Here's how you can align your content marketing strategies with business objectives.

Whenever we create a content strategy, we start by asking clients - "what results do you want with content?" - Is it just traffic and awareness? We include more TOFU content. - Do you want more conversions? We create a strategy that moves your audience down the funnel. If you don't know what you want from your content marketing strategy, you'll go the “spray and pray" way. And when you go this way, you can only hope that you get the desired results. So yeah, don't create strategies and then add some goals to it. Always start by defining goals > then audience > and then strategy.

Automation is key to reducing repetitive tasks. Concrete solutions here might include using scheduling tools for social media posts, content management systems for organizing content (like Newtn.io), and analytics tools for monitoring performance. Rethink Perfection: Striving for perfection on every piece of content can be draining. Concrete solutions could involve establishing clear guidelines for content quality and empowering content managers to make judgment calls on when 'good enough' is sufficient.

Performing a content audit is pivotal for aligning your content strategy with business objectives. Start by compiling a comprehensive inventory of all your content assets across platforms (some platforms like Newtn.io could be useful). Analyze metrics like engagement, conversion rates, and relevance to your goals. Identify areas where content is excelling, where it's lacking, and where it's outdated. Prioritize updates or repurposing efforts for high-performing content and fill gaps with targeted creations. Continuously monitor and adjust your strategy based on insights gleaned from the audit to maintain alignment with evolving business objectives.

Listen to sales calls to pinpoint areas of friction in the sales cycle. After identifying these points, strategically incorporate content where deals often falter. This process can now be automated with AI, which processes all sales recordings and identifies commonalities. Later map that to existing, refreshed, or upcoming content in the form of case studies, blogs, customer quotes, and targeted ads to others in the prospects org.

One thing that I see in my community when it comes to aligning your content with overall business objectives is a lack of clarity, not knowing where to start and no connection to a vision or outcome. Even the most robust content marketing strategy will fall flat if: a) You're not sure what you're doing or what other team members are doing b) You don't have the tools, resources or accountability to implement action and create momentum c) You don't understand why you're doing things or how it's going to get you to the end outcome. So sit with your vision, find the right systems and people to support you and don't be afraid to learn from others.