The first point is a monthlong course in itself, so today’ let’s tackle the latter: bad planning (or good planning with poor follow-through).
While only you or your boss can 100% fix your issues with follow-through, we can provide content planning tools to save you time.
Companies that rely on a SMART marketing goals template –are more likely to see inbound marketing ROI. Companies that strategize and develop content ideas off-the-cuff almost always see slower and inferior traffic and lead generation vs. competitors.
Creating your next digital marketing plan? Use the (two!) content mapping templates below. These are shining examples of being organized, efficient, and capable of easily tracking progress. Customize yours based on your company goals and buyer persona:
In a hurry or viewing on mobile? Grab a free, editable content plan/calendar template here:
You can skip ahead to the digital marketing plan templates by clicking here. If you're a novice, review these inbound marketing best practices before starting a B2B content calendar:
“Content calendar” is a bit misleading, as you should leave time each month for SEO (search engine optimization) checkups, strategy reviews, and other tasks unrelated to actual content creation.
Welcome to the golden rule of how to create a content map.
A huge reason why traditional marketing has lost effectiveness – and old-school marketers struggle with inbound marketing – is the continued overreliance on “me” messaging.
The “always be selling/closing” mindset tends to turn away B2B buyers who are now more interested in self-educating through internet research. Today, an “always be helping” approach is more likely to build trust and authority during the long B2B sales cycle.
Since effective B2B inbound marketing strategy leans so much on educating the prospect, you’ve got to know:
If you haven’t already, you’ll need to research the answers:
The answers you get will influence the keywords you want to rank for, and the topics you want to include in your content strategy map.
Have your “where you’d like to be in a year” goals in mind while creating. Working backwards can be incredibly helpful for figuring out where to begin.
For example, if you’re on the hook to increase your website’s lead conversion rate by 85% in the next year, invest extra time in:
Harken back to your company’s long-term marketing, sales, and overall business goals frequently and make sure your road map matches those objectives.
There’s a 1% chance that your yearly marketing calendar will go 100% as planned. If this is your first year of trying an SEO or content marketing plan, the odds are more like 0.1%.
A smaller road map keeps you organized and efficient while allowing you to measure success and adjust tactics without having to wait a whole year. Keep your annual marketing plan handy for reference, but only lay out your execution schedule 3 months at a time.
Depending on how often your industry shifts (and how much your exec team meddles in marketing affairs), consider leaving at least 10% of your monthly capacity open. This allows wiggle room for unplanned work (i.e. an article that addresses breaking industry news) and miscellaneous requests (i.e. your boss wants a target industry highlighted more on the website).
Don’t leave too much room for flexibility, and don’t constantly rework your quarterly plan. You still have previous, mutually agreed-upon goals to meet. Inefficient planning and interruptions will delay you meeting your set digital marketing goals and metrics.
Bake an “explainer” section into each strategic move and tactic. This has two benefits:
Here’s an example:
If you’re constantly feeling in “prove-it” mode with stakeholders, call back to the big-picture goals frequently. Remind them as clearly as possible of how each marketing asset will help meet those goals.
For your content-creation team, give examples where pertinent. The team will work more quickly and effectively if it has successful examples of the assets you want created. Take an extra moment to find that great example of a Services webpage, e-book design, etc. – it’ll save rework time later.
With that out of the way, here are two free-to-use templates. The first is a strategy/execution road map, and the second is an editorial content calendar example.
