© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingBuild Your Content Marketing Plan: A 10-Step Guide1© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingTable of ContentsIntroduction 2step 1 » Set Goals and Objectives 4step 2 » nullan nullour nulldget nullstep 3 » Research the Market nullstep 4 » nullonullnullour nullarget Audiences and nullnullencers 10step 5 » Assess nullisting nullontent 11step 6 » nullnchmark the nullomnulltition 12step 7 » nullnenullnullune nullour nulleasnullMessagesnulland nullhemes 1nullstep 8 » nullentinull nullour nullannels and nullactics 1nullstep 9 » Settle on nullour nullocessnullnulleamnulland nullools 1nullstep 10 » nulltablish Measurement and Renullrting Guidelines 1nullBuild Your Content Marketing Plannullnull1nullnulltep nullide2© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingnullet not evernullone is having success. nullhe same renullrts tell us that onlnullslightlnullmore than a third onullall marketers nulld content marketing enullective. nullterestinglnullnulla strikinglnullsimilar nullrcentage nullonlnullnull5 nullrcent onull nullnulland 2nullnullrcent onullnullnullmarketers nullactuallnullhave a documented content marketing strategnull. nullat does this meannull A donullnullnted plan is nullitinulll to tnull effenullinulleness of nullour nullontent nullrketing progranullnull Most marketers or business enullecutives havennull been through a content marketing nullanning nullocess benullorenullso the idea onullgetting started can be daunting. nullile evernullnullan is dinullerentnullthere are some common elements that should be nullrt onullannullnullan. nullhis book nullll nullalk nullou through them. nulltrodunullion Todanullnullnullonullpanies of all sinulls nullreate and nullarket nullontent for nullannullreasons: to generate and nurture leadsnullengage and edunullate audiennullesnullbuild trust and nullredibilitnullnulladnullannulle tnulleir industrnullnulland to attranullt and retain nullustonullers nulla nullhenomenon that contributes to the estimated 4nullnullnullbillion pienulles onullcontent shared online dailnullas onull201null. nullhat number is unullnullnullnullercent nullrom the nullear benullore and studies nullredict it nullill onlnullkeenullrisingnullnullith content marketing becoming all the more essential. nulln nullactnull the majoritnullonulltodanullnulls null2nullmarketers nullnullnull pernullentnull and null2nullmarketers nullnullnull pernullentnull use content marketingnullaccording to the latest renullorts nullrom nullontent Marketing nullnstitute nullnullMnullnulland Marketingnullronulls.IntroductionBuild Your Content Marketing Plannull null1nullnulltep nullide3© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingBuild Your Content Marketing Plannull null1nullnulltep nullidenullenulle nulloken tnull planning process donull into 10 steps in an enullort to get nullou onull on tnull rignull nullootnullnull the nullollonullng sectionsnullnullounulll nulld tinull to get started nullth each stenullonullthe nullocessnullnullom the initial brainnullstorming and lanullng onullgroundnullork to connulluring nullour goals and budgetnullknonullng nullour audiencesnulldeciding nullat technologies and analnullical tools to usenulland seeing honullit all nulls together to take nullour comnullnnull in the direction nullou nullant to go. nullile nulle nullesent the nullanning nullocess in a series onull stenullnulldonnull let that mislead nullou into thinking this is simnulle. nullch stenullinvolves several comnullnentsnullall onullnullich interrelate. Content Marketing nullitnullut a Plan: Benullarenulleel the need to get goingnullManulle bnullass the nullan and just start nullblishingnullOr are nullou anullaid to take the nullanning nullungenullResist the urge to dive in and enullecute benullore nullou nullan. nullrenulls nullat nullll likelnullnullppen inullnullou nullorge anullad nullnus tnull plan:» nullour editorial calendar nullll nullall anullrt nullthin null danulls.» nullou nullonnull nulld the nullig idea.null» nullour subject matter enullerts and internal nulliters nullll lose interest. » nullour internal stakeholders nullor investorsnull nullll stonullbunullng in.» nullounulll lose the onullortunitnullto educate nullour team on content marketingnulls mnulliad benenulls.Get all tnull details on nullnulland nullnullnullontent nullrketing nulltnullut a plan goes anullnullnullrenullIntroductionstep null Assess nullisting Content step null Bennullnullrk tnull Conulletitionstep null nullne-Tune Your nulleasnull Messagesnull nullTnullnullsstep null nullentifnull Your Cnullnnels nullTanullinullstep 1 Set Goals null nullnullnullinullesstep 2 Plan Your Budgetstep 4 nullonullYour Target Audiennulles null nullnullennullersstep null nullesearnull tnull Marketstep null Settle on Your Pronullessnull Teanull nullToolsstep 10 nulltablisnull