1、e Content arketing orkbookfor Your usinessThe State of Content Marketing.2023 Global Report02Are you just starting to explore content marketing or wish to make your content efforts more structured?This short workbook will help you lay the foundations for your content marketing strategy.It features a

2、 series of simple yet useful templates for each step of your journey and provides essential tips.Ready to move to the fun part?03The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global ReportHow To Use the WorkbookIn this workbook,youll discover the key steps any business needs to take when launching content mar

3、keting and putting together a content marketing strategy.Check out the guidelines for each step and use our free editable templates to complete them.To use the templates,please make a copy of each document.Theres no need to request editing access.The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global Report04hi

4、 there!It looks like youve decided to add content marketing to your marketing strategy.ongrats!97%of the 1,700 businesses we surveyed in our 2023 State of Content Marketing report generated positive results with their content efforts.And you can,too.Lets see where you should start and what you need

5、to prepare to succeed.05The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global Report01Step One:Define Your Content Marketing AudienceThe firstand probably most importantstep is about defining your audience.Its as essential for your content marketing as it is for your business as a whole.When defining your cont

6、ent marketing audience,try to think bigger.Your content can attract a wider audience and tackle a wider set of customer pain points.For example,imagine you run a platform offering pet-sitting services.The content you can create might address a whole universe of related topics such as grooming,pet he

7、alth,diet,training,etc.Create and save your customer profiles(or buyer personas)using our tool:Use the free Semrush Persona toolMake sure to focus on the pain points and motivations of your persona.These will help you identify high-level topics for your content plan.06The State of Content Marketing.

8、2023 Global Report02Step Two:Define Your Brand Story and Tone of VoiceIts essential to know who you are and what you stand for.Your brand story revolves around your customers and focuses on how your company can improve their lives.Its a narrative that covers a wide range of the facts and feelings cr

9、eated by your brand.Designing a compelling brand story will help you build a stronger connection with your customers.Itll also help you develop a consistent approach to the content you create.You can even turn your brand story into the main theme of your content marketing.For example,iFixit is a com

10、pany that sells DIY technology repair kits,tools,and spare partsand shares advice,guides,and tips on how to fix broken tech.The company holds the philosophy that people should be empowered to repair their own technology,calling it the Right to Repair.The brand has generated enormous attention and or

11、ganic traffic by building a global community around this important consumer mission.07The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global ReportWrite down your brand story and think of ways you can use it to make your content marketing more unique and true to your mission.Use this free Brand Story Template t

12、o complete this step.Think about the tone of voice that will be the closest to your brand story and will help you connect with your customers on a deeper level.Use this free Tone of Voice Template to complete this step.Itll rephrase your text to improve it and adapt to different channels,and showcas

13、e its tone of voice.Next,its important to think about the right tone of voice to use across your content pieces.Tone of voice is how a brand communicates and connects with its audience through messaging and customer interactions.It helps businesses differentiate themselves from the competition and c

14、ommunicate their brand values to their audience.08The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global Report03Step Three:Analyze Your CompetitorsRunning a competitive analysis is key to understanding what works in your niche and what resonates with your audience.It doesnt mean you should copy-paste your riva

15、ls ideas.Instead,look for common patterns and potential opportunities your competitors are missing.When analyzing other websites in your industry,look at the following:Their tone of voice Content types and formats they opt for Promotion channels that work best for them Topics they cover Their top-pe

16、rforming keywords and pagesThen,take notes to inform your own content strategy while keeping your unique approach.Complete this step by filling out this free Competitive Content Analysis Template.Bonus tip:Dont limit yourself to looking only at your direct competition.Make sure to analyze content cr

17、eated by diverse market players,including media and bloggers.09The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global Report04Step Four:Map Out Your Content FunnelA content funnel is a model that will help you visualize how to successfully use content to attract potential clients and guide them through their jo

18、urney.Mapping it out before creating your content plan will help you better understand what kind of content,when,and for which audience youll need to create.For example,if youre a B2B company,you might need to target influencers,users,and decision-makers at different stages with different topics and

19、 messages.Besides,many customersno matter if its B2B or B2Ctend to interact with multiple content pieces before converting.10The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global ReportFirst,think about how your customers make buying decisions and how you can create various touchpoints throughout their journey

20、.To do this,use our free Buyers Journey Map Template.Next,consolidate your ideas in this Content Marketing Funnel Template.Remember that your findings should be based on real-life insights coming from customer research.11The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global Report05Step Five:Create a High-Leve

21、l Content PlanYoure getting closer to the finish line!Isnt this exciting?Now that you have completed the previous steps,its time to map out your first version of the content plan.A content plan determines the content you will create and sets expectations for how it should be created.Your content pla

22、n will include multiple insights from all previous steps.This is a document you can refer to when organizing your content production and creating a content calendar.Use this Content Plan Template to complete this step,and be sure to refer to the previous documents youve created.12The State of Conten

23、t Marketing.2023 Global Report06Step Six:Build Your First Editorial CalendarCongratulations!Youve made it to the last step.Now,lets create your first editorial calendar.An editorial(or content)calendar is a written schedule used by bloggers,marketers,and all kinds of businesses to record when and wh

24、ere they plan to publish upcoming content.Using a content calendar lets you track your or your teams content creation workflows and planned publication dates,helping keep your efforts on schedule.13The State of Content Marketing.2023 Global ReportYou will need to include the following information in

25、 your calendar:Content topic Keyword(where applicable)Target buyer persona Content format Publish date Content category and topic cluster Funnel stage Target KPIs Promotion and repurposing plans Author If youre looking to conduct keyword research first,use this Keyword Research&Content Calendar Temp

26、late.In case you already have your keywords and topics ready,use this Content Marketing Calendar Template.Getting stuck adding creative content ideas?Start with this free Title Generator that will come up with multiple headline ideas,related topics,and blog summaries for your content plan!14The Stat

27、e of Content Marketing.2023 Global Report Next StepsExcellent,you have your content plan and your calendar ready!If youre wondering what to do next,you now have all the resources you need to put together a full-scale content strategy document.For specific instructions,check out our content marketing strategy guide.And its always a good idea to refer to our GoodContent hub,which will be constantly updated with new guides and free tools for effective small business content marketing.