Content Planning

I’ve been in content marketing since early 2015. With almost a decade of experience, I’ve tested dozens of content planning software, spreadsheets, and calendars over the years. Collaborations with leading companies like HubSpot, Cognism, Userpilot, and small startups gave me the chance to work with tons of workflows and features. Some were love at first click, and some were meh. This article is a rundown of my six favorite content planning tools out there, complemented with insights from other content experts. Table of Contents What is content planning software? 4 Benefits of Using Content Planning Software What to Look for in Content Planning Software The 6 Best Content Planning Software What is content planning software? Content planning software is a tool that helps you organize, schedule, track progress and post-dues, and manage your content creation process with teammates in one place. It keeps your ideas, deadlines, briefs, publishing, and content distribution tasks on track, whether you’re working solo or as part of a team. A content marketing manager easily spots gaps in content planning one month’s time ahead and gets their team to address the issues collaboratively. 4 Benefits of Using Content Planning Software Content planning software is so versatile that its benefits become a long list. Yet I’d group them together into four categories: 1. Keeps everything organized and saves time. Remember the days when your content ideas were scattered across random docs and notes? OK, I’m still guilty of it. But now I move everything written to software and set deadlines, add attachments, draft the concept into a task’s description, etc. Plus, it became a priority for our team’s weekly planning meetings — every idea goes to a backlog where a manager or responsible person picks tasks to work on a given week. At HubSpot, we also use Asana to organize content marketing, media, and SEO, work with contractors and freelancers to keep them on track, and govern the whole process of content creation. 2. Helps track progress. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing tasks move from “in progress” to “done.” I love the visual progress bars and calendars — they keep me motivated and show me exactly where things stand. Speaking of that, Scan2CAD demonstrated how Trello streamlined its workflows. With over 90,000 customers and fewer than 25 employees, they needed a simple way to track progress. Before Trello, juggling multiple systems made tracking a headache for the entire time. Now, Trello takes care of everything and gives a clear view of where each task stands — from content creation to sales to development. Its straightforward setup made it easy to manage workflows and hit deadlines. As CEO Luke Kennedy, says, “We’ve saved hours of time and pain, plus a lot of money.” 3. Encourages collaboration. Instead of endless email threads, everyone in the team updates the same tool. Comments, changes, and approvals happen all in one place, saving us tons of back-and-forth. Mangopay’s experience with Notion is a perfect example of this. They streamlined their knowledge-sharing by replacing multiple tools with a single workspace. This added to collaboration and engagement — 64% of their 500 employees contribute as editors and 91% are active monthly. By tearing down silos, Mangopay saw impressive results — like eliminating an HR Slack channel because answers were all in Wikis. Source 4. Improves efficiency. Having a clear plan means fewer last-minute scrambles, which leads to better ideas and execution. I can now schedule brainstorming sessions and still have time to refine everything before it goes live. A perfect example of this is ON24 and their experience with CoSchedule. Before they started using it, their marketing team struggled with organizing their social media and blog content. Deadlines were missed, and opportunities to grow their online presence were often overlooked. But once they centralized their content planning, they quadrupled their blog output from 24 to 112 blogs a year🔥. This boost in content production drove a 98% increase in blog traffic and a massive 1,412% growth in organic traffic. Source A content planning tool is a must. But how should you select which one to use from so many options? What to Look for in Content Planning Software When I was looking for a perfect content planning tool, here’s what I focused on: Ease of use. I wanted something simple. No complicated dashboards and a fancy design to waste time figuring out how to use it. Collaboration. Since I work with a team, it needed to have real-time collaboration features. Task assignments, comments, attachments, postponed tasks, notifications, recurring tasks, multiple assignees, subtasks, and easy file sharing were a must. Content calendar. I needed a solid content calendar to keep everything organized and on schedule. I wanted to see all my posts and deadlines in one spot. Customization. I needed to adjust the tool to fit my process. I didn’t want to change how I worked just to make the tool fit. Integrations. It had to sync with other tools I already use — social media