Alright, let’s get real for a second. As a business owner, you’ve probably got a zillion things on your plate: from bills to emails, client birthdays to team meetings, and even inventory checks to quarterly reporting – there’s always a lot going on.
And, in the midst of all that, trying to put together a sustainable marketing strategy might sound like too much work… but it definitely doesn’t have to be.
Enter: content marketing systems.
Y’know, the planning, creating, scheduling, and all that other good stuff that goes on behind the scenes to help you successfully market your business, minus the burnout or marketing FOMO that seems to come in waves.
But there’s more to creating long-term, holistic content marketing systems that meets the eye.
Ready to dig in? Let’s go!
An overview of sustainable marketing
Let’s kick things off by taking a closer look at sustainable marketing.
Beyond being a hot topic at the moment, sustainable marketing is centered around the concepts of “longevity” and “long-term thinking”.
With this in mind, a truly sustainable marketing strategy helps businesses maintain a steady pace by ensuring they don’t exhaust their resources – as in, their energy, money, or team’s bandwidth – or overextend themselves by reaching out far and wide in every single direction.
So, instead of rushing headfirst into every new trend or tactic that comes along, it encourages a more methodical, holistic, and consistent approach that businesses can adopt in order to maintain a sustainable (hence the name) approach to content marketing.
That means no trend-hopping, no randomly adopting guru advice, and no constant strategy updates (or “upgrades) – no matter how tempting they might seem or how much money they claim to bring in.
That said, by focusing on techniques that provide lasting value, businesses and brands can achieve steady growth and maintain momentum over the long run.
After all, the primary goal here is to ensure that marketing efforts aren’t just effective but also easy to maintain.
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What’s a content marketing system?
Now, let’s look at the elements that make up a sustainable marketing strategy: the content marketing systems.
When stripped down to their core, content marketing systems are essentially the backbone of a sustainable content marketing strategy. They take into account all of the tools, processes, or methods designed to streamline and bolster your marketing initiatives.
That said, with solid content marketing systems in place, the overwhelming world of marketing becomes a lot less daunting: you know where you’re going, how you plan to get there, and what it’ll take to do that.
Basically, think of them as your marketing BFFs – always there to keep things running smoothly and support you when you need it most.
The 3 most important content marketing systems
Navigating the world of content marketing isn’t easy – especially nowadays, when life is moving faster than ever, and new platforms keep popping up every day.
All this demand for attention and the constant battle of relevance and engagement can quickly become overwhelming – whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been in business for years.
That said, from managing all the moving parts to making sure that everything falls into place, a systematic approach to content marketing is a great way to keep things running smoothly, efficiently, and effectively.
That’s where the trifecta of content marketing systems comes in:
- Planning
- Batching
- Scheduling
Let’s dig a little deeper to understand how each of these can help transform your content marketing game.
1. The first system: PLANNING
Planning isn’t just about ticking off items on a checklist: it’s a comprehensive approach that ensures your content marketing has a direction and purpose.
By mapping out your content ahead of time, you can align it with your brand message, business goals, seasonal trends, and audience interests.
Why planning matters:
A well-thought-out plan sets the foundation for all your marketing activities. Without it, you’re navigating through the marketing world without a compass – potentially wasting resources on misguided efforts.
Tools to streamline your planning:
- Trello: For organizing content ideas and tasks.
- Teamwork: Ideal for brainstorming and fleshing out content ideas.
- Google Docs: Perfect for collaborative content creation.
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2. The second system: BATCHING
Batching transcends the idea of doing one task at a time. It involves creating multiple pieces of content in one go.
This approach ensures you have a reservoir of content ready… and that you’re not constantly under pressure to produce.
Why batching matters:
Consistency is the crown of content marketing. Batching ensures you maintain this consistency, eliminating the panic of last-minute content creation and allowing for a more steady, organized flow of content to your audience.
Tools to streamline your planning:
- Canva: For creating multiple graphics simultaneously.
- Grammarly: To ensure all your batched content is well-written.
3. The third system: SCHEDULING
Once you’ve planned your content and batched it, the next step is deciding when it goes live. That said, scheduling is more than just picking a date and time; it’s about optimizing when your audience will see and engage with your content.
Why scheduling matters:
Timeliness enhances the impact of your content. Scheduling ensures that your audience receives your content when they are most active and receptive – maximizing engagement and reach.
Tools to streamline your planning:
- Later: Especially handy for Instagram content timing.
- Meta Business Suite: A versatile tool for Facebook and its suite of platforms.
TL;DR: Sustainable is better than short-lived
In the world of content marketing, there can be a lot of pressure to perform, stay relevant, and constantly innovate all of the time.
However, trying to keep up with trends and hop from one place to the next can actually be more harmful than good – especially if you’re a solopreneur wearing all of the hats at once.
And, listen, burnout isn’t worth it – and you definitely can’t put a price tag on peace of mind, no matter how many podcasters and Instagram experts tell you “hustle harder” (*eye roll*).
That said, putting together a sustainable strategy is a great way to ensure that you’re getting your content out there to the right people and at the right time with the help of:
- Planning: It’s your game plan. It’s knowing what content you’re making, why you’re making it, and how it fits into the bigger picture.
- Batching: Think of this as your content stockpile. By making content in chunks, you’ve always got something in your back pocket, so there’s no last-minute scramble.
- Scheduling: This is all about timing. It’s making sure your content goes out when your audience is most likely to see and engage with it.
Without these, you’re just spinning your wheels without actually moving forward – and what’s the point in that?!
Remember: it’s always better to be savvy, not swamped!
