Ten years ago, content marketing was pitched as the tip of the spear in marketing.
Just create content, they said. More content. Better content. Bigger content. Everything else will follow.
Well, content marketing hasn’t turned out to be the end-all of marketing strategies that it looked like it would be.
Far from it.
Creating amazing content won’t flood your website with traffic. It won’t lead to endless subscriptions or requests for demos. And packing it in a 3-step funnel won’t necessarily gives you millions of dollars of sales.
But let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.
Yes, the folks who came up with content marketing oversold the idea. They’re marketers. Of course they did.
But content didn’t start with them.
Content is messaging. It’s articles and books and reports and advertorials, which have all been used with good success since the invention of the printing press.
The real problem is that content marketing was over-simplified. Write content, and they will come.
Okay. Sounds good.
But no marketing plan in the history of time has ever involved creating an asset and expecting it to magically attract buyers. The fact that we bought into this expectation shows you how well content marketing was sold to us.
I do actually believe content marketing is the tip of the spear.
It’s how you attract the attention of your target audience. It’s how you generate interest in your product or service. Deeper in the funnel, content is how to build desire and drive action.
The key isn’t content itself. Content is just your tool.
The key is your strategy. Your planning. Your execution.
Content marketing is part of a bigger picture. It was never meant to work alone.
The challenge is integrating it with everything else you do — because a strategic content marketing program has so many moving parts, it’s easy to lose track and get overwhelmed.
I know. I’m Kathryn Aragon, and I’ve managed the content for brands like Crazy Egg, Mirasee, and Sales Hacker. I’ve also worked with some of the best marketers on the planet: Neil Patel, Sujan Patel, and Tim Soulo, to name just a few.
What I’ve learned is this…
The key to getting the results is being able to see the big picture and the details at the same time.
Because only then can you see what’s working, what’s not, and what’s needed to achieve your biggest business goals.
One thing that’s non-negotiable is a clear, compelling strategy for achieving your best results, and a way to plan and track your movement towards those goals.
Me? I do that with…
3 essential planners every content pro needs to run a strategic content marketing program
I call it the Strategic Content Planner, and it’s based on the SPEAR formula for content success.
What is SPEAR?
It’s the formula I use to make sure my content strategy is always on point and effective.
It’s the reason my year-one results always blow expectations out of the water.
- At Crazy Egg, I doubled traffic and tripled subscriptions.
- At Mirasee, I led the development of the new, rebranded website — which had a bounce rate of 8% (unheard of on most websites).
- At Sales Hacker, I more than doubled the subscription rate and doubled its year-over-year growth rate.
Most people look at my spreadsheet and roll their eyes. They can’t believe that such a simple tool can create the results they’re looking for.
But looks can be deceiving.
Which is why, when we sit down to review content results, I get comments like this…
“I don’t know what kind of magic you performed, but you simultaneously slowed us down and doubled our output. It’s amazing!”
Okay, that gives you an idea of how effective it is, but what is it?
SPEAR is my process for creating a content strategy that’s guaranteed to win. I call it SPEAR because it’s based on my belief that content is the tip of the spear in marketing and should, therefore, be perfectly on-point.
Here’s the process:
- SEE the big picture.
- PLAN ahead.
- EXECUTE flawlessly.
- AMPLIFY your efforts.
- MEASURE results.
As you can see, there’s no magic. It’s all about keeping the big picture in mind and streamlining your efforts — so everything you do improves results instead of sucking your time and energy with no reward.
The focus on results is what makes the difference.
Getting results from content is easier than you think
Content marketing success is not about cranking out more content.
It’s about slowing down, being more strategic, and planning ahead.
And to help you do that, I’ve created the SPEAR Strategic Content Planner — a bundle of three content planning tools that I use every day.
With this workbook, you can end the battle for the most content and, instead, create the right content.
You can stop creating content just to meet a random publishing schedule and, instead, publishing high-quality, purposeful content that’s designed to drive results.
You can slow down, raise your output, and make your boss think you’re working some kind of magic.
My secret to success: the SPEAR Planning Bundle?
