Can you have a sound brand strategy without a content strategy that is tightly aligned and complimentary to achieving your long term brand goals? Content strategy has taken on a much more significant role since the ’90’s because of the volume of content that exists online. But as you know, most schools have an enormous amount of content that exists off line as well. Think view books, speeches, phone scripts, alumni magazines, recruitment brochures, etc. So which should come first? Can one exist without the other? Brand strategy really can not exist without content strategy to support it. Everything is connected to everything else. That is true in quantum physics and it’s true when you are developing and analyzing your content and brand strategies.
In an earlier post I discussed the blueprint for a successful content strategy. They include
Analyze, Strategize, Execute & Measure. Let’s dive into the
Analyze piece. We work with a number of schools and this is the piece that is most enlightening at times. The first thing to do is ask;
what content already exists and where does it come from? From there you will be able to determine what content can be used as is, what content needs some editing to align with your brand strategy and what needs to go. Your brand standards should drive the look, feel and consistency for all of your content. Are you speaking with one voice?
When in the analysis phase, also flesh out your target audience a bit further. Key questions include
Who is your target audience, where do they discover your content, what are the most common searches that get them to your content, is your content relevant to them? Once you have answered those questions, you can tightly align your content with your brand standards for a consistent, long term content and brand strategy. A useful tool to use to make sure you stay true to your voice is to
build personas around your target audience. It’s a great way to check in and make sure you are staying true to your strategy.
So brand strategy is the chicken and content strategy is the egg. No. Wait. Reverse that.
