Planning for content can be a daunting task. And if you’re new to content marketing as a way to spread your brand’s message, you may not know where to start.
When we work with clients to build content marketing strategies, the first thing we do is walk them through our content questionnaire. Using this content tool is a way for our team to get acclimated to our clients and their business goals. A content questionnaire is also a great tool for clients to understand how their business goals can be supported through the use of content marketing (and sometimes, opens their eyes to repair the “holes” that are missing before pushing forward).
Whether you manage your online content strategies in house or hire out, there are a few essential pieces of information you’ll want to gather before digging in to your content strategy.
Key questions to include in your content questionnaire:
- What are your top two business goals for the year? For the next five years?
- What do you define as your core strengths?
- What services do your clients/prospects want or need the most?
- How do people feel after they use your services? (Do you have the stats to back this up?)
- What problems do your customers frequently tell you about? What have you heard that they need solved?
- What are your customers trying to accomplish by using your products/services?
- What is your unique selling point? What sets you apart from your competition?
- Who is your competition (everyone has a competitor–do not skip this question!)
- Describe your typical customer. Are your current customers the same as your target market? (In other words, are you reaching the types of customers you are trying to reach?)
- What is your niche/target market? (Again, this is an important question not to skip–do not answer “everyone,” be specific)
- What does your sales or lead generation process look like? How do customers find you?
- Do you have a set brand voice? Tagline? What feelings are you trying to evoke?
- If you were searching for your products/services online, what keywords would you use? What would your customers use?
- How effective are your current marketing efforts? How far is your reach?
- Do you have the capabilities to provide consistent, ongoing content? What resources do you have currently (and what might you need to add?)
Benefits of using a content questionnaire
There have been numerous times when presenting content questionnaires to clients when they either do not know the answers to some of the questions or they have discrepancies within their company about what the priorities are. The biggest benefit of utilizing a content questionnaire is that it identifies your objectives, business goals and who (or what) your content is for.
Your content questionnaire is the foundation for your content strategy.
Building the answers to your content questionnaire opens the doors for new ideas and initiatives. Your content marketing efforts rely on creativity, relevance and consistency. A content questionnaire is a must-have tool to include in your content arsenal. Take time to answer the questions with robust information and utilize those answers to move forward with your new content efforts.
Looking for a great resource for how to apply the stellar content you’ll create from your content questionnaire? Check out our eBook, “Best Practices in Social Media” for how to apply your content strategy to specific social media channels.
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