content that offers value to the reader, whether through education or entertainment.
Is content marketing important to business strategy?
Absolutely. Content marketing is a vital element of a well-rounded marketing strategy. Creating content without purpose is ineffective—it should always serve a clear objective aligned with your business goals. Here are some key benefits of content marketing:
- Improve your online authority
- Expand your audience
- Build trust with your audience
- Increase website traffic
- Boost leads and sales
- Support your SEO efforts
Does content marketing overlap with SEO?
Yes, particularly with on-page SEO. While technical SEO ensures your website functions properly and offers a positive user experience, on-page SEO involves optimising the structure and content of individual pages to help them rank in search results.
Content that is well-optimised not only performs better in search engines but is also more structured, digestible, and valuable for your audience. For instance, keyword research—a core SEO task—can guide the topics and language used in your content to ensure it ranks for terms your audience is searching for.
How to set goals and create a content strategy?
You can build an effective content strategy by breaking the process into manageable steps:
- Identify your target audience.
- Outline your goals. Use SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- Set key performance indicators (KPIs). These help you track and measure your success.
- Determine content formats and types. Use competitor research and testing to see what resonates.
- Choose content distribution channels. Think beyond blogs—can your content be adapted for TikTok or Instagram?
- Set your budget. Factor in both time and financial resources.
- Create a content plan. Schedule content, plan types, and structure it to support performance analysis.
- Create and publish. Ensure content quality through thorough checks before going live.
- Incorporate content analysis into your long-term strategy. Use insights to refine and evolve your approach.
How do I analyse my content performance?
Performance analysis begins with your KPIs and goals. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 to track metrics such as:
- Page views
- Engagement rate (time spent, comments, likes, shares)
- Conversions or sign-ups
Compare each piece of content against your KPIs. Identify what performed well and what didn’t. Then, evaluate why: was it the format, the message, or the platform? Use this insight to guide future content creation and continually improve your strategy.
