Beyond the Business Plan: Why Content Strategy Matters for start-ups and new ventures
So you had a brilliant idea and you’ve started a business. Congratulations!! You’re also wondering if it’s worth investing in storytelling strategy at this stage of your journey. Let’s explore this.
I’ve worked with several business and there’s one thing I’ve observed: At the beginning of a startup's life, there is no formalised process for planning and creating content. As a result, early stage businesses tend to fall into one of two camps: they either create content in silos or they don't create any at all. This is why it's so important to work with an experienced content manager when putting together your content strategy.
The right content agency can help you think through your business goals, what types of content will best achieve those goals, who should be creating that content and how often it should be shared — all while keeping an eye on SEO optimisation and ROI.
Why content strategy for startups?
Besides establishing your product or service with a new market, the priority for early stage businesses is also defining your brand and create a consistent message. It helps understand your audience and what they want, as well as how to convert them into paying customers.
A company's voice is the way it presents itself to the world. It's what separates Coca-Cola from Pepsi, Apple from Samsung, and McDonald's from Burger King. It's important to define your voice because your audience will recognise you more easily and you'll have a consistent message across all channels (social media, website etc.)
Content helps build trust, authority and credibility in your industry.
Content is a key part of any marketing strategy because it's how you connect with customers. When you write an article or create a blog post, you're showing them that you care about them enough to take the time to share something that will benefit their lives. This builds trust--and when people trust you, they'll be more likely to buy from or recommend your business over another one in the same field.
So how does content actually help build trust? It allows people who may not know much about what it means for a company like yours to exist and feel like they're experts on whatever topic it covers. With this knowledge comes an understanding of why having one would be beneficial; for example, if someone read all about how e-commerce works on Shopify's platform and knows what kind of website would work best for them (or even which features are available), then why wouldn't they go ahead and work with Shopify?
If you're looking at content marketing but aren't sure where to start, this article will guide you through the process of creating a strategy that works for your business.
What should be covered in a content strategy session for a startup?
A content strategy session for a startup should cover the following:
Storytelling matters: As your business grows and changes, so will the story you tell about it. A good story will keep customers interested in what you have to say, while a bad one can turn them away. Think about how you want people to perceive your company and how they'll engage with it on social media or elsewhere online--then figure out what type of content aligns with this vision in order to maximise engagement and conversions.
Positioning in the market matters; which niche do you occupy? Who are your competitors? How does that affect both who reads/listens/watches/etc., as well as what kind of messaging resonates most strongly with them?
A typical process of a content strategy session with an early stage business
The first thing we do is an audit of your current content. This can be done by reviewing existing posts on your website, or by conducting a survey of your audience to get a feel for what they're engaged with.
Once we've got some data, we'll discuss the goals you have for your business and how content fits into those goals.
For example: "I want to increase conversions," or "I want to build brand loyalty." We also talk about who our target customer is--what kind of person might be interested in buying from us? What type of language do they use? What kinds of things interest them? How much money do they make per year? Where do they live ? All this information helps define who our target customer is so that we can tailor our messaging accordingly.
If you are an early-stage business, it's important to do the hard work of thinking through the story you want to tell, how that fits within your category, and how you will connect with your ideal customers.
When crafting content for your company, it's crucial that you have a plan in place before creating any content at all. Without a plan for what type of content will be published and when (and why), it can be difficult for both yourself and others on staff to stay organised when creating new pieces of work.
A good way to start is by thinking about who your target audience is and what kinds of things they would find useful or interesting from reading about on social media channels. You also need think about where these people hang out online -- are they primarily active on TikTok? Or maybe on Pinterest boards? By knowing where these groups congregate most often online (and why), companies can better tailor their marketing efforts towards reaching them directly via relevant channels like blogs written specifically for each niche audience segment outlined above.
Clarity and Consistency
In order to build trust with your customers, you need to be clear about what you do. Create content specific to your business and avoid jargon as much as possible. If you find yourself struggling with this challenge, ask someone close to the company what they think when they hear certain phrases or words. If it doesn't make sense, it probably won't make sense for potential customers either.
Positioning
Positioning is a marketing strategy that helps you stand out from the competition and get more people to buy your product or service.
It's also a way of communicating what you do in a way that makes sense to customers, so they can easily understand what it is you do, why they should care about it and how they could benefit from doing business with you (or at least recommending your business).
Storytelling
When it comes to content marketing, storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can use. It's not just about telling your business' story or sharing news about your product; it's about connecting with people on a human level and helping them understand what makes your company different from others in its field.
When done well, storytelling can help build trust with potential customers--and that's important for any startup looking for new customers or investors. Here are some tips from our own experiences as well as from other experts:
Be authentic: If there's anything we've learned from watching shows like Game of Thrones (or even House of Cards), it's that authenticity matters more than anything else when it comes to storytelling. You want people who follow your brand online--whether they're current customers or potential ones--to see themselves in what you do and how you talk about it; otherwise they won't care enough about what happens next!
This goes double if there are aspects of yourself which might seem controversial at first glance but actually aren't once explained properly (like being able to relate better than most).
Target Audience Research
When you're defining your target audience, the first thing to do is to think about who you want your business to serve. For example, if you're starting an online store selling unique jewellery pieces, then the people who will buy those pieces are probably women between the ages of 25 and 45 who live in urban areas and have money to spend on luxury items.
Now that we know how to identify our target audience, let's talk about why it's important for startups!
The more specific your product or service is targeted at a specific group of people (like millennials), the easier it will be for them find what they are looking for when searching online. In addition, these groups tend not only purchase more than other demographics but also provide feedback about their experience using products/services which helps businesses improve over time by knowing what works best with certain types of users so they can improve upon existing offerings while also developing new ones based on customer needs .
Tips for Content Marketing Strategy that Converts
Make sure you are creating content that your target audience wants.
Content should be valuable, useful and relevant.
Update it regularly so that visitors always know what's new with your business or industry.
It should be easy to find and share on social media platforms, so make sure you have a clear call-to-action in the blog post (CTA) at the end of each article like "Share with friends!" or "Read more about this topic." This will help increase traffic from social media platforms by encouraging people who read about something interesting on one site to go back through their newsfeeds looking for similar stories which means more exposure for both parties involved: writer/publisher plus publisher's client/brand being advertised here!
Create a Content Creation Plan
Before you begin to create content, it's important to have a plan in place. A content calendar will help you keep track of your posts and make sure that they are consistent and relevant to your audience.
Content should be shareable; it should be unique and valuable enough that people want to share it with their friends or colleagues on social media. Here are some examples:
An infographic or graphic explaining something complicated (like what makes up a good user experience) in an easy-to-understand way
A video tutorial showing how someone can use one of your products or services
A blog post about an industry trend that affects your business
Remember: Regular content strategy sessions are imperative for companies at any stage.
Content strategy isn't just a luxury for companies—it's a crucial foundation for startups and early-stage businesses. By investing in content strategy sessions now, you're not just planning for today; you're building a roadmap for sustainable growth, meaningful customer connections, and a distinct brand voice that will set you apart in a crowded market. Don't let your brilliant business idea get lost in the noise. Take control of your narrative, amplify your message, and accelerate your growth with a tailored content strategy.
Ready to transform your startup's story into a powerful driver of success? Let's craft a content strategy that propels your business forward. Book your personalized content strategy session today and start building the future your startup deserves.
Email me at fayann@chutzpahcreative.com or call +61 416 511 947 to get started.
Your startup's next chapter begins with a single conversation—make it count.