What Is Content Development?

Content development is the process by which you research, analyze, produce, edit, optimize, publish and promote content with the purpose of achieving a strategic goal. Also known as content strategy, content development requires you to define who you are trying to reach and determine what types of content you will need to motivate them to meet your objectives throughout the customer journey. Content development is not only about creating content, but about measuring, adjusting and then recreating it. It’s a step beyond general publishing because this content has a defined goal, which is part of an overall strategic process.

 

What Is the Role of Content Development?

Content development in marketing allows brands to connect with consumers, strengthen brand credibility and cultivate loyalty.

 

To connect with consumers, a brand has to show that they are authentic and can solve the problems their readers are experiencing. All of this is created with a robust content development process and a well-rounded digital marketing strategy.

 

Why Is Content Development Important?

Does your business really need a content development strategy?

 

In short, yes.

 

For some, the idea of creating and executing on a content development strategy can sound overwhelming and unnecessary. But a brand shouldn’t only think of their content development when it is convenient for them. Rather, to stay relevant in their industry and to stand out among their competitors, it’s imperative to invest in your content on an ongoing basis. 

 

Content development should be seen as an extension of your business’s operations. It is your voice and how you communicate with potential consumers and returning customers. 

 

A content development strategy is important as it will:

 

Define a More Streamlined Process and, in Turn, a More Strategic Content Development Plan

When you have a content development plan in place, everything will be laid out right in front of you. A plan will take the guesswork out of content creation, resulting in a more strategic process.

 

Strategic content development outlines the goals of the content, who will create the content, and the timeline. By placing an emphasis on the overall strategy, your team can ensure that your content marketing initiatives will be more successful.

 

Tie Your Marketing Goals to Content

Every piece of content you create should have an end result in mind. You risk wasting valuable resources if you just create content for the sake of having something to promote. Since you will now have a more strategic plan in place, you can begin to tie marketing goals into each piece and track your progress that way.

 

Save Time, Money and Effort

You can never plan too much when it comes to your brand’s content potential. Working on a content development plan can save you something that is extremely valuable and intangible — time! Having a plan in place before you execute it will ensure you won’t be wasting time on last-minute deadlines.

 

Plus, when you know what content you want to develop, you can go ahead and hire someone to execute that plan if you don’t have the resources in-house. And since you’ll know the strategic reasoning for creating the content you create, your efforts won’t be wasted. 

 

7 Examples of Popular Content Marketing Formats

Content marketing can come in a wide variety of formats to address different users. Content marketing works when each tactic caters toward a specific persona and targets a specific stage of the buyer journey. When used correctly, content marketing can help in growing your brand while building stronger customer relationships. Below are some popular content marketing formats used to connect with audiences:
 

1. White Papers

White papers are written pieces of content, averaging 6 to 8 pages in length, that offer audiences in-depth information on a specific topic, solutions to a particular problem and sometimes free tools or templates. A white paper can be used as a tool to generate leads near the beginning or the middle of the customer journey. Marketers will often present visitors with a landing page from which they can download the white paper by submitting their contact information using a form on the page. While still used by 55% of B2B marketers, white papers have become less popular than other forms of content marketing. 

 

2. Infographics

Infographics are visual representations of information or data intended to help audiences interpret ideas more efficiently and effectively than they could with words alone. Examples of content marketing include infographics include charts, diagrams, maps and illustrations. An infographic combines images, colors, icons and words using visual patterns that are designed to catch the attention quickly. A well-produced infographic begs to be found and shared, making it a great tool for generating traffic either through search engines or social media. 67% of B2B marketers used this tool in 2020. 

 

3. Case Studies

Case studies are presentations that demonstrate how an actual customer overcame a business challenge by using a company's product or service. The components of a case study include background information on the customer, an explanation of the problem, the solution that was proposed and data or testimonials offering proof that the solution worked. 69% of B2B marketers know that case studies are one of the most effective ways to show that your company can deliver results. They are also the most versatile, and can be produced as a blog post, a white paper, a podcast or in any other format that suits your distribution strategy. 

