Developing a Comprehensive Content Strategy

Last year, I helped a $70M founder get 36M impressions, 350k engagements, 117k followers, and 40k+ newsletter subs from 156 LinkedIn posts. But we almost failed before we even started. Here's the #1 mistake that nearly killed the entire strategy: BACKGROUND This founder came to me ready to "start posting daily on LinkedIn." He had hired writers, built a content calendar, and was ready to go. I told him to stop immediately. Why? Because 90% of founders think content strategy means "let's start creating content." They don't realize content without strategy is just noise that captures zero demand. What actually happens when you skip strategy: - You open Google Docs with no idea what to write - Your content sounds like everyone else's generic BS - You waste months creating content that gets zero engagement - Your writers produce "content" that doesn't connect with buyers - You eventually quit because "content doesn't work for our business" Instead, here's a 5-step framework that changed everything: Step 1: Understand the Context - Map out your infrastructure, target market, and culture - Study your competition, trends, and distribution channels - Know your threats and opportunities inside out This isn't sexy work, but it's where winners separate from losers Step 2: Clarify the Information - Document your insights, values, and personality - Get crystal clear on upsides, downsides, and customers - Write down what makes you different (not what you wish made you different) Most founders skip this and wonder why their content sounds generic Step 3: Write the Strategy - Your differentiation isn't "we care more" - dig deeper - Define your unique value prop in words customers actually use - Create categories you can own Step 4: Develop the Core Concept - This is where the magic happens - Turn positioning into a concept that drives everything - One powerful idea expressed clearly The $70M founder's concept became his North Star for 156 posts Step 5: Create the Content Strategy - NOW you can think about content - Voice & tone, topics, channels, formats - Frequency, key messages, CTAs, visual style Tools: Perplexity for research, Notion for writing, Figma for design, Taplio for scheduling The results when you get this right: - Content that sounds like YOU, not ChatGPT - Prospects, investors and talent reaching out saying "I've been following your content" - Clear differentiation from competitors - A library of assets your sales team actually uses - Inbound leads that already understand your value TAKEAWAY: Stop trying to "do content" without strategy. The most successful B2B companies spend 80% of their time on strategy and 20% on creation. Not the other way around. Your content will only be as good as the strategy behind it.

We all have social media accounts that we can’t live without. Many depend on them for business. But social media is always a channel. That’s not the whole strategy. You should start by thinking a channel agnostic strategy, and then have a central repository from where all content is distributed. I advise to have a distinction between owned channel and social media channels. Website is an owned channel. As important social media is, it is a borrowed space. you can monetize it, but you cannot depend on it. Algorithms shift. Policies change. Accounts get restricted. Distribution fades. Which is why every real content strategy begins with an owned channel, a website. Your website is your library, your archive, your intellectual estate. Here’s how I think about it a wholistic content strategy: 1. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 → 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 This is the foundation. All content, long-form, white papers, videos, frameworks, interviews, is stored here first. Social media pushes content outward. Your owned channel pulls people inward. The difference matters. 2. 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 → 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 If money were not a constraint, and strategy was the priority, I would build everything around long-form: Videos Podcasts Interviews Framework breakdowns Research and Insights Long-form content does one thing short-form cannot: it builds authority. It shows depth of thinking. Long-form is where you create your ideas. Short-form is where you distribute them. 3. 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭-𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 → 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 Once long-form content exists, every short-form asset becomes downstream: Clips Quotes Carousels Threads Micro-explanations Insights Breakdowns Stories Each platform receives its own adaptation, not duplication. With each platform the audience changes,the format changes, the psychology changes. 4. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 → 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 A founder building their personal brand doesn’t need to master every platform at once. Choose one. Find your voice. Develop consistency. Study how your ideas resonate. When you become fluent on one platform, expanding to others becomes a natural extension. Depth before distribution. 5. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 → 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 A company cannot rely on a single channel. Its audience is fragmented. Its buyers live in different ecosystems. Its brand requires consistency across touchpoints. A business needs: A website A content library A messaging system Platform-specific tactics A repurposing engine A unified narrative The strategy must be centralized even if distribution is decentralized. 𝐀 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: a place to anchor your thinking, a way to translate your ideas, and a system that is sustainable over time.

