First of all, if you’re looking for a content strategy framework I need you to stop taking yourself so seriously, I mean it.
Too many of us business owners think we have to do everything perfectly the first time.
Over the past ten years I’ve learned a lot from building a development-forward business. I’ve learned even more from deciding to pivot to a marketing-first business over the last two.
After I explain the reasoning behind this mindset shift, I’ll give you specifics on what you can implement tomorrow to start distinguishing yourself immediately! My aim is to share what I’ve learned from the business world and how implementing a content strategy framework into your business will change everything for you.
Believe me, no one is doing this. It’ll make it so easy to stand out in this noisy world.
Stop Taking Yourself So Seriously
Seriously, stop. I know it can be hard to do but it’s an absolute must! Once you let go of internal and external judgment you’ll be able to operate in a more carefree state and progress forward quickly.
Have you ever delayed a launch of some new functionality, technology, your website, or some design because it wasn’t perfect? Of course you have, we all have. Because our name is on it, we worry what people will think about it. We want it to showcase our values in the best way possible.
Perfectionism Is The New Procrastination
It’s so easy to push something off into the future because it’s not your version of perfect. I’m going to urge you to not give AF and just launch it.
Reid Hoffman so accurately stated, “If you’re not embarrassed by your first version, you launched too late.” These words don’t just ring true for software companies, it can be applied to all companies looking to move the revenue and profit needle with digital marketing.
Digital Marketing strategies are incredible because you can launch new initiatives quickly! Imagine just 30 years ago launching a new campaign – you’d be looking at TV commercials, Billboards, newspapers, radio spots, and big sporting events to get your name out there. You are taking a massive bet on ONE THING working out – so back then you better believe you needed it to be perfect. This isn’t the case with digital marketing.
You can move fast, change things quickly, implement and iterate (words we live by) constantly. This allows you to try new things rather than only making ONE BIG BET a couple times a year. You can take hundreds of MICRO BETS per month, ditching the ones that didn’t work and improving the ones that did.
Release Early, Release Often
You need to adopt this idea to every aspect of your business. In every single split test you implement (which you should be doing on the regular) you can apply this idea. I want you to go through the list below, and ensure this concept is integrated into every one of these:
- Filming short and long form videos that can be used as short videos, reels or longer YouTube episodes
- Writing blog posts
- Improving your website design and copy
- Social media content
- Implementing a new sales script
- Creating a new landing page for a free offer
- Creating a new sales page
- Testing out a new price point
- Testing out a new product name, product image, branding, colors
- The list goes on and on and on
So let’s focus on the very next thing you can do to stand out – and while I walk you through this, I want you to consider this idea of “release early, release often”.
Your New Content Strategy Framework
I want to set you up for success with a killer content marketing framework. Here’s the thing – so many business owners overthink this part. Do not overthink this.
Here’s your only goal: Think about your target audience – your #1 customer or client. Have them in mind? Good. Now write content that provides your #1 customer or client with a quick win. ANY win whatsoever that is aligned with your products or services.
THAT’S IT!
If you write content based on this one single principle, providing your target customer with constant content, you will destroy your competition. They’re too busy paying a crappy SEO company to write “SEO blog posts” which translate into what I call “The 3C’s”: Cookie. Cutter. Crap. It does nothing to help your business grow.
Remember, Your Customers are Human!
Here’s the thing about marketing in 2024, most SEO companies use AI to create your content without any consideration to edit the content. They leverage a robot to create content for humans.
In reality, all an SEO company cares about (typically) is writing content that makes another robot happy (Google, Bing, and all the other search engine bots that “crawl” your content). A robot writing for a robot. But is a robot paying for your services?
I want you to stop focusing on writing content for a robot and also stop using robots to create this content – it DOES NOT WORK.
Think about it, if you use a robot to write content and a human reads it and gets nothing out of it, what good is that content? Even if it allowed you to rank higher up on Google, you succeeded at getting the click but then that click went nowhere because the person reading that article realizes it falls under the 3Cs! Then they’re gone. You’ve lost them and all credibility.
Google is cracking down on this kind of SEO tactic as well. Google wants your content to help humans transform their lives because that helps their business grow as well.
Quality Content Creation
So what does human-centered types of content entail? Here are some ideas:
- A quick win that can be implemented today or this week
- Ideally it can be implemented for free or with hard work
- It should NOT push your services constantly (this is not a sales page or a time for you to put the spot light on you)
- Make it completely about your target audience – the spotlight must be on the transformation (or dreamstate) they want for themselves
- Add a Call to Action at the bottom that allows people to take further action with you or your products as it aligns with what they’ve just read
- It should not be written by AI
- Keep the jargon out – make it easy and consumable content. “Explain it to me like I’m 10” is our motto here.
