If it is not implemented in a sound strategic framework, even the most compelling and best content will fail. A challenge for an enterprise content strategy, however, is navigating the many different channels, formats, platforms, and audiences.

I will display more details about content strategy scoping questions for you.

Key Content Marketing Performance Metrics

There are important content metrics to be aware of as you are building up your content bank for the long-term success of your program before we get to the questions.

To make sure you are giving content development proper attention, periodically monitor the following metrics. This includes tracking indicators of audience satisfaction, and using these metrics as a springboard for analysis of your reporting, whether it be weekly, monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, seasonal, year-over-year, or another range.

Most of these metrics should be viewed both quantitatively and qualitatively:

• Increase in unique pages and content assets: indicates a positive or negative metric for ongoing content creation, which is important for the expansion of related business objectives and KPIs. This metric needs to be evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively.
• Increase in unique pages for a particular keyword theme or targeted keyword sets: Increased production momentum around key content pillars and keyword themes is revealed.
• Increase in backlinks, both at the page level and to the home page: a straightforward sign of content engagement. Nobody will link to you if your content is bad. However, because it appeals to people on a human level, quality content naturally attracts links from reliable sources.
• Deep link ratio: The percentage of incoming links to your home page as opposed to the sum of all the other deeper pages within your domain. Enable links to your deeper site pages if your home page takes precedence. A site domain with a very high percentage of homepage links is likely to have shallow content and low user engagement.
• Bounce rate: Although the usefulness of this metric is debatable, it is a strong predictor of content engagement and quality.
• Page-level search engine referrals: It is reasonable to assume that your content is receiving traffic based on the theme of the page if a search engine is doing its job of providing relevant content to searchers. Isolated search traffic can reveal revealing trends for content-pillar and topical interest on your site.
• Content theme-level referrals: The same as before, but a combined report is created by combining the measurement of content themes and pillars.
• Link traffic referral: Once more, the traffic that comes from natural link referrals can be used to gauge the popularity and quality of a piece of content. However, bear in mind that rather than being an accurate reflection of your content, it frequently reflects the websites that drive the link traffic.
• Time on site: Although there is some debate surrounding this metric, I think it is a good measure of content engagement.
• Number of page views and path per visitor: Given that it can be related to a wide range of KPIs and metrics, content engagement is another indicator at various points in the marketing journey.
• Media value of the traffic to the content: Amount of calculated and relevant audience that is generated in accordance with the prices that marketers are willing to pay in comparable digital media spaces.
• Return visits: Although the first visit is a great starting point, returning visitors are another sign of content engagement. A knowledgeable marketing strategist knows how many visits are necessary to result in the desired action and how to best use triggers to boost performance.
• Top consumed pages on the site and percentage of overall site traffic to those pages: This can be taken as a sign of the preferred methods of content consumption by your audience as well as potential growth areas. This can also show whether content efforts aren’t in line with broad business objectives.
• On-page social metrics such as the number of shares, retweets, or likes initiated from your original content rather than being shared within a network: a further sign of the engagement and distribution footprint of content. Most marketers believe you aren’t doing it correctly if your audience isn’t sharing your content.

Content Strategy Scoping Questions List

What Is Content?

Before we keep going, we need to define content.

We don’t just mean blog posts and ebooks when we talk about content. We refer to collateral or property created and owned by a company to advance commercial goals.

Some examples might include:

• Scripts, use cases, and other sales enablement tools
• Blog, case studies, explainer videos, and other inbound marketing materials
• Articles, white papers, ebooks and other thought leadership pieces

The type of content you create will be influenced by your target audience, your objectives, and the channels you decide to use (more on those in a moment).

What Is The Purpose Of Your Content?

This inquiry relates to two essential prerequisites.

It all starts with developing a clear understanding of what you want your content to accomplish. Is it meant to increase awareness, boost sales, boost sales velocity, establish credibility, or something else entirely?

However, not all of these can be finished with the same content.

You need to have a clear idea of your end goal before you start creating.

It’s also important to get your executives and pertinent stakeholders on board with your content strategy. You must explain what you do, why you do it, and why it is worthwhile, even in a small organization.

Additionally, it’s critical to remember that content marketing initiatives might yield a lower return on investment than other marketing initiatives. It’s about creating an environment where people can gain more knowledge about whatever it is you are an expert in and (eventually) convert.

However, because you’re building an ecosystem rather than just going after low-hanging fruit, and because you’re approaching the sales funnel with broad strokes, it takes a long time. Before you begin, it is essential that everyone is on the same page.