 

4. Blog Posts

A blog is a section of a company's website that hosts a collection of written articles, or posts, on topics that relate to that company's industry. This kind of website content helps the company show customers that they understand the ins and outs of their business and are on top of the newest trends. Creating a comprehensive blog strategy is an important way that companies can connect with prospects.

 

This thought leadership content can help the company build trust with its audience and demonstrate that it is well-positioned to provide expert advice and service. Blog posts are the second most popular tool for digital content marketers, behind only social media. In 2020, 89% of marketers used blog posts or short articles in their content marketing strategies. However, it's important that marketers provide unique website content to their readers, so they can deliver valuable insights and form stronger relationships with clients. 

 

5. Videos

Just as they do articles, brands use video content to produce guides, case studies and customer testimonials. In 2020, 71% of B2B marketers turned to video as their preferred format for content marketing because it tends to be more engaging than the written word. HubSpot found that video tends to be 40 times more shareable on social media than other kinds of content. Producing high-quality video content can be challenging, however, as it takes careful planning and technical skill to create better content.
 

6. Podcasts

A podcast is a series of audio files, presented as episodes, that can be downloaded or streamed on any personal listening device. While they can be more technically difficult to produce than a blog article or a social media post, podcasts can be more effective at leading a passive audience to discover your brand. For example, though someone may have the attention span to read an entire blog post or white paper unpacking a complicated case study, they may be more inclined to listen to a podcast on the subject because digital media is great for consuming while doing other things, such as working, cleaning or working out. 

 

7. Newsletters

Newsletters help brands connect with their target audiences. Curated newsletters and emails can help companies highlight industry news and stories, while more personalized emails can highlight sales, white papers or shopping recommendations.

 

What's the Difference Between Content Marketing & Content Production?

Great content can only get you so far. You also need to have a good strategy in place to publish, distribute, optimize and promote that content. It is important to keep this strategy iterative, not static. Through continuous measurement and optimization, you will find the right mix of paid, owned and earned channels to effectively connect with your target audience over time. Content marketing includes the entire strategy and not just the individual assets.

 

What Are the Different Stages in the Content Development Process?

Content development includes a few different stages in terms of creating a cohesive strategy. These include research, analysis, content ideation, content creation and measurement. 

 

Below are the steps necessary when creating a comprehensive plan to develop and create better content.

 

How to Make Original Content

Original content can be difficult to create 71% of thought leaders agree that less than half of the thought leadership they consume results in actionable insights. However, there are steps you can take to ensure your content is both original and insightful. These steps include licensing articles, brainstorming across functions, and conducting competitive research. Take a look at our steps for the content development process to learn more.

 

11 Steps to Take in the Content Development Process

1. Research and Gather Information on Your Audience

The most critical part of the research process for a content creator is finding information that will help you define and understand your target audience. Examples will include its demographics, buying habits, challenges and goals. When assembled, this information will reveal the topics and formats that will best cater to your audience's needs and deliver the most value to them. 

 

It also helps to look at what your competitors are writing about. If they have an established cross-platform content strategy, it’s likely that they will have already produced content on topics that appeal to your target audience. You can use these topics for inspiration, but be sure to focus on differentiating your own approach to the subject. Lastly, be sure to review your existing channels to determine which ones offer the greatest opportunity for improvement, or discover which new ones you may need to develop. 

 

2.  Define Your Content Marketing Goals 

Once you've decided what content you will create and for whom, the next step is to determine how you'll measure its success. To do this, you must define your goals and come up with key performance indicators (KPIs) that match them. For example, do you want to generate leads or improve search visibility? If your goal is to generate leads, your KPIs will include landing page visits and form completions. If your goal is search visibility, your KPIs will include search impressions and keyword rankings. 

 

Once you have identified your KPIs, the next step is to establish benchmarks and set measurable success metrics. Your benchmarks should be influenced not only by how industry leaders and competitors are doing but also by your own past performance. 