Measurenullnt nullnulleporting Guidelines4© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingstep 1 » Set Goals and nullnullnullinulles Content nullarketing goals snullould nullonulle fronullnullarketing goalsnullMarketing goals should come nullrom business goals. nullontent marketingnulltherenullorenullshould sunullnullort the businessnullnot just marketing. Aligning content marketing nullith nullour marketing and business objectives should guide nullour anullnullroachnullbut donnullt go overboardnullesnulleciallnullinullthis is nullour nullrst content marketing nulllan. Set some simnullle but snullecinullc onenullnullear goalsnulland then identinullnullsome broader tnullonullornullthreenullnullear goalsnullnullhich nullounullll need to revisit on at least a nulluarterlnullbasis.To establisnullnullour nullontent nullrketing goalsnullstart nulltnullsonull nullestionsnull nullhenullmight look simnullenullbut donnull assume nullou knonullthe ansnullers and skinullthis nullrt. nullscuss them nullth nullour team and make sure nullounulle all on the same nullge. 1null nullnullare nulle doing tnullsnull » nullven inullnullou think nullou knonullthe ansnullernullsnullll out nullnullnullounulle doing content marketing and nullnullitnulls imnullrtant. And the ansnuller shouldnnull benullnullecause evernullone else is doing it.null nullorget about nullat nullour comnulltitors or the rest onullthe nullorld are doingnulland come unullnullth a snullcinull reason tied enullclusivelnullto nullou.2null nullatnulls tnull onullerarnulling goalnull » nullhere are a varietnullonullnullanulls to ansnuller this nullestion. Some ansnullers nullll nullocus on hard metrics like brand anullarenessnulllead generationnullor actual transactions. Other ansnullers nullll nullocus on sonuller metrics like nullosnullct engagement or establishing nullour comnullnnull as a thought leader in nullour industrnull. nullhere is no right or nullong ansnuller. null matter nullatnullthoughnull ansnuller this nullestion earlnullin the nullocess. null nullat is our uninulle stornullnull » nullven inullnullou think nullour business nullalls into the cookienullutter categornullnull it has a uninulle stornull. null nullou donnull knonullnullat that stornullisnullthen nullou manullnullant to go through a nullocess that nullocuses on nullonullannullnullssaging benullore nullou move nullornullard.Content nullrketing snulluld support tnull businessnullnot nullst nullrketingnull null nullou do knonullnullat that uninulle stornullisnullnullounulll need it to innullorm ideasnullmessagesnulland themes nullsee Step nullnull and to nulleave into each nullece onullcontent.Build Your Content Marketing Plannull null1nullnulltep nullidestep 1 » Set Goals and Objectives5© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingTnull nullnullanullors of Content Marketing: nullatnulls YoursnullAs nullou develonullnullour content marketing goalsnullitnulls inullortant to understand nullat tnulle of nullontent nullrketer nullou are. Make sure nullou establish this benullore nullou move nullornullard and document nullour nullan. nullre are tnull senullen nullnullors of nullontent nullrketersnull ranked in order onulltnullse nullst likelnullto succeednull Can nullou pick out nullour nullnullornullnull are nullou a nullnullrid onullsenulleralnull1null Brand Builder » null nullour nullvor is brand buildernull kudos. nullnullure readers nullth entertainingnull educational nulleces onullcontent that incornullrate brand messagingnulland thenullnullll nullrceive nullour brand as trustnullorthnullnullcrediblenulland likeable.2null Tnullugnull nulleader » nullhe thought leader knonulls that there is little that can match content marketingnulls enullectiveness in terms onullmaking onullersnullnullincinulllsnull or enullecutives anullear as the nullonulle nullo set the agenda nullor the industrnull.null nullead nullrturer » nullou have more leads than nullou knonullnullat to do nullth nulland not enough comnulltent sales nullonulle to stanullon tonullonullthem. Get nullour nullM lead data cleaned unullnullnulle unullnullour marketing automation toolnulland start dronulling smart content in nullour nullosnullctsnulllanull.4null Sonullal Media Manager » nullounulle the hitnullrnulliss nullvor. Social media activitnullshould be onlnullone nullrt onulla strong content marketing nullan nulldonnull let tnull sonullal nulldia tail nullag tnull nullontent nullrketing dog.null nullead Generator » nullile content marketing will generate shortnullerm leadsnullthose leads are not necessarilnullnullsalesnulleadnull.nullMake content marketing the sunullorting cast to nullour enullsting or nenullnullograms.null PublinulltnullSeeker » Othernullse knonull as the nullenullace null nullth nullontent Marketingnullnullnullct Same nullnenullsnullanullroachnullthis nullvor is almost alnullanulls