How to develop your core content strategy statement.

Essentially, content is anything you create that your customers will read, learn, see or experience. In their seminal book, Content Strategy for the Web, Brain Traffic’s Kristina Halvorson and Melissa Rach state that content strategy “plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.”

The key to a good content strategy for your business involves creating or sharing content that will be valuable to your existing and prospective customers in order to help bring about the desired change you would like to see in them, such as increased loyalty, engagement and business.

When working on a content strategy, Rach states the importance of starting with a singular, defined focus. This is what she calls the “core content strategy statement,” which unifies your business’s online experience under a clear, inspiring and memorable statement of purpose. Think of it as a guiding light for your content, against which all your online channels can be driven, guided and measured by. It keeps your entire content effort on point.

How do you develop your core content strategy statement? To summarize what the authors of Content Strategy for the Web recommend, your statement should:

• Consider your business goals and audience needs.

Take into account what you want your content to achieve for you business, and what it will do for your audience.

• Be authentic.

Specifically define your target audience and goals--and stay true to your brand.

• Pump up your time.

Your core statement should be memorable and not only inspire your creative content, but your whole team. It should get them excited for what you can offer your customers.

• Make every word count.

Pack your statement with meaning using only one sentence, and then you can expand on it by explaining what each component means to your business and your customers.

Here’s an example core strategy statement to help you out:

Arctic Cool Mechanical’s content informs and empowers customers to upgrade, service or maintain their HVAC systems so they can control the environments they live in to manage everyday comfort.

1. States the value their content provides to customers.
2. Bridges business goals with customer needs.
3. Gives purpose to the content.
4. Inspires with the end result that makes everyone happier.

‍