Are There Any Rules For Writers I Should Abide By?

Does the company follow a standard style guide such as APA or the Chicago Manual of Style? Or does it have a set of rules all its own that you should abide by?

What Kind Of Tone Or Style Should It Have?

Should the writing be formal or casual? And will it be applied strategically or in a tactical manner?

Who Is The Audience?

Of course, it’s critical to gather as much data as you can about your audience. Is the piece intended for one or multiple audiences? Obtain as many details as you can, such as the title, degree of expertise, needs, and more. Find out if the clients have any buyer personas you can review by asking them.

What Guidelines Are There For Publishing?

You must comprehend the intended use of the content. Will it be a “straight HTML” page or will it be an eBook that needs callouts, sidebars and other skimming elements?

For Your Audience And Goals, Which Content Formats Will Be Most Effective?

It’s tempting to create content for every format that digital media is introducing, but it can be challenging to know what is ethical.

On your company website, you might have to publish long white papers alongside quick blog posts. Alternately, it might entail publishing Pinterest boards along with LinkedIn influencer posts.

But developing content shouldn’t be done in a haphazard manner. It should be a systematic analysis that starts with the question:

Where Are My Audiences Gathered? Exactly What Do They Read And Do?

For instance, if you were looking for managers of manufacturing plants, LinkedIn would be a better place to look than Pinterest.

Your channel mix is determined by the channels you might consider.

What Kind Of Content Will Help You Reach Your Objectives And Work Best For Your Audience And Channel Mix?

Up to this point, our questions have:

• Determine the goals for the content that your organization wants to achieve.
• Determine the audience you want to reach.
• Find out where you can reach that audience and where they spend their time.

The next step is to determine what kind of content will work best with your channel mix to motivate your audience to achieve your goals.

In essence, you have to lure visitors to the content palace you’re erecting.

You must decide which assets are appropriate and appealing to your audience. White papers, which allow businesses to fully explain a complex challenge or problem, are a common asset for enterprise products. SaaS products frequently use explainer videos to help people understand what they do. The majority of enterprise companies will make use of other assets, such as blog posts.

Discover and create a list of potential assets that are appropriate for your audience.

Which Content You Can Create On Your Own And Which You Need To Get From Outside Sources?

The next step is to recognize your internal capabilities and the areas where you need additional support.

You’ll probably be writing and producing some of your content internally unless you’re working with a full-service agency. Internal marketing departments frequently produce work such as blog posts, scripts, articles, ebooks, and case studies.

Information graphics, websites and landing pages, animated videos, explainer videos, podcasts, and video case studies are examples of the types of content that are frequently created by outside parties. You must make it clear which tasks you can complete on your own and which ones call for professional assistance. Of course, this includes a budget exercise. But content planning is another aspect.

It takes much less time to have ten blog posts per month produced by a third party than it does to write ten articles yourself.

Does This Need To Be Seo-optimized?

You might need to keep SEO in mind depending on how the piece is formatted. Inquire of the client about the keyphrases that are crucial for this publication, and then use them sparingly.

Is An Outline Necessary For This Project?

Before you begin writing the copy, ask the client if he or she would like to see an outline. (Plan your timeline accordingly to allow for review, of course.) For longer-length, complex topics an outline can be a real time-saver, preventing you from”‘wordsmithing” an article that may have the wrong focus altogether.

The Number Of Words Is?

Always ask the client how many words they anticipate having so that you don’t need to add or remove text during the design phase.

How Long Do You Think This Project Will Take, On Average?

By inquiring about this, you can frequently determine the level of detail the client anticipates in the writing. You can also determine how reasonable the expectations are for the project and for you.

What Time Frame Must The Essay Meet?

Recognize the pressing nature of the subject, and inquire as to whether the deadline is connected to any particulars (such as an occasion).

Do You Require My Assistance With Any Project Management?

Any writer can tell you that content is more than just writing. Your proposal needs to include more time if the client requests your assistance with project management or collaboration with the designer.

How Are Rewrites Handled?

To get a sense of the project’s complexity, find out how many people will participate in the review cycle. Rewrites are more likely to occur the more people who are involved. This is particularly crucial if this is a project-based arrangement and you are including a specific number of rounds of edits in your price.

What Writing Or Publications Models Would You Like Me To Follow?

In addition to assisting you in producing better content, asking for examples from clients can also help them focus on what they want the final product to look like.

How Will The Article Be Used Or Reused In The Future?

Does the client require you to write content for updates on LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as tweets promoting the project? Will you also be asked to manage the project’s press release or other summary document requirements?