Act like a professional LinkedIn content strategist. You have over 15 years of experience helping corporate executives, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and B2B brands grow their visibility, engagement, and lead generation through LinkedIn content marketing. You specialize in content strategy that builds authority, nurtures relationships, and drives pipeline growth. Your task is to develop a comprehensive weekly content strategy tailored for a LinkedIn profile focused on [insert goal here, e.g., B2B SaaS growth, personal branding, executive leadership, AI consulting, etc.]. The strategy should aim to grow followers, increase engagement rates, and attract qualified inbound opportunities (e.g., sales leads, speaking invitations, partnerships). Step-by-step, do the following: Define the content pillars: Identify 4–6 recurring themes that the target audience would find valuable, relevant, and differentiated in the chosen niche. Label each pillar and explain why it is strategically important. Audience targeting: Describe the key demographics and psychographics of the LinkedIn audience you want to attract. Define their job titles, industries, challenges, interests, and the type of content they are most likely to engage with. Content calendar breakdown: Create a 5-day content posting plan (Monday to Friday). For each day: Assign a content pillar. Suggest a specific post idea. Recommend a post format (e.g., text post, carousel, poll, video, document, etc.). Include a suggested CTA (call-to-action). Tone, voice, and structure: Recommend best practices for tone of voice, storytelling structure, and length for LinkedIn posts that perform well with this audience. Include tips for the hook (first 2 lines), body, and ending line. Hashtag and timing strategy: Propose a set of 10–15 niche-specific hashtags for use across posts. Based on LinkedIn engagement patterns, recommend optimal posting times. Engagement strategy: Provide a short plan for engaging with other users’ content (e.g., commenting, reposting, direct messaging) in a way that drives reciprocity and algorithmic visibility. Metrics to monitor: Identify 5–7 core KPIs (e.g., impressions, profile views, connection requests, engagement rate, lead generation) to track weekly to measure success and optimize future content.

What is a content strategy — really? It's tempting to think it's a content calendar or brainstorming “content pillars". That’s not strategy. That's tactics. A real content strategy answers one question: How do we use content to... Build trust at scale Attract the right audience And move them to want to work with us? That's it. Here’s what goes into a solid content strategy (in plain English): 1/ Your brand story - Who are you? - What do you stand for? - What makes you different? *This is your foundation that makes everything else work.* 2/ Your audience & their journey - Who do you serve? - What challenges do they face? - Where are they in their journey? - How can your content meet them where they are? 3/ Your goals & impact - What transformation does your product or service create for your customers? - What results are you driving toward (i.e., engagement, leads, trust?) 4/ Your core content themes - What conversations does your ICP care the most about? - What big ideas do you want to own in your space? - What conversations do you want to lead? *This is where content pillars can help. But they’re a tool, not the strategy itself.* 5/ Your signature series & thought leadership - What do you want to be known for? - Is it a podcast, a newsletter, or deep-dive LinkedIn posts? - How will you show up consistently and stand out in your ICP's mind? -- *I'd add here that section two about your audience should really influence where you show up from a channel perspective. If your target audience isn't there/doesn't typically engage with a particular content format, don't waste your time.* -- A content calendar is important. But without strategy, it’s just a list of posts. A real strategy aligns your message, your audience, and your goals—so every piece of content is moving your business forward. Once you’ve got a strategy dialed in, tools like ChatGPT or Claude can help with the plan. - Brainstorming topics - Creating briefs and outlines - Even building a content calendar But they can’t replace the deep thinking that makes your content effective.