For the examples, we’ll pretend to be a metal fabrication company called MFG that serves industrial customers America-wide:
Use strategy road maps as guideline to what you’ll complete each month, who will be involved, and how much effort you’ll invest in each aspect of inbound marketing:
Service |
Summary |
Who? |
Effort |
SEO |
Use November SEO audit to work through list of technical issues |
Todd/Agency |
8 |
SEO |
Research and write all page titles & meta descriptions |
Agency (Dan) |
4 |
SEO |
Add titles and meta descriptions to site |
Todd/Agency |
2 |
SEO |
Discuss moving PPC maintenance duties to agency |
All |
1 |
PPC |
Research keywords re: military use for sheet metal |
Agency (Dan) |
1 |
Website |
Starting w/ most popular pages, add copywriting based on new research |
Todd |
4 |
Website |
Research for creating OEM Solutions Hub |
Agency (Mel) |
2 |
Website |
Outline creation and initial draft - OEM Solutions Hub |
Agency (Mel) |
4 |
Blog |
Reoptimize 2 existing blog posts |
Agency (Mel) |
2 |
Blog |
Copywrite 2 blog posts for OEM persona |
Agency (Mel) |
8 |
Blog |
Publish 2 new blogs on website |
Todd/Agency |
2 |
Video |
Compile “wish list” for facility tour promo |
Todd |
1 |
Social Media |
Promote new blog posts and third-party content on existing social channels |
Todd |
3 |
|
Promote 2 new blog posts in newsletter |
Todd |
2 |
ABM |
Contact identification & sourcing – who should first outreach be to? |
MFG Sales Team |
4 |
ABM |
Strategize campaign #1 |
MFG Team /Agency |
8 |
Reporting |
Create monthly report of KPI progress |
Agency (Barry) |
2 |
Meetings |
Weekly content meeting x4 |
All |
4 |
TOTAL |
62 |
Service |
Summary |
Who? |
Effort |
Website |
Add new copy to remaining pages |
Todd |
4 |
Website |
Place new copy on site |
Todd/Agency |
2 |
Website |
Wireframe build for OEM Solutions hub |
Agency |
2 |
Website |
CTA, graphic design - OEM Solutions Hub |
Agency (Jen) |
2 |
Website |
Build on site, launch - OEM Solutions Hub |
Todd/Agency |
1 |
Blog |
Reoptimize 2 existing blog posts |
Agency (Mel) |
4 |
Blog |
Copywrite 2 blog posts for OEM persona |
Agency (Mel) |
8 |
Blog |
Publish 2 new blogs on website |
Todd/Agency |
2 |
Video |
Keyword research and title creation for 3 existing videos |
Agency (Dan) |
3 |
Video |
Write descriptions for 3 existing videos |
Agency (Dan) |
4 |
ABM |
Create goal, outline for each touchpoint |
Agency (Mel) |
2 |
ABM |
Copywriting & asset creation |
Agency (Mel) |
6 |
Social Media |
Promote new blog posts & third-party content on existing social channels |
Todd |
3 |
|
Promote 2 new blog posts in newsletter |
Todd |
2 |
Reporting |
Create monthly report of KPI progress |
Agency (Barry) |
2 |
Meetings |
Weekly content meeting x4 |
All |
4 |
Misc. |
Hold for miscellaneous/unplanned needs |
All |
4 |
TOTAL |
55 |
Service |
Summary |
Who? |
Effort |
SEO |
Monthly SEO audit |
Agency (Dan) |
1 |
SEO |
Make SEO changes based on audit |
Agency (Dan) |
2 |
Website |
Add to OEM Solutions Hub as related blog posts & assets are produced |
Agency |
2 |
Blog |
Reoptimize 2 existing blog posts |
Agency (Mel) |
4 |
Blog |
Copywrite 2 blog posts for OEM persona |
Agency (Mel) |
8 |
Blog |
Publish 2 new blogs on website |
Todd/Agency |
2 |
Video |
Keyword research and title creation for 3 existing videos |
Agency (Dan) |
3 |
Video |
Write descriptions for 3 existing videos |
Agency (Dan) |
4 |
ABM |
Launch first touchpoint and stay on top of drip flow |
MFG Sales Team |
1 |
Social media |
Promote new blog posts & third-party content on existing social channels |
Todd |
3 |
|
Promote 2 new blog posts in newsletter |
Todd |
2 |
Strategy |
Q2 strategy road map: Discuss PPC, ABM efforts; discuss case study viability |
All |
4 |
Strategy |
Q2 content map - generate new topics and keywords based off research |
Agency (Mel, Barry) |
8 |
Reporting |
Create monthly report of KPI progress |
Agency (Barry) |
2 |
Meetings |
Weekly content meeting x4 |
All |
4 |
Misc. |
Hold for miscellaneous/unplanned needs |
All |
4 |
TOTAL |
54 |
A few notes about what you see above:
This calendar is where you get specific about the topics and keywords you’ll use to reach potential customers. For simplicity’s sake, this will be a blogging-only calendar (with exceptions for when supporting content is necessary):
