I’ve been in those meetings where someone mentions the need for a Content Marketing Strategy and the one who this was mentioned to has a rather confused look on their face. It’s ok. Content Marketing has been around for a very long time. Some folks do it really well and others, well… don’t. I thought I would try to simplify this whole thing for my clients, so I came up with an easy-to-remember-acronym… D.I.C.E. Since this is somewhat unfamiliar territory for most companies, it is a bit like rolling the dice! It’s assuming risk by taking action! Rolling the D.I.C.E. also answers the Who, Where, How and When of the Content Marketing Strategy.

So here it goes…!

D

D is for Designated Responsibility. At the outset of this strategy, you need to have a team in place. This may be one person or 12. Whatever the number, make sure each team member knows their role. Billy is in charge of the blog. Sally is the Facebook Community Manager and Charley handles YouTube and Twitter. You get the idea. There will be a lot of content flying around and you need a talented, multi-tasking team to make it all make sense! This answers the “Who will post the content?” question.

I

I is for Integrated Approach. We are at a time in history where the number of content outposts is plentiful. I would not suggest just settling with one because there are most likely others that will make sense for you as well. Maybe you have a Facebook driven approach that also includes Twitter, LinkedIn and your blog. Maybe you start with your LinkedIn Group and post to Twitter and Facebook. Whatever the approach, my recommendation would be to incorporate an integrated approach with many social networks. Your message will stay the same, it will just look slightly different in each space. This answers the “Where will the content go?” question.

C

C is for Content Creation Methods. So, we know who is handling the posting and we also know where the content is going to go. This layer is all about where the content comes from. Systems need to be put into place to create the stories of your company. How will you get this content? Do you have a writer? Is someone taking pictures around your office? Are you keeping track of positive customer interactions? This is all great content! Sometimes the best content goes unnoticed because most of the time the best content is stuff we don’t even think about because it is everyday, normal stuff! Keep it human. Keep it real. Your customers are tired of marketing messages they want real people. This answers the “How will we create great content?” question.

E

E is for Editorial Calendar. My wife will tell you that if I don’t write a “to-do” item down, it will never get done. She’s right! The same applies to your company’s content marketing strategy. It is so very important to create a content calendar and stick to it! The calendar should be accessible to everyone involved in this process so that every team member knows when, where and how. Keep it up to date and stay on track and the Editorial Calendar will serve you well. This answers the “When will we post the content?” question.

…And there you have it. A four-step process to a successful Content Marketing Strategy. If you feel that anything was left out, please let me know if the comments below! We’re all in this together! Have fun rolling that D.I.C.E.!