managers, analytics, you name it. Analytics. I wanted to track how my content was doing without pulling info from a bunch of places. Templates. Templates for blogs, social posts, and newsletters helped me save time. No need to start from scratch every time. Mobile access. I needed a tool I could access on the go. Cloud-based or mobile-friendly was another must. Storage. I wanted to store everything in one place — drafts, images, final pieces — so I don’t need to dig through emails or folders. Alright, let’s now see which tools cover all (or at least most) of these nine points mentioned. Each one has its strengths, and in the end, I’ll leave the final decision up to you. The 6 Best Content Planning Software 1. ​​Asana My first time using Asana wasn’t exactly a great experience — but I didn’t really give it a fair shot. Plus, to be honest, it wasn’t as awesome back then as it is now. Now, 90% of my past

Ok, this has to be one of the most meta projects I’ve worked on: a piece of digital content about digital content — but, hey, it’s an important one. From toddlers to senior citizens, everyone today wields a mobile device. So much of our lives are spent staring at screens that very few can say they don’t consume digital content, whether they call it that or not. No one knows this better than modern marketers, but for those of you new to the field or looking for a refresher on what actually falls under the umbrella of digital content, I’m here to break it down. I’ll also share what some industry thought leaders predict digital content will look like next year. Table of Contents What is digital content? Types of Digital Content Importance of Digital Content How to Create Great Digital Content Examples of Great Digital Content What will digital content look like in 2025? (According to Experts) What is digital content? Simply put, digital content is any type of media used to reach and connect with an audience that is created, hosted, and distributed through the internet. Many people, like artists, digital creators, journalists, and media organizations, create digital content simply because it’s their offering; it’s a new medium for them to express themselves and communicate with others. However, businesses, entrepreneurs, and marketers like me usually create digital content to drive traffic and awareness, generate new leads, and convert new customers. In other words, digital content could also be defined as online media created for content marketing. Types of Digital Content Content thought leader and Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs Ann Handley once said, “Everything the light touches is content” — and she’s not really exaggerating. That email you deleted this morning? Digital content. The meme your dad texted you this morning? Digital content. The YouTube video linked in your group chat? Digital content. This article? Digital content. And that’s just scratching the surface. Digital content includes, but is not limited to: Blogs/Articles Videos (Static and Live) Podcasts Images (Photographs, Graphics, Infographics) Emails (Newsletters, RSS feeds, transactional emails) Downloads (Guides, Reports) Webinars Templates Interactive Tools (Quizzes, Calculators, etc.) Social Media Now, some of these mediums can exist offline, too, like articles, quizzes, and templates, but when they are digitized, they offer a number of unique and unmatched benefits. Importance of Digital Content For modern businesses, the importance of digital content can’t be overstated — and I don’t say this simply because my career depends on it. Overall, content can drive brand awareness and build trust with your audience but digital content management comes with a wealth of operational benefits that analog mediums don’t. Benefits of Digital Content Cost-effective One of the biggest benefits of digital content is its cost-effectiveness. Many mediums use low — or no-cost tools such as blogging, SEO, and social media, making it accessible for businesses and teams of all sizes. Yes, paying seasoned, skilled professionals to own and execute your digital content strategy can come at a pretty penny, but the barriers otherwise are quite low. Plus, your work tends to compound. Once you build site authority and social media followings, quality digital content tends to deliver more without much more immediate attention. Versatile and Scalable Don’t get me wrong, I love traditional media. I love seeing what I’ve designed or written brought to life as something tangible that I can touch and feel — but these sensory analog treats are just not as versatile or convenient as digital. With its online format, digital content is easy to repurpose for different platforms and mediums and enhance for use on larger scales. Blog posts can be turned into videos or social media posts, and podcasts can be transcribed into guides. Digital content can also be cross-posted or promoted to multiple platforms with just the push of a button. This just can’t be done as efficiently with analog content. Pro tip: AI can make repurposing content even easier for marketers. Learn more in this article. Easier Collaboration Being internet-based, digital