A Simple Content Management Strategy Cheat Sheet.
Of Content Made Simple (CMS) Strategies and Systems.
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Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 on how well you create, manage, and distribute your content online consistently every week using this definition:
1: Flying by the seat of your pants, struggling to keep up with content demands, and wondering how to get back on track each week.
10: In control, with a well-defined plan and efficient systems for content creation, management, and distribution.
If you're scoring on the lower end (<5) and feeling overwhelmed, don't worry – this post is intended to help you move up the scale with actionable tips and strategies.
If you're already a 10, well done - I'd love to hear your insights.
Managing content as a creator means constantly creating topics of interest, focusing on them consistently, tracking engagement, scheduling writing, engaging, and reviewing results.
Let’s break this down into areas of creation, management, and systems.
Content Creation Strategy
Content Management Strategy
Automation or Tools and Systems Strategy for the first two steps.
Given the variety of content types, platforms, and systems that are in play, I plan to discuss these topics in depth in a series of posts over the coming weeks and months.
If this series interests you, would you please leave a comment? I appreciate your feedback!
In this post, let’s consider the three areas at a macro level.
1. Content Creation Strategy
What are the different types of content we write?
Newsletter or Blog Content: Articles, short-form content on chosen topics.
Books and Ebooks: Chapters, outlines, synopses, etc.
In this post, I only address content creation for newsletters or blogs. For this type of content, consider these factors:
a. Topics.
b. Categories and sub-categories.
c. Frequency of Posts.
d. Engagement metrics, including popularity, reach, interest, and conversion potential.
Once you have clarity on your chosen topics and categories, let's formulate a strategy using a relatable example – writing!
Within the main category, there are several sub-categories to explore, including Leadership, Writing Skills, Productivity, Fiction or Non-fiction Techniques, Business or Technical Writing, and Writing as Therapy.
For each sub-category, imagine a range of topics. For instance, under Leadership, you may write about best practices, managing diverse teams, global leadership, leading remote workforces, etc.
Visualize a writing board on paper like the one below:
Now, with this board in mind, here are some recommended strategies to consider:
Build Brand: Focus on four core categories for the first three to six months to demonstrate expertise, establish your voice, grow your readership, and assess engagement with your content.
Expand Repertoire: After receiving positive audience feedback and reaching the six-month mark or a minimum threshold of readers, consider exploring adjacent topic areas. For example, if you have a background in communications, you might add a marketing category to your focus area.
Decide on a Core Focus: If you notice that your audience engagement is primarily focused on writing skills and monetization topics, you have two options: a) Expand your reader profile to attract more interest in the other two topics you cover, or b) Remove the less engaging categories and concentrate on doubling down on the two that resonate most. Over time, you can revisit the expansion strategy as your readership grows.
Mix and Match Strategies: If you're confident in your overall choices, consider adopting a mix-and-match strategy. This involves mixing up your posts in different categories, reducing less engaging topics, or adjusting the frequency of posts based on audience engagement.
Note: These recommendations assume you're engaged in content creation as a side hustle, a path to monetization, or focused on developing your brand as a writer.
Through this example, I show how a content creation strategy can be developed and adjusted based on reader feedback and engagement.
Pro-tip: If you're considering writing on unrelated topics, such as writing and AI, it's essential to think about running separate Substacks or blogs for each topic. Their audiences may not overlap significantly, so maintaining separate blogs allows you to tailor your content more effectively to each audience's interests.
Other Considerations
What other strategic needs would you have when you start to craft content?
Visuals: Consider your strategy for incorporating art, illustrations, generated images, or stock photos into your content. Decide whether every post will include a visual element and how these visuals will enhance your messaging.
Series: Do you plan to create a series of posts on specific topics? This approach can provide depth and continuity to your content, engaging readers over multiple installments.
Content Strategy for Newcomers
As a newcomer, it would help to think of content strategy even if it is tentative. Decide on a specific topic and category to focus on for at least three months to establish your presence and engage your audience effectively.
Why? It takes that long for a digital platform to recognize you and programmatically share your content in a meaningful way. It also allows you to establish your voice, brand, and content quality with other writers and readers.