 

3. Analyze Your Content 

By now you should have a pretty good idea of what topics you intend to focus on based on your research. For example, you may know what your competitors are writing about, what challenges your buyers are facing and what part of your marketing funnel needs the most attention. To narrow your focus, you should put some data behind each of these things. 

 

For example, you can conduct keyword research to determine which topic ideas are the best ones for you to focus on. Tools like SEMrush can be used to evaluate which keywords produce the most search volume as well as which have relatively low competition. You can then review the top search engine results pages (SERPs) for those keywords to identify which content types tend to rank highest, and produce your content in those formats. 

 

Additionally, you’ll want to conduct an audit of your own content, to understand what gaps may need to be filled or what assets can be refreshed, repurposed and republished. You can also analyze which assets have had the highest conversion rates from other campaigns. This information will not only tell you which topics resonated well, but how users like to consume their content. 

 

Lastly, use reporting from your customer relationship management (CRM) system to figure out what part of your marketing funnel – whether it's lower or middle funnel – would benefit most from your content marketing. For example, are you seeing that you are converting leads to opportunities but the sales cycle is long? This signals that buyers are eager to work with you, but need more proof that your solution is the right one for them. You may want to focus on producing a series of case studies to help your buyers relate to real-life customers you have already helped. 

 

4. Establish a Content Development Strategy 

One of the last steps before creating any actual content is to document your strategy. According to a survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, 62% of marketers who said they were successful at content marketing had put a documented strategy in place. Your content strategy is the unique result of the work you have done in the steps above. Elements of your strategy should include messaging, topics, formats, channels and KPIs that match up with your goals. 

 

Once these details are in place, you will want to come up with a production schedule, recorded on a content calendar, to help you plan what you will publish on each channel and with what cadence. A content calendar will keep you organized and on track. It will also help you leverage existing content for cross-linking, or linking to related content on your website. 

 

5. Leverage Content Ideation Best Practices

Finding topics, as well as keyword targets is commonly part of the content creation routine, oftentimes called content ideation. There are many different strategies to do this, such as:

• Brainstorming amongst cross-functional teams

Product, marketing and sales can work together to compile topics that are of interest to the target market. 

• Researching competitive content

Your marketing team should investigate what competitors are writing about and take a look at popular media in your industry. 

• Sending surveys to your customers

Surveys make it easy to analyze customer support/sales questions, while also working with consumers directly. 

• Looking at popular, relevant Google search queries

Your team can use tools such as Answer the Public, Google Trends or a keyword tracking platform to do this. 

• Researching top bloggers among your niche

Your marketing team should investigate what top bloggers are writing about and even consider collaborating with influencers in your industry. 

• Tracking trending social media conversations 

Tools like BuzzSumo, make it easy to track what is trending across various platforms. 

 

The idea here is that you want to validate and prioritize your ideas. This allows you to truly understand the user’s search intent or have a solution to one of their problems. It also allows you to evaluate your ability to create content that is better than what your competition has to offer.

6. Creating Your Content

Writing content is a routine process that should be approached carefully. There are many popular best practices, such as grammar, keyword density analysis, and working on improvements to your content’s performance. This can be done using descriptive headlines, creating listicle-style posts, and leveraging visuals. Start by building the main text structure, planning the average word count, and defining the tone of voice you want throughout the piece. Sticking to this framework while you write allows you to maintain consistency, while creating unique content.

 

7. Supplement Content Creation with Content Licensing

It can be difficult and unrealistic to produce all of the content you need in-house. This is where content licensing can help, as it is a great way to supplement with what your team is already developing.

 

Using licensed content from The New York Times Licensing Group can be powerful in promoting your story to a larger audience. You will have access to world-renowned editorial journalism written by industry thought leaders, and best of all, you won’t have to do the heavy lifting. Journalism can be a great component to add to your content marketing strategy, since it allows you to easily keep audiences up-to-date, while providing quality information at regular intervals.