content is also easier to share and collaborate on with people near or far. For instance, if I stage an article for publishing in the HubSpot CMS, anyone on my team with the right permissions can go in and leave comments or make edits to it. All someone needs to share their input is a link and an internet connection. Better Analytics When you publish an article in a newspaper or hang a billboard, you can’t truly know how many people took the time to read that message and take action. With digital content, you can. Most social media tools and content management systems offer in-depth information on your content’s performance, such as views/clicks and conversion rates, but they can also be linked to third-party tools like Google Analytics or Databox to get even more granular. These insights can help you better understand what types of digital content are working to achieve your goals and what you may need to change. Ok, so how do you create this oh-so-useful digital content? How to Create Great Digital Content Creating digital content isn’t really that different from creating for analog mediums. It’s when the time comes to distribute and analyze that the two go in different directions. Let’s talk through the five main steps of creating digital content, and I’ll explain. Plan At this point, we will assume you’ve already determined what you are trying to achieve with your content. In other words, you know what you need to get your audience to do or feel after consuming it and grasp who they are and what they’re interested in. (This is all a part of a greater content marketing plan.) So, here, you outline your content. You create your game plan for the piece of content you want to create. This includes, but is not limited to: Title Focus Keywords/Topic Key Talking Points Medium Platform Call-to-action This is the first step I take with every article or piece

When I changed careers from classroom teacher to content writer and editor, I little suspected the AI revolution that was about to take place. In just two years, 74% of marketers are now using AI in their roles. While many questions about AI still remain unanswered, I’ve discovered that content intelligence can be a game-changer for content marketers. Imagine taking the guesswork out of your content strategy by knowing where your target audience is, what they want, how to reach them, and receiving real-time performance data. This is what a content intelligence tool can do for you. Keep reading to discover what content intelligence is, why it’s useful, and how it can level up your marketing strategy. Table of Contents What is content intelligence? Benefits of Content Intelligence Tools Features to Look For in Content Intelligence Software Content Intelligence Tools How to Choose the Right Content Intelligence Platform I like to think of it as a GPS that leads you to a high-quality content strategy that drives leads, conversions, and revenue. You don’t have to guess what will interest your audience because the data shows you what performs well based on market and competitor analysis. Why is content intelligence important? Since many marketers use content to connect with and educate their audiences, having an accurate content strategy is a must. Relevant content served at the right moment in the right format is key to reaching your target audience. This is where content intelligence comes in. Each piece of content is an opportunity to attract, engage, and delight your customers. Content intelligence helps you accomplish all this more effectively. While content intelligence tools can do some of the content creation for you, I’ve discovered that what these tools really excel in is content strategy. They perform tasks such as market and competitor analysis, content optimization, and performance tracking so you can create an effective strategy based on real data. Take it from James Hacking, founder of Socially Powerful, “These tools don’t just measure performance; they inform your strategy by highlighting trends, preferences, and behaviors. The real benefit is that they let you create with confidence, knowing your content is aligned with what your audience wants, not just what you think they want.” I couldn’t agree more. Benefits of Content Intelligence Tools Content intelligence tools will help you create better marketing assets for your target audience, ultimately generating more leads, increasing engagement, and leading to higher ROI and sales. Belo, I share some benefits you can expect. Save time with automation. As with many AI solutions, content intelligence can save you time by automating tasks and speeding up the content creation process. In fact, marketers report saving over three hours on every piece of content they create with AI. Elisa Montanari, head of organic growth at Wrike, explained to me, “Content intelligence tools offer a more scalable system for coming up with fresh ideas, analyzing content gaps, and performing all sorts of other functions to save marketing teams time.” Source Automation doesn’t mean depending on AI to create your content or to replace your human marketers, but it can absolutely