Before setting up your Substack or blogs on other platforms, define your profile, newsletter name, brand assets, and welcome messages.
Framing your content within specific categories and topics helps engage future readers, providing them with an anchor.
Remember, you can adjust and refine your strategy over time.
Your brand assets like name, taglines, and logos can evolve with minimal impact once you've established a presence. So don’t worry about having the perfect logo, or name yet.
While changing topics may require a new publication, you have the flexibility to adapt as needed.
Pro-tip: Invest time in exploring topics that interest you and can sustain your writing for at least three months.
2. Content Management Strategy
Once your content creation strategy is defined and finalized, at least for the first iteration, it's time to consider how you'll manage content development for your chosen category.
Let’s use the previous writing category example and its four focus areas: writing skills, monetization, business, and storytelling methods. You can consider storytelling methods as a type of writing skill, but given its complexity, it's separated as its own focus area. Naturally, your definitions may differ.
It will help to maintain alignment with standard topics based on reader interests and how topics may be organized on your chosen platform.
Your content management strategy should address the following:
How often will you post? Does this vary?
Are you starting from scratch each time?
Do you have multiple topics and posts in draft mode?
Do you want to track the topics you are writing about?
What is your content variation strategy? Will you post on each topic once a week or a month?
What is your content backup strategy?
For example, you might post twice a week, working from different drafts that you maintain. Perhaps you focus on writing skills twice (weeks 1 and 2) and monetization once (week 3).
Do you need to share this level of detail with your readers? Not necessarily, especially if you have fewer than 1000 subscribers, all of whom are free! ;-)
As your subscriber base grows, both paid and free, you may consider hosting a FAQ or using a monthly roundup post to set expectations for your newsletter.
3. Automation: Processes, Systems, and Tech Strategies.
Fun fact: A content management system (CMS) refers to online software that allows users to control how content is created, updated, and presented to their audience. A traditional CMS was the website but users had limited control. Then, came blog sites like Tumblr, and later, the popular WordPress platform that offered even more control to authors.
Note that Medium and Substack are also a CMS.
This is the last step of the process. Once you have a clear strategy and management plan, then explore how you will implement it.
Consider the following questions:
Will you schedule specific times and days for writing, or write when the mood strikes?
What flexibility does your daily life require for scheduling writing sessions?
Do you have a dedicated writing sanctuary or a writing nook?
How do you conduct research for your topics?
Will you read before writing? If so, when and how?
Where do you start writing? In a notebook, on drafts in your preferred tool, or directly in a Word document?
Do you maintain a list of topics in Excel, on Post-its, or in a notebook?Do you use a favorite mind-mapping tool to track your topics? When do you update it?
Do you have a daily word target for your posts in mind?
Do you schedule your posts in advance?
For instance, you might prefer to write every day from 6-9 am or 11 am-2 pm, either at home in a designated writing area or outside in a café. You could utilize a mind mapping software tool for macro organization but begin with a notebook to sketch outlines. Typically, you may write until the topic is sufficiently covered or stop after around 150 words on most days. Posting could be scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, with writing sessions on Saturdays and Sundays.
In my last post, I polled readers on their current strategy for managing content via tools. (Take it if you haven’t yet to add to the sample size!)
This data shows that there is no standard answer to content management, and some may benefit from using a system to track their content creation as they grow.
In upcoming posts in this series, I will share best practices on using technology to manage your content effectively and efficiently. Stay tuned for more insights!
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As a solopreneur with years of experience in the tech industry, I aim to save you hours of research and bring you curated strategies, advice, and best practices to simplify your digital life.
To celebrate a milestone of a growing community of readers, I'm offering a 50% off forever promotion or an annual subscription to TechMadeSimple for the next 72 hours.
This is such a helpful post! I tend to sort of "go with the flow" as I like to say, when it comes to posting and sending it out across the internet on my various social media channels. I used to be a prolific poster and find that doesn't work for me these days, but I think that is a better mode for Substack anyway.
I need this! And I’m sure I’m not the only one.
I tend to be slapdash and intuitive rather than strategic, so thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction, Jayshree.