Do I Need To Check Out Any Particular Sources?

It’s common for clients to give you internal documentation to help you understand product positioning, but it’s also important to check if there are any outside resources that the client suggests you look at. You might have to look further if they don’t offer many sources. On the other hand, it will take time to sift through an abundance of information. Ask whether citations or footnotes will be required if the client does provide supporting research to assist with the project.

Is There Anything Else I Should Be Aware Of Regarding This Project?

Sometimes a client will not otherwise mention a project aspect, but if you ask an open-ended question, you might learn about it.

Do you ask the same kinds of questions when writing? Are inquiries like these helpful if you hire writers? What additional items might you include?

Will You Work With Third-party Content Producers?

B2B enterprise organizations rely more on third-party validation than B2C businesses do to create, market, and distribute their content.

Examples of utilizing third-party providers to generate content include being mentioned in a Forrester report, getting a higher ranking on Capterra, or ordering a report or survey.

To help you determine what you can do on your own and what requires assistance, it’s crucial to be aware of the external resources available and how you intend to use them.

What Kind Of Reuse Do You Envision For Your Content?

The next thing to consider before you start writing or recording is how you’re going to reuse your content.

Repurposing your content serves two major functions:

• It lowers your per-collateral costs (and thus increases ROI)
• It supports your ongoing content creation.

And conveniently, these are two of the most significant challenges facing content marketing:

• How can we reduce the price of content, which is expensive?

and

• The internet’s lightning-fast publishing pace makes it impossible to keep up.

It’s simpler to achieve your goals using content marketing if you plan how to reuse your content from the beginning.

Do You Already Have A Defined Content Workflow?

To start, you must determine whether you have a clear process in place for moving content from an idea to a finished product that is ready for delivery.

I Don’t Have A Process

There are some small enough enterprise organizations where it is unnecessary.

But not most.

Most organizations benefit or require at least some formalized sign off or approval:

• If one person or team has a bird’s eye view of everything produced, maintaining brand consistency will be simpler.
• In regulated industries, compliance might need to approve content.
• Product teams may have knowledge about the reliability and caliber of the content.
• Technical teams can provide guidance and “sense check” content (especially for technical products).

I Do Have A Process

Great if your workflow is running smoothly! You can keep going.

However, there can be too much process. Generally speaking, it’s worthwhile to review your approvals systems if you already have them in place.

Exist bottlenecks that frequently obstruct flow or elevate stress? Are there any tools you can use to expedite approvals? Do too many parties participate in the delivery process?

We’ve discovered that the majority of workflows and processes with a history of at least one year can be improved.

It might be worthwhile to go over these again if you intend to scale your content.

How Are You Keeping Track Of Your Documents, Different Iterations Of Them, And Other Components?

Infrastructure, specifically where your content lives in the short- and long-term, is one of the most neglected aspects of content strategy.

First, a system for storing, gating, and allowing leads and customers access to content is required. For this, a website powered by a content management system, or CMS, is frequently used.

Second, you require a location where multiple revisions of the same document can be kept. Particularly prone to local storage and disarray are items like customized sales documents, proposals, pitch decks, and other sales enablement tools. Systems for digital asset management are frequently employed to achieve this.

Third, you need a way to search this system to see what you have (and what you don’t). We discover that clients frequently duplicate content they already own, repeatedly, leading to significant cost increases and productivity losses.

Finally, you should consider whether the people who use this process are actually satisfied with it. If you don’t, they’ll just stop using your processes and resume saving everything to their desktops.

Are Internal Employees Included In Your Content Strategy?

Any internal document that your company produces can be included in content strategy, which can also be just a fancy editorial calendar.

The answer falls somewhere in the middle for the majority of organizations.

The advantage of having a content strategy that is centered on marketing content is that it has a lot of time and money to devote to one particular endeavor: generating leads through content. This is a great way to increase profits.

However, if you are able to effectively utilize internal resources that collectively comprise your institutional memory — things like training content, customer/staff surveys, campaign data, sales snippets, and more — then you can be a content engine that is incredibly effective.

In addition to knowing more, you also have more content at your disposal to use and repurpose. The overall customer and employee experience is simply better because internal and external content is coordinated in real time.

See more about

• How To Be An Effective Content Marketing Producer? 
• PPC Vs Content Marketing: Which One Is Better? 

Final Words

Contrary to popular belief, content can be a significant source of income.

Content can become a pillar that supports more general business goals if generation, management, infrastructure, production, repurposing, and scope are all approached strategically and methodically.

Thank you for reading.