 

AdvisorStream, an award-winning marketing platform for financial advisers, leverages licensed content in conjunction with its own material. By leveraging licensed content, they are able to provide advisers with valuable information on a more consistent basis at a fraction of the cost.

 

Additionally, since content is often found behind a paywall, offering licensed content gives marketers an edge over their competition. Although subscriptions to online news sources have increased over the past year, only about 20% of U.S. survey participants are paying for news. About half of those paying for news content in countries like the United States and Norway have additional subscriptions. By leveraging articles from a variety of material such as The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, National Geographic and other sources, your team can present new and valuable insights that your readers may not otherwise encounter.  

8. Optimize and Publish Your Content

As you write your content, be sure to proofread it carefully for readability and consistency in branded content messaging. You should also look for ways to boost its performance potential before publishing. 

 

To start with, anything you write should be optimized for search engines. Pay close attention to the keyword targets for each piece and make sure that the title tags, meta descriptions and headers contain those keywords to give your piece the best chance of getting picked up by search engines organically. Also be sure to look for cross-linking opportunities within each piece. Referencing other relevant pages on your site through cross-links can help build the authority of pages on your site and keep visitors present longer. 

 

Lastly, if you intend to leverage the same piece of content across platforms, figure out how to reformat it to fit the consumption trends of each one. For example, a long-form white paper that you use in a lead generation campaign can be broken up into several posts for your blog. 

 

9. Promote Your Published Content

There are various ways to promote the content you publish through a mix of paid, owned and earned media. To maximize your return on investment (ROI), it's best to start with the channels you own. Email marketing is known to be the channel that offers the highest return, with a median ROI of 122%. So the next time you post to your blog, be sure to let your customers know by sending them an email blast. This encourages them to return to your website, which deepens the relationship. 

 

Another great owned channel for site referrals is social media. Trouble is, a person's attention span while on social media is very short. For example, the average "life span" of a tweet is a mere 15 to 20 seconds. When posting, be sure to collect data on when your audience is active on social media, then promote your content during those peak times to make sure it is viewed. Sharing on social media also enables you to enlarge your audience. For example, if you use an infographic to promote your blog post, there is a good chance someone in your audience will share it with their followers, which in turn helps you expand your audience. 

 

If you are interested in additional exposure for your content, there are plenty of paid opportunities available to help amplify your reach. One way to pay for promotion is through third-party publications. If you know there is an industry publication your target audience turns to for insights or advice, it may be beneficial to run a paid ad campaign with that publication, using your content as the call to action. In addition to generating traffic or leads, running an ad with a reliable publisher can boost your credibility through association. 

 

10. Evaluate the Performance of Your Content

You should treat your content development as a continuous process that will evolve over time. Remember to hypothesize, test and measure as you go to find out what resonates with your audience. Most importantly, be patient. It may take several rounds of iteration to figure out what works well for your brand. You should also be mindful that there will be many factors that can change the effectiveness of your strategy over time. If you are keeping track of your KPIs and overall goal performance, it will be easier to pinpoint what is or is not working and adjust your strategy accordingly. 

 

11. Continually Make Improvements to the Overall Content Development Process

One of the most crucial aspects to the content development process is also optimizing the process itself. Doing so can improve efficiency and save you time as a content marketer. Here are some tips for improving your content development process:

 

•  Document existing processes, analyze all possible bottlenecks, and suggest enhancements: Take a look at how your SEO and content marketing and copywriting teams work, and how you can mesh the two together for quicker development time between ideation and publish date. Create a content calendar so your teams can get aligned on deadlines and when assets are pushed live.

•  Bring your teams together: Arranging regular brainstorming sessions, marrying customer-related data, and more can help your team come up with unique ideas more quickly.

•  List your business goals and break creation tools can help streamline the process of developing new assets. These tools can help you create more compelling pieces or brainstorm better topics. Additionally, copyright licenses can give you the resources necessary to create content more quickly while highlighting material from industry experts.

•  Outsource content development: There may be opportunities to outsource some of your content development efforts. Whether it be through content licensing or working with an industry expert, outsourced content can allow your company to provide an additional perspective that can be valuable to consumers.