The SPEAR Strategic Content Planner gives you three spreadsheets that are vital to content marketing success.
Blog Audit. To get the big picture of your content marketing program, you need to start with an audit of your blog, website content, and other assets.
This gives you the big picture. It tells you what’s working and what your strategy needs to be moving forward.
This spreadsheet is where you record your decisions. So you have a one-sheet plan that gives you the big picture at a glance. Here, you’ll log your ideas, priorities, and plans, so you know the content that needs to be created to stay on track and achieve your goals.
Keyword Cluster Worksheet. To get found in organic search engines, you need to identify the keywords your customers are searching for and create content that puts you at the top of the SERPs for those queries.
This worksheet gives you a place to log the keywords you’re targeting and find gaps that need filling.
So rather than blindly pursing top-level keywords, you can create clusters of content that truly communicate your thought leadership.
Editorial Calendar. A good editorial calendar gives you space to plan your content, track its production and distribution, and measure results.
Not only will you be able to see every piece of content you’ve got in production, you’ll be able to identify the pieces that are ripe for optimization — so you can drive real growth.
Frankly, I’ve never seen an app or even another spreadsheet that does all of this on one page. Mine does. And when you see how it works, you’ll understand why I create one for every brand I work with.
Your audit gives you the big picture. Your editorial calendar gives you the details. Together, they 10x your content’s performance.
Along with these three spreadsheets, I give you in-depth video training on the SPEAR methodology and how to use these worksheets to drive the outcomes you’re looking for.
The Secret to Real Content Success
Over and over, I hear from people who work with me that I make it look easy.
My friend, this is the secret.
Big growth doesn’t come from hustle or over-production. It comes from smart planning and execution.
And while I don’t welcome the competition, I want you to have the tools to take your content game to the next level.
Let’s change the game together.
Instead of competing on the most words, let’s compete on the best words. Use the SPEAR formula for your content strategy — and position yourself as the top content marketer in your industry.
With this SPEAR Strategic Content Planner, you’re on your way to do that.
It’s yours today for just $47.
Here’s everything you get…
- Video training walking you through my process as an award-winning content strategist
- The Blog Audit worksheet to record your content strategy
- The Keyword Cluster worksheet for logging your target keywords
- The SPEAR Editorial Calendar for planning, tracking, and measuring your content
Remember, content isn’t a numbers game
It’s a strategy game. And the winner is the one who doesn’t waste a move.
At the end of the day, more words won’t get you better results. Better words will. More strategic content will. And with the SPEAR Strategic Content Planner, you’ll have the tools you need to win the game.
Don’t wait. Accept these amazing tools now, and take your content strategy to the next level.
There’s no reason to wait.
I personally guarantee your satisfaction. You have 30 days to go through the training and try out the tools in this program. If you aren’t 100% satisfied, I’ll happily refund your money.
But I hope you won’t take that route. I’ve proven these methods over and over again.
They work: Even if you don’t have the biggest or best tools. Even if your stakeholders keep you from implementing best practices. Even if you’re working in a difficult market where it’s hard to get eyeballs on your content.
Because success is about strategy.
And because, given the process and the tools you have in this program, you’ll be able to test and refine the strategies that are best for your brand.
The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll see results
Every new skill takes practice to refine. You may not love the idea of working in “old school” spreadsheets. You may be a pantser who likes last-minute hustle and hates logging every keyword and every piece of content you create.
But there’s no better way to get the big picture and the details all in one place.
And once you experience the power of the SPEAR methodology, you’re going to love it.
Just be careful…
You won’t see results tomorrow. With content, even if you perfect your strategy today, you may not see massive growth for another six to nine months.
I’ve had clients who expected to see radically different metrics a week after I was hired.
Don’t be that guy. It’s not realistic.
What is realistic?
You’re going to start seeing what’s working, which will help you prioritize your work. You’ll find yourself slowing down, saying no to the hustle, and still getting more content created.
And I promise, in six months… nine months… a year… you’re going to see dramatic growth and improvements.
So don’t put it off. Kick off your growth today with the SPEAR Strategic Content Planner — at a low, introductory price you may never see again.
(c) Kathryn Aragon
