How to Build a Content Strategy That Actually Works in 6 Steps

Have you tried building IKEA furniture without the instructions? Sometimes it makes sense and other times.. well, let’s just say you end up with a wobbly bookshelf and a few extra screws.

Building a successful content strategy can feel a lot like that—except instead of extra screws, you’ve got a bunch of disconnected channels.

Here’s how you’re going to nail it, step by step 🔧

Step 1: Know Your Audience (and Really Know Them)

Before you can be everywhere your audience is, you need to know who they are and where they hang out. Are they scrolling LinkedIn at work? Binging Instagram Reels during their commute? Or maybe they’re the type to sip their morning coffee while reading your email newsletter?

Start by:

• Building detailed customer personas: What are their pain points, goals, and preferred platforms? Get specific. Are they always on the go and in-between meetings, the type who needs insights fast? Or a chronically online person who lives for trends?
• Tracking behaviour: Use tools like Google Analytics, social media platform insights that are built in, and customer surveys to find out how your audience interacts with your brand.

Step 2: Audit Your Channels (A Reality Check!)

What do your current channels look like? Are they cohesive? Or does your Instagram look like it belongs to a completely different company than your email newsletter? (No judgment—we’ve all been there.)

An audit will help you:

• Identify platform gaps: Are there platforms you’re missing entirely? Are there platforms you shouldn’t be on? This will give you a baseline on where to focus efforts on.
• Spot inconsistencies: Is your brand voice, tone, and design aligned? If not, you’re going to give customers whiplash from all their double takes.
• Evaluate performance: What’s working? What’s not? Dive into your content and find the top-performing posts. Why did these work? Why did others flop? And it’s not always the algorithm’s fault!!

Step 3: Set Clear Goals

What does success look like for your content strategy? If you don’t define your goals, you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping it sticks. We’ve already been here.. let’s not repeat it.

• Increasing brand awareness by x%
• Boosting customer retention by x% or $x
• Driving sales or conversions to reach over $x

Step 4: Map Out the Customer Journey (Find “X”!)

A marketing-led buyer’s journey thrives on seamless experiences. Map out the touchpoints where your customers interact with your brand—from that first Instagram ad to the follow-up email after conversion.

Your goal is to:

• Remove friction: Make it easy for customers to move between platforms. 86% of consumers switch between at least two channels when making purchasing decisions.
• Create consistency: Ensure your messaging and visuals align across channels. 62% of consumers expect brands to deliver personal experiences across platforms.

Step 5: Make Video the Star

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok thrive on video, and even on text-heavy platforms like LinkedIn, video posts get 3x more engagement.

Here’s how to make video work:

• Create content that’s easy to repurpose: A product demo can work on LinkedIn, in an email, and on your website. Can this video be used anywhere else or broken down further?

• For example, a blog could easily become:
  
  • A teaser video for Instagram.
  • An in-depth explainer for YouTube.
  • A snippet for LinkedIn with a CTA.

• Use storytelling to build emotional connections: A compelling video can make your brand memorable. Create a main character or use one of your customer personas as the star!
• Experiment with formats: Try everything from snappy short videos to polished explainer videos. And don’t be afraid to get a little weird—sometimes the most random videos go viral.

Step 6: Test, Learn, and Repeat

Remember: This is a marathon, NOT a sprint. When developing a content strategy across the entire sales journey, it may not be perfect the first time—and that’s okay.

The key is to:

• Monitor performance: Use analytics to track what’s working
• Gather feedback: Ask your customers what they love (and what they don’t)
• Iterate: Tweak your strategy based on what you learn

Let’s Get Building!

Building a content strategy might feel like assembling IKEA furniture at first—overwhelming, a little confusing, and maybe even frustrating. But once you’ve got the pieces in place, it’s incredibly rewarding.

And hey, if you ever feel stuck, just think of it like building that IKEA bookshelf—one step at a time, and soon enough, you’ll have something amazing to show for it.

It just takes some baby steps. Start small, stay consistent, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Remember, even the most successful brands didn’t get it right on the first try. (And if they say they did, they’re probably lying.)