help with ideation, crafting outlines, editing videos, and distributing content. The more you can automate manual tasks, the more time you give your marketers for actual content creation. “Any repetitive, time-consuming process can be automated, such as keyword research and clustering, traffic and ranking analysis, content performance reports, audience segmentation, and more,” says Sarkis Hakopdjanian, president of Optiimus. Create a data-driven strategy. AI is a champ at collecting and analyzing data. A good content intelligence tool will go a step further and give you actionable insights to design and implement an effective content strategy. It can give you insight on: Market and industry trends. Keywords and topics to focus on. Content types and formats to leverage. Which platforms to publish on. How and what your competitors are doing. Brand sentiment and perception. Audience demographics and sources. “A big advantage is that it increases the overall quality of what you create, which means that the insights you provide in your content are backed by data,” shares Ron Evan del Rosario, digital marketing manager at Thrive Digital Marketing Agency. Del Rosario notes that these can direct you on what to write about, “including perfect keywords, topics, and formats so that your content is not just in sync but also interesting for the readers.” Improve audience reach and engagement. With a data-driven strategy in place, you will improve your reach and engagement — the ultimate goal of content marketing. Content intelligence can identify the topics your audience is searching for and which type of content they prefer. By producing more relevant content, you can increase your reach and audience engagement. In his nine years of digital marketing experience, del Rosario has found that one of the best things about content intelligence is getting to know your audience on a deeper level. “You discover some valuable insights about their likes, dislikes, and habits — and as a result, you are able to create content that is directed toward them. In turn, engagement increases, and you establish deeper relationships,” shares del Rosario. Furthermore, many tools can segment your audience based on specific actions, interests, behaviors, or engagement levels and provide them with relevant content in a timely fashion. I found Ashot Nanayan’s, head of marketing and founder at DWI, explanation helpful. “These tools let marketers find content gaps, optimize for high-converting keywords, and predict trends — all in service of improving both reach and engagement. They provide detailed analysis on search volume, competition, and related topics that allow for more targeted and personalized content creation,” he says. HubSpot research found that marketers say AI helps them: Improve the quality of the content they create (85%). Create content more efficiently (84%). Make significantly more content (82%). Create more personalized content (77%). Increase your marketing ROI. When it comes to your bottom line, content intelligence is worth the investment due it is high ROI potential. According to Forbes,

If you asked marketers about their 2025 content marketing budget, you’d be hard-pressed to get a straight answer. While marketers recognize the value of great content, it’s not always easy to define exactly what “great” content looks like — or how much it costs to create. I’m no exception. For more than a decade, I’ve been creating content for big brands and small companies alike. I’ve seen the pendulum swing from keyword-stuffed content to in-depth narrative exploration to the burgeoning use of AI to help kickstart writing efforts. And in all of this, I’ve never seen a single, simple way to determine exactly how much you should spend on your content marketing budget. The (hard) truth is that what you spend depends on a combination of content goals, market forces, and strategic business objectives. While I won’t be able to tell you exactly how to budget for your content marketing, I can help make the calculations easier by looking at current spending, budgeting best practices, and what’s on the horizon for content marketing. Table of Contents Is content marketing worth the money? Where are marketers spending on content creation? Content Marketing Budgets: How Much is Enough? How to Establish a Content Marketing Budget Content Marketing Types to Budget For Is content marketing worth the money? My simple answer? Yes. My slightly more complex answer? Yes, so long as your content reaches and resonates with the right audience. According to HubSpot’s State of Marketing in 2024 Report, 50% of companies planned to increase their marketing budget this year. With 40% of Gen Z, 40% of Gen X, and 43% of Millenials saying they’ve discovered new products through content on social media, this ongoing investment makes sense. In fact, HubSpot dedicates a portion of its budget to creating content with the help of freelance writers. I’m a member of that team. “We absolutely find content marketing to be a worthy investment,” says Kaitlin Milliken, who runs HubSpot’s freelance writing program. “We need to keep content fresh