In my previous post, we started a discussion about how to create a content marketing strategy. We’ll be continuing that discussion today with part two!
Part one involved knowing exactly what your organization offers and what makes you different from competitors. Now it’s time to pinpoint what you want to DO with that information via content marketing.
That brings us to part two: Set clear, specific goals
This may be is what most people consider the real “strategy” part of a content marketing strategy. Without setting at least one specific, measurable goal, you won’t know if your content marketing is even working.
It makes even more sense if you think about content marketing as a journey. You have to know what you’re aiming for and where you want to go. Otherwise, you’ll never know exactly when you’ve arrived, whether you’re lost, or how much further you have to go.
Do you really want your content marketing plan to end up looking like Billy’s route in a Family Circus cartoon?
Not sure what your content marketing goal should be? Here are a few common ones that healthcare organizations may have:
- Raise awareness of a specific disease or health issue
- Promote a new clinic or business location
- Drive sales for a particular product or service
- Increase sales leads or prospects
- Encourage patient or client loyalty
- Increase engagement with the content itself
Setting a clear, specific goal for your content marketing also involves knowing how you will measure the goal so you know whether or when you achieve that goal.
Examples of ways to measure content marketing strategy success include:
- Number of content shares or downloads
- Email or blog subscriptions
- Customer retention or renewal rates
- Website traffic
Measuring success also means choosing when and how you will collect data and take measurements. You should also specifically assign the team or individuals who will be responsible for collecting, measuring, and reporting success data. This is an important step for staying consistent and avoiding confusion.
Knowing how you will define and measure success is the first step toward actually being successful! Next time, we’ll talk about how your content marketing strategy will incorporate your audience and budget, so stay tuned!
Looking to develop a content marketing strategy? Need help creating content to execute your existing strategy? That’s what I’m here for!
I help healthcare organizations and medical professionals produce marketing content and sales copy to help them tell their stories, keep customers updated, and share information more effectively. Visit emjwriter.com or email me to learn more about how we can work together to improve your sales leads, reputation, and revenue.
Emily Jacobs: Freelance Writer 