4 content marketing tips to help you plan for a new year

Content Marketing Tips

Your business has seen a measurable increase in leads coming in from your content marketing campaigns this year. Now, it’s time to use this success as the foundation for next year’s growth. Yet you’re not sure what to prioritize in Q4 in order to boost your chances of success in the new year. 

Here are some tips that our content marketing experts have put together to help you:

1.Review current content campaigns.

According to Ahrefs, nearly 91% of pages posted online never get any organic search traffic. Not one visit. That’s one reason why you shouldn’t assume that your content is doing fine. Instead, it’s important to review the performance of the content you’ve created at least once per year (although you should do it more often; think weekly or monthly). 

Doing a content review will allow you to see which pieces of content are performing well and which aren’t. This knowledge will allow you to create a more effective plan for the new year and help you put your resources behind content that is already driving growth. 

2. Plan content updates.

During your content review, you may have run across some content that is right on the cusp of making it to the first page of search results and bringing in more leads. These pieces of content are ripe for updates. You may be able to push it up to the first page of search results by making a few additions and tweaks. 

If you’re thinking about making updates to a piece or pieces of content, it’s important to have a solid update plan. Such a plan should include: 

  • Using programs like SEMRush and Ahrefs to analyze the content to see what needs to be updated. 
  • Creating a set of directions for each piece of content so that the person doing the updates knows exactly what should be done. 
  • Scheduling the time and people to perform the updates.
  • Laying out guidelines to ensure that updated content is properly posted.  

3. Prepare for new content campaigns.

On the other side of the coin, Q4 is also an excellent time to plan new branded content campaigns you’re going to start in the new year. For instance, you’ll want to make sure that your content creators know as much as possible about the product or service the content will be introducing. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that they’re familiar with the audience the content is being created for. 

Furthermore, you should take time to lay out the logistical side of your new content efforts. This can include things like: 

  • Assigning writers, editors and project managers to the new content campaign. 
  • Adding assignments for the new content to your workflow management platform (Asana, Smartsheet, etc.). 

4. Onboard new content creation contractors. 

Whether you’re planning to increase how much content you’re creating in the new year, planning to update existing content or planning to start an entirely new content campaign, you’ll need to find a way to execute your plan(s). 

One option is to simply have your existing content creation team (which often is just one person for small businesses) take on the additional content. However, this can lead to burnout and a high turnover rate. 

Another option is to hire an additional content creator or creators to your internal team. This is an excellent option if you plan to continue creating more content in the future. However, it may not be a good option if you’re simply thinking about updating some of your existing content. And you’ll have to pay for their training, benefits, etc.

A third option that you should consider is contracting with a digital marketing agency that can help meet your expanded content needs. This option provides you with a high level of flexibility. You can set a contract to simply do a content update and then move on once the content has been updated. You can also enter into a longer-term contract if you need help creating more content for your current campaigns or for new campaigns you’re starting in the new year. And you’ll only pay for the services listed in your contract, which can make this option more economical than hiring to replace burned-out content creators or to increase the size of your internal team. 

If you are going to bring in new content creators, it’s a good idea to onboard them before the new year begins and your new content plan(s) begin. That way your content creators can begin on updating existing content or creating new content right away. The alternative is having them spend days or even weeks getting up to speed in the new year and then getting to work on your content. 

Looking for help with your new year’s content marketing plans? BURG+CO. can help

Increasing traffic to your website plays a key role in increasing conversions and landing new clients. However, it’s difficult to attract visitors to your site when you don’t have the means to create and update content. Fortunately, this is what we specialize in at BURG+CO.

Our team has years of experience in helping businesses create organic SEO content designed to improve their digital presence, attract new leads and retain existing ones. If you’re looking to perform better in search engine results and attract more visitors to your site, we’re ready to talk to you to see how we can help. 

Contact our team today for more information about our content marketing services or to schedule a complimentary consultation.