If your website isn’t driving engagement, attracting clients, or positioning you as a trusted authority, chances are it’s missing one thing: valuable content. A static website is just an online brochure - it sits there, waiting to be found. But when you add useful, well-researched content, it transforms into a powerful business development tool. Here’s how to do it right: 1. Build a Strategy That Works: Great content doesn’t happen by accident. Your plan should align with your audience’s needs, your expertise, and your resources (time, people, and budget). A content calendar keeps you consistent, so you’re always top of mind. 2. Prioritize Research-Driven Content: Opinion pieces can be interesting, but data-backed insights and original research build credibility. If you want your content to get shared, bookmarked, and cited, focus on providing real value such as new information, deep expertise, and actionable takeaways. 3. Use Multiple Formats to Reach More People: Not everyone consumes content the same way. Some people prefer in-depth articles, while others engage with videos, podcasts, or infographics. Repurpose your best ideas across different formats to maximize reach and impact. 4. Curate, But Add Your Expertise: Sharing industry news, expert interviews, and event takeaways is a smart way to add value—but don’t just repost. Layer in your own insights to make it meaningful for your audience. Thoughtful curation strengthens your brand as a go-to resource. 5. Never Publish Without Editing: Typos and unclear messaging can hurt your credibility. Take the extra step to review your work (or have someone else do it) before publishing. Professionalism matters. 6. Publish With Purpose: A great piece of content means nothing if no one sees it. Optimize your posts with search-friendly URLs, embed videos strategically, and make sure everything is easy to find. Then, share it where your audience is - on LinkedIn, in email newsletters, and beyond. Content builds trust, and trust leads to business. If your website isn’t actively helping you attract opportunities, it’s time to rethink your content approach. Done right, it can position you as the go-to expert in your industry. Let me know what you think of these tips in the comments below! #contentmarketing #personalbranding #legalmarketing #bestadvice

Most content strategies are not content strategies. "We post 3 times a week on LinkedIn and send a monthly newsletter." That's not a content strategy. That's a publishing schedule. A content strategy answers: → Who are we creating content for? (specific personas) → What problems are we solving? (specific pain points) → How does this content move people closer to buying? (clear journey) → What makes our perspective unique? (differentiated POV) → How do we measure success? (business metrics, not vanity metrics) Most content strategies I see are just: "Let's create helpful content about our industry." Too vague. Too generic. Too forgettable. Your content should have a point of view. It should take a stance. It should help specific people solve specific problems. If your content could work for any company in your industry, it's not strategic enough. Make it more specific, more opinionated, more useful.

Most content strategies are backwards. And this is why they fail. They start with, "What should we create?" Instead of, "What do our stakeholders need to believe?" Here's the right approach.👇 Step 1: Map stakeholder beliefs (not content types) - What does the CFO need to believe about ROI? - What does the CTO need to believe about implementation? - What does the end user need to believe about daily impact? And so on for EVERY SINGLE decision-maker and influencer in your sales cycle. Step 2: Design the belief journey - Belief 1: "We have a problem worth solving" - Belief 2: "Solutions like this can work." - Belief 3: "This specific solution fits our situation." - Belief 4: "This vendor can deliver results." - Belief 5: "The risk is worth the reward." Step 3: Create content that builds beliefs systematically - Don't start with "What format?" - Start with "What belief does this build?" - Then choose the format that builds that belief best. Example: enterprise software company ❌ Content-first thinking: "Let's create a whitepaper, some blog posts, and a webinar series." ✅ Message-first thinking: "CFOs need to believe ROI is measurable and predictable. CTOs need to believe implementation won't overwhelm their team. End users need to believe this will make their jobs easier, not harder. NOW... what content formats build those beliefs most effectively?" The result? Every piece of content has a purpose. Nothing gets created "just because." And your entire content library works together like a systematic persuasion machine. Your content should answer: - Why should they care? (Problem belief) - Why should they believe change is possible? (Solution belief) - Why should they choose you? (Vendor belief) - Why should they act now? (Urgency belief) Bottom line: Content without messaging strategy is just expensive noise. Messaging-driven content is systematic persuasion. What belief are you trying to build with your next piece of content?

Churning out content without a strategy is like running on a hamster wheel 🐹—lots of effort, no progress. The bar for content should be results — leads, pipeline, meetings. Not just "keeping up appearances." Instead of spinning your wheels, start with a strategy: 1️⃣ Research your ICP: Understand their pain points, needs, and what would make them a hero at work. 2️⃣ Craft targeted messaging: Develop content that speaks directly to them and solves their problems. 3️⃣ Use data-driven tactics: Leverage analytics to refine and optimize your efforts continuously. 4️⃣ Align with your sales team: Ensure your content supports the entire buyer journey and helps move prospects down the funnel. Stop wasting time on content that doesn't convert. Take the time and invest in a foundation that allows you to drive results.