The reason why I started this conversation with “don’t take yourself too seriously” is because I have worked with so many clients who are powerhouses in their knowledge, do an incredible job in providing the best service possible, yet fail to communicate that knowledge in a consumable way online. They get in their own head and worry that people will judge them which ultimately leads to unnecessary anxiety about it not being perfect.
Who cares.
Embrace Version 1.0 and Improve Along the Way
Think about it – most people won’t be reading your first few blogs – let’s get real. And if they do, it’s likely down the road once you’ve found your stride. You need to practice, so just do it. And you can’t get any better at a skill unless you actually work on that skill.
I used to get into my head all the time – I’d write up huge scripts and paste them underneath my phone so I could film a 30s reel. I’d choke over my words. I’d feel really freakin’ stupid.
Have you ever felt that way?
What I did to fix that was stop caring about Version 1.0. I just launched it!! I stopped re-watching my videos before they went up and stopped being critical of myself.
All I had was one rule: Provide a solid quick win for the person on the other side. Make sure they walk away with value from a win. That’s it.
Once I got into a good stride, I’d watch back my content and come away with improvements I can make in the future. I made a rule for myself to never go back and edit something I’ve created, instead I’d implement what I learned from that experience the next time. In doing so, I become better each and every piece of content I create.
Content Builds Trust
Content provides credibility between you and your customer. If they learn from you, they grow from you. If they grow from you, they tend to ask you for more growth through your products or services.
For example, if I’m a fitness coach and you use my content to lose five pounds by taking my advice on eating better, intermittent fasting, and working out 3x a week you’ll be stoked! You’ll continue to reach out to me for help to lose ten more! It happens constantly for our clients.
People don’t buy from company’s they don’t trust and it’s a lot easier to build long term trust if your company has a name and a face – that’s you. Stop hiding. Write your content from YOU. Make it personable, make it real.
When I’m writing up these articles, I imagine myself sitting across the table from you and you asking me “Why is my current strategy framework sucking with my SEO company?”
I recommend you do the same with your content.
Give your Customers what they want TODAY
The first thing you must do is make the decision to be okay with releasing early and releasing often. Make this your content strategy framework and stop dragging your feet in the name of perfectionism. No one cares.
In fact, did you know that RAW content is better than overly produced content? It’s been proven countless times by YouTube channels – the raw not-highly edited content performs better and gets better interaction. It’s because people are seeking REAL. In this world overridden with AI tools, done for you systems, white labeling, and shortcuts – people are wanting REAL conversations with REAL people behind REAL companies.
Here’s how to give them what they want:
- Think about your #1 customer or buyer personas.
- What was their main pain point or challenge when they came to you? Write it down
- What were 3 of their top questions? Write those down
- What services or products did you provide them that solved their problem?
- What did those services or products DO for them?
- What FREE advice or ideas can you give them that solve most of their problems?
- Write content about each idea! And remember, make sure each and every article has a quick win your reader can implement.
- Actually HELP your followers live their best lives
Personalized Messaging Matters
All of what I’ve urged you to do here is what sets us apart with our content writing services. Did your SEO company build out full personas to better understand your customers? We do. Do they write each article to one single persona? We do.
A rule of ours is “to love the one you’re with” – which means you are writing to one person only. I’m writing to you right now. Does your current content company write content you are actually proud of? Or are you just throwing it up because “it has keywords in it”?
Be intentional about what you do, people are watching everything you put out there. Times have changed and people are spending 11+ hours online researching businesses like yours before they decide to engage. Wouldn’t you rather they spend most of that 11 hours on your website and on your social media channels learning from the best? I know I do.
This is Hard Work
Everything worth doing is hard work. It takes effort, especially if you aren’t a writer. I can hear you saying “yeah sounds great, but I don’t have time for that, I barely have time for all the things I’m already doing”. The moment I have that thought, I think about any one of my billionaire mentors – “Would Elon complain about not having enough time?” “Would Grant Cardone complain that he doesn’t have time to write a blog post?”
There’s no way they’d complain about any of that. They’d just do it or delegate it. If there was no one to delegate to they’d make time for it. You are in control of your time, make it work for you and improve the lives of the people you want to attract to your business.
Want to Move Faster?
So many clients just want to move faster and know that in order to do so, you do it through collaboration and people. That’s where we come in! While you can absolutely do all of this on your own, we’re always here to support you and move even faster.
The thing about the web is that consistency matters. You can’t do a little here and there and expect big changes. You have to consistently launch new content in order for it to cut through the noise.
Let’s create a high level content strategy framework that drives growth and positions your business as a leader in your industry. I’m here for you – schedule a conversation with me today and let’s chat!