A framework is necessary for staying organized, while agile for the content creation process. This framework will assist you whether you are an individual, freelancer, agency, or assisting a large organization. Think of this framework as a structure to guide you from production to publication by creating a process that allows creativity while guiding content with the goals and “big picture” vision originally set in place.
1. Conceptualize content
In this stage, brainstorm ideas for your content by writing down frequently asked sales questions or considering what your potential audience may be experiencing throughout each stage of the buyer’s journey from awareness, to consideration, to their final decision. What might they be thinking, feeling or what problem might they be faced with that has caused them to cross paths with your content? Here you can offer your company’s offerings as the clear solution to their problem.
2. Plan a timeline
Here, HubSpot says that it is imperative to “maintain agility while still having time to execute on your initiatives”. Your timeline should consider your highest priority initiatives but remember that things usually come up along the way so leave time and some wiggle room in there too.
3. Create a workflow
This is basically the “who does what” of the framework. Delegate tasks to avoid burnout. If you are an individual, schedule out time for each stage of the process to ensure you don’t rush through or skip over something crucial.
4. Review and edit content
This stage is key to certify that your content is “accurate, well-written, and aligned with your brand”. If you are a one man team, consider having a third party edit your content, you would be surprised what a fresh set of eyes can spot. This is also helpful for getting an idea of how your content lands with people.
5. Organizing and storing content
As you continue throughout your content creation journey, you will amass a large collection of content. If your organization has separate departments creating content, it will be easy to lose track of what has already been created or where certain items are located. To ensure efficiency, story content in a centralized location with a clear naming system.
Overall, a content creation framework should evolve as time goes on but will serve as the ultimate tool to keep you organized, efficient and on-track making the process smoother and ultimately more rewarding.
Keep in mind that this information comes directly from HubSpot’s Content Marketing Course and to sign up for free, visit https://academy.hubspot.com/courses/content-marketing.
