Content Marketing

This is as much about strategy, planning and tactics as it’s about deep stories and authentic words. And sometimes data. But who knew spreadsheets could be the wind beneath your wings? 

As a former Head of Content (twice), I’m as happy in Google Sheets as I am in a thesaurus (very). Content marketing is focused on results, like brand awareness (including SEO) or a conversion (entire funnel). It requires a robust structure and yet also the flexibility to hold space for the unexpected. Done well, it will give back more than you invest. 

Broadly, my content marketing services look like this:

1. Strategy, creative ideation & planning
2. Interviews, research,  copywriting & amendments
3. Editing & optimisation
4. Publication & reporting

The deliverables – the items that go live – include standalone and campaign assets like blogs, infographics, videos, whitepapers, PRs and newsletters (print & email). 

1. Strategy, ideation & planning

We begin by defining what you want to achieve and working out how content can support this. It’s important to set out how we’ll measure success too, so we can put reporting essentials in place or at least on the agenda.

It’s a collaboration. We’ll discuss topics, experts (yours) and process (mine), available channels (owned, earned, paid), available data, imagery and video, and budgets. We can spitball some of these ideas and then I’ll go off and draft a plan for delivery (and, if required, distribution and amplification). 

I’ll stay in regular contact and collaborate with your graphic designers, copywriters, SEOs, UX designers and Conversion Rate Optimisers to ideate, scope, and make the most of every single bit of real estate. 

While I’ve been mates with SEO since it was a toddler, and use keyword analysis to inform your strategy and content plan, I’m not a tech SEO. I can advise on best practice and good housekeeping. If you’ve more complex SEO requirements, I can recommend reliable SEO professionals.

2. Interviewing, copywriting & amendments

There are times when I’ll interview your people and use their knowledge, experience and expertise to create something unique and authoritative. Other times, I’ll draw upon your company’s data, research, archives or other documentation to produce pieces too. I might also write using research (with relevant and appropriate sources and citations) as per my stance on ethics in copywriting.

I’ll deliver according to the content plan schedule and work with you on approval. The rounds of amendments depends on the complexity of the piece. For the love of go-live, I will do everything I can to prevent amendments from dragging on. Numerous rounds of changes is a reliable way to miss a deadline. Also, it tends to be counter-intuitive to quality, focus and goals.

Let’s get it done, sticking to your vision and objectives, trusting the process and having fun while we’re at it. We’ll aim for ‘fabulous’ over ‘perfect’ (which doesn’t exist). And, trust me, even in regulated sectors, you rarely need approval from everyone.

3. Editing & optimisation

This means editing and optimisation of assets I haven’t written – a lighter touch than a rewrite. It’s especially useful if your copy is being delivered by a junior copywriter or an expert who isn’t a professional writer. It catches typos, off-brand messaging and errors and adds value by refining structure and user journey.

• Proofreading
• Editing
• Fact-checking
• Brand voice
• Keyword optimisation
• Internal linking
• Feedback

4. Publication & reporting

There are many potential tasks involved in seeing a job to the end.

• Publication – uploading to your web CMS (I will need logins). I’ve used many different CMS over time. I can edit and create pages, restructure navigation, and amend menus. If the piece is for an intranet, I’ll hand the final version to your agreed person for upload. If we’re using email, we can discuss either of these options.
• Distribution – sending to a third party for publication on their site or printed channel. Traditional PR is free but if you’re writing editorial for them, there’ll be a fee at their end, which we’ll know before we start.
• Amplification – I can work with your social media person on messaging, images, video and so on. 
• Reporting – as well as having full access to a Google-based content log, which is a live progress document, you’ll receive a monthly activity report. How we measure and report on success – your KPIs – is something we’ll have discussed at the strategy stage.

Scottish isles or Disneyland Florida?

Let’s have a conversation. Tell me a bit about your business, your audience, your challenges and your vision, all that. I’ll ask a few questions and explain more about my work. We might even talk about the weather, the weekend, the holidays we’ve been on or booked.

And if we like how this goes, we can arrange an immersion (or discovery) session. Email me using the form. I’ll get back to you and arrange our first chat.