January |
|||||
DUE |
JOURNEY STAGE |
TOPIC |
PRIMARY KEYWORD |
SECONDARY KEYWORDS |
WHO? |
1-7 |
Awareness |
How much porosity in welding Is acceptable? |
Porosity in welding |
How much porosity is acceptable in a weld, types of welding defects, how to prevent porosity in welding, what causes porosity in a weld, MIG welding defects, TIG welding defects |
Mel |
1-14 |
Consideration |
Laser vs. plasma cutting for sheet metal design |
Laser cutting vs plasma cutting |
Sheet metal design guide, sheet metal design tips, sheet metal laser cutting, laser cutting precision tolerances, sheet metal tolerances, laser cutting materials, what materials can a plasma cutter cut |
Mel |
1-21 |
Awareness |
Precision machining tolerances: When to stop |
Precision machining tolerances |
High tolerance machining, high precision machining tolerances, standard machining tolerances, zero tolerance machining, machining tolerances, CNC milling tolerances |
Todd |
1-28 |
Decision |
Does your supplier have on-site inspection? |
Certified welding inspection services |
Metal fabrication shop, CWI certified welding inspector, certified welding services, welding sheet metal, sheet metal fabrication services |
Mel |
February |
|||||
DUE |
STAGE |
TOPIC |
PRIMARY KEYWORD |
SECONDARY KEYWORDS |
WHO? |
1-7 |
Awareness |
The difference between ISO & AWS weld symbols |
Difference between ISO and AWS weld symbols |
Weld symbols explained, weld callouts, sheet metal welding, weld symbol guide, common weld symbols, how to read weld symbols, learning welding symbols |
Mel |
1-14 |
Consideration |
INFOGRAPHIC: Hot vs. cold rolling pros and cons |
Hot vs cold rolling |
Cold roll forming, cold rolling defects and remedies, steel rolling defects, sheet metal design |
Mel/Jen |
1-21 |
Consideration |
Accounting for springback in sheet metal bending |
Springback in sheet metal bending |
Springback in sheet metal forming, sheet metal bending springback calculation, sheet metal design considerations, sheet metal design guide, sheet metal tolerances |
Todd |
1-28 |
Decision |
How inventory management saves money, space |
Sheet metal inventory management |
Vendor managed inventory VMI, sheet metal manufacturer, metal fabrication companies, supplier managed inventory, sheet metal bending services, precision machining services |
Mel |
March |
|||||
DUE |
STAGE |
TOPIC |
PRIMARY KEYWORD |
SECONDARY KEYWORDS |
WHO? |
1-7 |
Consideration |
Reduce costs of CNC machining projects: X tips |
CNC machining design |
Metal fabrication process, metal fabrication design, precision metal products, design for manufacturability guidelines, CNC machine shop, |
Mel |
1-14 |
Awareness |
VIDEO: HSLA steel alternative for structural applications |
Sheet metal material grades |
Structural steel grades explained, high strength low alloy steel, HSLA 80 steel, sheet metal applications, structural steel sheet |
Mel/Jen |
1-21 |
Decision |
How design of sheet metal components affects price |
Design of sheet metal components |
Custom sheet metal fabrication, complex sheet metal parts, sheet metal design guide, sheet metal design considerations, metal fabrication company |
Todd |
1-28 |
Decision |
7 considerations for ITAR machine shops |
ITAR machining |
Precision machining shop, CNC machining services, CNC machining for military, ITAR regulations, ITAR certification |
Mel |
A few notes about the calendar:
With a documented plan in place, you’ll be more prepared to stay organized and on-time, and hold all parties accountable.
Remember: The examples above are just that – examples. There‘s no one-size-fits-all approach you can copy for your inbound/content marketing plan template
If a tactic doesn’t feel right for your company, don’t do it! If you’re not sure, refer to your buyer persona and company goals as your guiding light. Or, if you lack the time or experience to build a B2B content marketing plan, consider outsourcing strategy and/or execution to a full-service inbound marketing agency.
To see how your website efforts stack up vs. your competitors’, try a free marketing assessment: