1. [TEMPLATE] Documented Content Marketing Strategy
For more information, see "How to Create a Documented Content Marketing Strategy" on insights.newscred.com.

2. Business Objectives + KPIs
In this section, you’ll define your content marketing goals and the KPIs you’ll measure for success.

3. Content Marketing Goals
This is your primary content marketing goal.
This is your secondary content marketing goal.
This is your tertiary content marketing goal.
Add any additional goals.
Content Marketing Goals
Here, note what you’re seeking to achieve through content marketing. Be sure that all your key stakeholders align on the goals.

4. KPIs for Measuring Success
Below are sample content marketing KPIs. Update this section with your success metrics. For more information, see "Content Marketing ROI: How to Measure Brand Equity, Conversions, and Loyalty" on insights.newscred.com.

5. Target Audience
In this section, you’ll define who you’ll reach through content.

6. Primary Persona:
In this section, you will define your buyer personas. For more information, see "How to Create Personas and Map Content to the Buyer Journey" on insights.newscred.com.
Demographics: gender, age, ethnicity, career, industry, income, marital status
Psychographics: values, beliefs, habits, hobbies, responsibilities
Challenges + pain points:
Key purchase drivers:
Places they’re likely to find information:
Preferred content formats: e.g. blog posts, videos, social media posts, e-books
How can content help? What resources will help this persona?:

7. Secondary Persona:
In this section, you will define your buyer personas. For more information, see "How to Create Personas and Map Content to the Buyer Journey" on insights.newscred.com.
Demographics: gender, age, ethnicity, career, industry, income, marital status
Psychographics: values, beliefs, habits, hobbies, responsibilities
Challenges + pain points:
Key purchase drivers:
Places they’re likely to find information:
Preferred content formats: e.g. blog posts, videos, social media posts, e-books
How can content help? What resources will help this persona?:

8. Tertiary Persona:
In this section, you will define your buyer personas. For more information, see "How to Create Personas and Map Content to the Buyer Journey" on insights.newscred.com.
Demographics: gender, age, ethnicity, career, industry, income, marital status
Psychographics: values, beliefs, habits, hobbies, responsibilities
Challenges + pain points:
Key purchase drivers:
Places they’re likely to find information:
Preferred content formats: e.g. blog posts, videos, social media posts, e-books
How can content help? What resources will help this persona?:

9. Content Marketing Mission Statement
In this section, you’ll define what you’re hoping to achieve through content.

10. Write your content marketing mission statement here.

11. Content Strategy
In this section, you’ll align the content you create with your overall mission and goals.

12. Content Pillars
Your content pillars are the key topics and themes about which you’ll write. They should align with your content marketing mission and SEO keywords you’re seeking to own.
Pillar 1
Pillar 2
Pillar 3
Pillar 4
Related topic

13. Voice and Tone
Use this section to define your voice and tone. Are you conversational? Authoritative? Do you sound like a friend or like a mentor? Are there words and phrases writers should avoid? Detail them here.
Voice:
Tone:
Personality:
Perspective:
What to avoid:
Examples of on-brand writing:
Example of off-brand writing:

14. Visual Identity
[Include a few bullets and sample images to articulate your visual identity.]

15. Content Scorecard
We recommend creating a content scorecard to ensure that everything you create aligns to your strategy. To learn more about this topic, go to "How a Quality Checklist Can Improve Your Content Marketing" on insights.newscred.com.
[INSERT YOUR CONTENT MARKETING MISSION STATEMENT HERE.]
To be published, the writer and editor need to answer “YES” to the following [INSERT NUMBER] questions:
Criteria #1
In addition, each story should include the following attributes:
Criteria

16. Editorial Planning
In this section, you’ll define how you’ll execute your content strategy.

17. Roles + Responsibilities
Use this section to identify and align with everyone who will be involved in creating, editing, distributing, and measuring the effectiveness of your content.
Ideation
Creation
Design
Editing
Approval and Publishing
Define responsibility
Name
Organic Social
Paid Social
SEO
Newsletter Distribution
Measurement and Reporting
Define responsibility
Name

18. To learn more about establishing a publishing cadence, read “How Often Should I Publish Content? 3 Content Marketers on Their Cadences” on insights.newscred.com.
[INSERT NUMBER] of original pieces per week
[INSERT NUMBER] of licensed/syndicated/partner content per week
Publishing Cadence

19. "Big rock content" refers to major content initiatives
"Big rock content" refers to major content initiatives. Often, they’ll be tied to company programs or marketing campaigns, and include content in several different formats that map to all areas of the buyer journey. To learn more, read "How to Scale Content Creation for Every Stage of the Buyer Journey" and “The Ultimate Guide to Big Rock Content” on insights.newscred.com.
Q1: [INSERT BIG ROCK CONTENT FOR Q1]
Q2: [INSERT BIG ROCK CONTENT FOR Q2]
Q3: [INSERT BIG ROCK CONTENT FOR Q3]
Q4: [INSERT BIG ROCK CONTENT FOR Q4]
Big Rock Content

20. Sample Editorial Calendar
Publication date
Article Title
Content Pillar
Funnel Stage
Format
CTA
Distribution Channels
KPIs

21. Distribution
In this section, you’ll identify which channels you’ll use to deliver your content to your target audience.

22. Map of Owned Distribution Strategy
Channel
Objectives
Personas Addressed
Desired Action
Cadence
KPIs
Tech Stack
Blog/website
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
newsletter
YouTube
Additional channel

23. Map of Paid Media Strategy
Channel
Objectives
Personas Addressed
Desired Action
Cadence
KPIs
Spend + Flight
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Outbrain, Taboola, etc.
Influencer program
Other paid channel

24. Map of Earned Media Strategy
Channel
Objectives
Personas Addressed
Desired Action
Cadence
KPIs
UGC
Press mentions
Partner site

25. Measurement
In this section, you’ll define how you’ll report on your success metrics.

26. Measurement Framework
Below is a template for tracking and reporting your content marketing progress.
Objective
Metric
Technology
Reporting Dependencies