a nullor choice. nullontent marketing contributes tonullbut does not createnullmedia coverage.null Sales GunullnullGal » nullile content marketing should certainlnullimnullct revenue in the long termnullrare is the nullogram that dronull a customer in nullour lanullduring the nullst nullnullmonths. Build Your Content Marketing Plannull null1nullnulltep nullidestep 1 » Set Goals and Objectivesnullat nullanullor Content Marketer Are YounullSales GunullnullGalPublinulltnullSeekernullead Generator nullead nullrturerTnullugnull nulleaderBrand BuilderSonullal Media Manager 6© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingstep 2 » Plan Your Budget nullonulltnullat nullounullnulle done tnulle groundnullork and denullned goals for nullour nullontent nullarketing effortnullnullou need to trnullto put a prinulle tag on itnull ontent marketing enullnullorts come in all sinulles. nullnullthe sknullis the limit nullhere budget is concernednullnullou can reallnullhave a lot onullnullunnullbut that is rarelnullthe case. So nullnullnullnull do nullou budget for nullontent nullrketing and nullnulldo nullou get it done anullnullratelnullnull nullou could nullan out the snullnding nullor all the other enullorts nullou think nullou nulleednullduring the nullear nulllike a nenullnullebsitenull a cornullrate videonullmarketing automation sonullnullarenullnull nulland then use nullatever is lenull nullor content marketingnull or use a nullrcentage onullnullour overall marketing budget. nullhere are lots onullnullanulls to nullure it out.nulle arennull here to tell nullou enullactlnullhonullto nullenullre the budget nullor nullour organinulltionnullnor are nulle here to actuallnulltell nullou honullmuch to snullnd on content marketing. Ansnullers to those nullestions denullnd on donullens onullbusiness and marketing variables.But nulle can onuller nulle strategies and sonull nullinull tips to nullke sure nullou donnull underestinullte tnull cost onull content nullrketing successnull1null nullnnull budget for nullontent nulleation onlnull » nullhe actual creation onullcontent is merelnullone stenull in the nullocess. An imnullrtant onenullnullesnullbut inullnullou nullan to do content marketing rightnullnullou also need to budget nullor the nullollonullngnullcontent marketing strategnulland nullanningnullcontent onulliminulltionnull content distributionnulland content renullrting and analnullsis.Budgeting Tipnull nullou do start nullth a budget nullor content creation onlnullnulldouble it to get a rough total content marketing budget estimate. nullile creating the content is certainlnullthe most timenullonsuming comnullnent over the long haulnullnullou should be snullnding enullal time across other areas.Build Your Content Marketing Plannull null1nullnulltep nullidestep 2 » nullan nullour nulldget7© 2015 Right Source Marketing. All Rights Reserved.rightsourcemarketingBuild Your Content Marketing Plannull null1nullnulltep nullidenull nullgnullnullalitnullnullontent does not nullonull nulleap » nulleating great contentnullthe tnulle nullou nullll need to break through the clutternullcan be enullensive. null renullires nullanning and the kind onullnulliting that nullll tell an engaging stornullnullnullour stornullnullto bring nullour readers back again and again. nulloose nullour nullriters nullell. nullhen realinulle that designnull nullhotogranullhnullnull and editing are also an integral nullrt onullthe remarkablenullontent nullocess.Budgeting Tipnullnnull dismiss the nulliter nullth the higher rate nullthout giving some thought to nullnullshe carries that rate. nullill she be easnullnullor nullour editor to nullork nullthnullcutting donull editing timenullnull she able to handle intervienulls nullth subject matter enullerts on her onullnullmaking the nullole nullocess more enullcientnull2null Younulle going to need an editor nullfor enullernullnullng » nullou need to budget nullor an editor nullat least one. nullou manullbe able to make the case nullor an internal editornullor nullou manulldecide that it makes more sense nullor someone on the outside to serve in that role. nullt someonenullnullenullerablnullone nullrsonnullneeds to be in charge onullmaking sure that evernullsingle nullece onullcontent that is nulloduced inside nullour marketing organinulltion has a shot at being renullrkable.Budgeting Tipnullile nullour inclination manullbe nullor nullour managing editor to reside on nullour nullnullollnulldonnull be anullaid to trnulloutsiders. nullhere are nullentnullonullgreat nulleelance editors out there. nullst make sure nullou knonullthe dinullerence betnulleen a conullnulleditornullor nulloonulleadernull and an editor. 4null Poor design nullll dinullnisnullenullen renullrkable nullontent » nullou might be askingnullnullhat the heck does design have to do nullth contentnull nullhe ansnullernullnullvernullhin