 

Content Production for Websites: What Steps are Involved in Developing Content Online?

Web content development can provide an additional challenge for companies looking to connect with customers. While white papers and research articles may take months to organize and develop, website content must be updated more regularly. Companies also face the challenge of creating unique content across their webpages that deliver value. Companies who publish between 2 and 4 times a week see the highest returns on their efforts, but these assets need to also be high-quality.

 

In the wake of the pandemic, digital strategies are becoming increasingly important for marketers looking to connect with their audiences. 90% of marketers agree that their digital engagement strategy has either completely changed or changed somewhat since the pandemic occurred. 

 

Quality and quantity matter when it comes to creating an effective web and blog content strategy. The steps for producing this kind of content are the same, but the process is expedited. Providing timely pieces in addition to evergreen content is important for audiences looking to stay up-to-date in their industry.

 

Common Mistakes Made During Content Development

To ensure you have the strongest content development strategy possible, be careful not to make the following mistakes:

 

1. Not Having Enough Data

There’s no such thing as too much data when it comes to tracking and growing your content. Most companies may not have enough insights into the platforms where they promote this content, and in return, they won’t have enough data on their customers. Data is the most powerful tool we can have, so look into your data sources and come up with a new solution to increase your offerings, if need be. Only 42% of companies surveyed are happy with their data hygiene and only 40% are satisfied with its completeness.

 

2. Creating Too Much High-Level Content (or Lower-Funnel Content)

One area many companies struggle with is creating content that only addresses one part of the sales funnel. In order to build a comprehensive strategy, your content must address all stages of the buyer’s journey.

 

You need to meet your customers right where they are, whether that is by targeting a brand-new consumer interested in your business or creating material geared at returning customers. So, as a rule of thumb, make sure every level of the funnel is addressed with your content offerings.

 

3. Not Producing Enough Content

Content development can be a lengthy process, making it hard for companies to churn out the amount of content that they may need. Any business should err on the side of producing too much content, rather than not enough, so if you are in this position, consider licensing content to beef up your editorial calendar. Doing so can bring in the traffic and conversions that you crave.

 

Content Development and Management

When companies are looking to really scale the effects they have on the bottom line, they will be producing more high-quality content at a quicker pace. The most effective way to manage content development is through a content calendar. This document should outline the following steps in the content development process:

• What is the topic?
• Where will the content be published (blog, third-party website, etc)?
• Who is responsible for the content?
• Will the content be outsourced, licensed or created in-house?
• What is the promotion plan for this piece of content?

How to Scale Your Content Development 

Many hours go into planning, producing, editing, publishing, promoting, measuring and iterating your content and overall strategy. This can be time consuming to scale and maintain. For example, you may set a goal of establishing your brand as a thought leader in your industry. But to do that you will need to write at least one new blog post per week. It may not be feasible with a small team. Even for larger teams, it may be difficult to provide the expertise needed when discussing nuanced topics involving financial, business or healthcare news.

 

For companies that are looking to boost their content marketing output but lack the staff to support the additional production, there is the option of curating content, outsourcing content development, or curating news from award-winning writers and journalists. Licensing this material through a content licensing company is an excellent way to ensure high quality content for your target audience and establish yourself as a thought leader. Working with an organization that specializes in licensing editorial content also reduces the hassle of negotiating individual copyright permissions, allowing you to use high-quality material on a consistent basis.

 

An Easier Way to Create More Content 

The companies with the most effective content strategy are those that carefully research, plan, publish and measure different types of high-quality content across all their distribution channels. This is much easier said than done. Content licensing is available to compliment your original material with high-quality examples of thought leadership from a variety of voices and sources. 

 

Final Thoughts 

NYTLicensing curates and licenses world-class journalism from The New York Times, as well as content from other media partners, allowing brands to connect with new audiences and drive brand loyalty. From business and financial reporting to health and technology news, our content can help brands position themselves as thought leaders on practically any subject.