One thing we all can agree on is that the essence of a great content strategy is about producing quality content and distributing it to the right, most passionate audience. Following are six must-haves:

Truth No. 1: Be Clear About Your End Game

You must have a clearly defined goal/KPI: What is the purpose of this content? I like to say that content usually fits into one of two camps online: news you can use or a time-waster – something that is entertaining and inspiring. Are you simply trying to evoke an emotion or engender a connection? Or, are you trying to provide value as a thought leader with actionable information?

Truth No. 2: Speak Differently to Your Audience Than Everyone Else Does

Voice, tone, cadence, themes must be consistently articulated throughout the program. At my company we take the brands we work with through a rigorous “editorial brief” process, collaborating with them to define the personality of the content. We make sure that the content being produced is completely keeping with the voice, look, and feel of the brand. Finally, white space – if there is any, grab it.

Truth No. 3: Showing Up Is 90 Percent of the Challenge

In my mind, there is no dabbling in content. Be part of the conversation. Listen but be prepared to talk and keep the conversation going. It is fruitless to do one-off content programs that dip in and out of certain audiences on a given subject matter and then disappear. Commit. Be always on or don’t play.

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