3 steps to create a proven content strategy framework: The Content Umbrella

I first created content online in 2010. Since then, I’ve been developing 100+ content strategies responsible for millions of dollars in revenue.

I experimented with several types of content:

– Blogs posts
– Newsletters
– Whitepapers
– Lead magnets

& more.

Which type of content worked the best?

NONE.

The best results happened when each type of content supported the other ones.

That’s why after years of trial & error I ended up creating The Content Umbrella.

A proven content strategy framework every B2B company should use.

Here are 3 steps to build yours:

Step 1: Decide if you start big or small

What does this mean?

Well, it means having a clear starting point when it comes to content.

Are you creating long-form content first or short-form?

I know everyone is saying to create something big then extract smaller chunks for social media, but that’s not the only way.

It’s important to start with your biggest strength.

Are you already a founder creating content on LinkedIn?

Go from small → big.

Do you have a content writer creating long-form content?

Go from big → small.

Step 2: Create your distribution system

I saw amazing content that underperformed because of the distribution, not the quality.

So before actually creating more content, make sure your distribution strategy is right.

To increase the chances of getting the most out of your content, consider using the following distribution channels:

(The order depends on how you start (big or small)

1. Downloadable Materials
2. Website Content Hub
3. Weekly Newsletter
4. Action Emails
5. Social Posts

#1: Downloadable Materials

Create something worth money but give it away in exchange for just an email address.

You will be in 100% control over your audience and see exactly who says “I’m interested” by looking at the data from the email client.

#2: Website Content Hub

Build a “Hub” on your website and find a way to put all the content there, accessible for free.

First, you will start to get a lot of organic traffic without extra effort, and second, you will give people browsing your website who are not ready to buy a reason to remember you.

#3: Weekly Newsletter

Invest 30-60 minutes per week and create a weekly newsletter aimed to help your audience even more.

By having interactions with them week by week you make sure when they enter the “buying mode” they reach out to you without considering other competitors.

#4: Action Emails

As the name suggests, Action Emails are supposed to make people take action and “be present”.

Depending on the nature of your business, the Action Emails can invite people to a monthly webinar, download a checklist, invest $100 in a workshop, etc.

#5: Social Posts

Ideally, Social Posts should be “Personal Social Posts” simply because people buy from people.

Besides that, people spend time on socials, so… make sure you’re there and you build trust before prospects land on your website.

Step 3: Engineer the entire flow

By doing some of these tactics alone, you may see some results from time to time.

If you’re looking for something predictable, that can be scaled with time, you have to engineer the entire flow and create it like a well-oiled engine.

Every business has its own flow, based on its nature of it and the existing situation.

But I’ll show you a “sample” of a flow I successfully used over the years:

1: You start creating weekly content on social to reach people from your target market.

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2: You give people “a taste” of your content and invite them to join your newsletter using a downloadable material.

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3: You start having a weekly interaction with them by sending the newsletter.

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4: You email them for 60-90 days before moving to the Action Emails in order to have some data.

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5: You look for intent signals and start adding Action Emails for people who raised their hands.

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6: You take all the content you create and add it constantly to the Website Content Hub for SEO purposes.

As I said, what you saw here was a “sample” that has to be adapted and created based on your business.

But probably you noticed even from this example how all the actions “blend” each other to align with the way people are buying and turn visibility into clients.

This framework works exactly because of that.

It was designed having in mind the way people are buying.

It doesn’t force anyone to do anything.

It just puts your business in the front of customers’ eyes exactly when they need it.

And if you didn’t notice, it does that with a high Effort → Impact ratio.

With a good distribution system and flow, you can turn 1 piece of content into 3-5 evergreen assets.

That’s why The Content Umbrella…

Brings results.
It’s predictable.
And scale with time.