and showcase expert insights that our in-house team may not have. Finding experts, showcasing their work and paying them fairly is all part of the model.” If marketers can engage with prospective buyers on the social platform of their choice, they can drive organic traffic to websites or ecommerce portals and increase the chances of sales conversion. Perhaps more importantly, engaging content can set the stage for an ongoing relationship that sees customers coming back again and again. Where are marketers spending on content creation? I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear me say that the global reach of social media sites makes them the primary focus for content creation spending. For example, Facebook has more than 3 billion active monthly users. Instagram boasts 2 billion, and up-and-comer TikTok recently passed the 1.5 billion mark. In 2024, 76% of B2C small businesses were using Facebook as part of their content creation strategy, and 63% used Instagram. LinkedIn, meanwhile, was used by 89% of B2B marketers to generate leads. TikTok, meanwhile, was tied with YouTube and Instagram for delivering the biggest ROI of any marketing strategy, according to 67% of marketers. In terms of content types on these platforms, video rules the roost. Consider that 89% of customers say that product explainer videos have influenced them to make a purchase, and 92% of marketers say that video provides positive ROI. Emails also remain a popular content marketing approach, with some caveats. First is that segmented emails outperform their generic counterparts, with marketers reporting 30% more opens and 50% more clickthroughs on segmented emails. In addition, GenAI is becoming a key component of email marketing strategies, with 95% of marketers using GenAI rating it as “effective.” Content Marketing Budgets: How Much is Enough? When it comes to content marketing budgets, “enough” is the amount that gets you the results you want without breaking the bank. I know, I know — that’s not exactly helpful. There are two reasons for a lack of hard-and-fast rules in content marketing budgets. First is the changing nature of content engagement. Look at TikTok. Five years ago, TikTok was primarily a platform for teenagers and young adults. While silly and funny videos drove views, they had little impact on purchasing decisions. Enter the era of the social media influencer, and the TikTok shop was born. Creator funds combined with expanding demographic influence made TikTok a force to be reckoned with, even as other platforms saw a flattening of ad curves (looking at you here, Facebook). All this is to say that there’s no such thing as a sure thing in content marketing. Right now, it makes sense to ramp up spending on platforms like TikTok and YouTube and take it slower on platforms like Facebook or Instagram. It’s also worth remembering a simple mantra: Easy come, easy go. While TikTok is a social selling powerhouse right now, it won’t last forever. So, in addition to the change in the landscape, markets looking to create a content marketing budget also have to consider how industry plays a role in setting content marketing budgets. “When it comes to our budget for working with writers, our program is always looking at industry rates,” Milliken says. “We can’t make great content or work with great people if we’re paying below what’s standard. Oftentimes, you do get what you pay for.” For example, businesses in the banking and finance industries often spend approximately 9.5% of total company revenue on marketing. Retail wholesalers spend 14.52% on average, while consumer packaged goods companies shell out just over 25% of total revenue on marketing. How to Establish a Content Marketing Budget While your content marketing budget will evolve and change over time, I’ve seen how you can establish a solid funding framework with these five best practices. 1. Pinpoint your target audience. Don’t waste money on marketing to customers who aren’t interested in your product or service. While you may get the occasional unexpected conversion, I can tell you

Way back in the day, I participated in a kid’s gardening competition and won! Through my years in marketing, I’ve realized that gardening and marketing have a lot in common — especially when it comes to content seeding. Every summer, I start a vegetable garden. I purchase seeds, plant them, tend to them, and, with the right weather conditions, help them grow. Content seeding is very similar. However, instead of hoping to grow a prized zucchini, marketers “plant” content to grow brand awareness and leads. To better understand how content seeding works, I spoke with Jonathan Goldberg, founder and CEO of Kimberfire. I’m sharing what I learned during the conversation about content seeding and how you can use it to market your brand. Table of Contents What is content seeding? What is influencer seeding? Content Seeding vs. Gifting Where Content Seeding is Commonly Used Creating an Influencer Seeding Strategy Content Seeding Examples Content seeding allows brands to highlight their content in places where target audiences will see and engage with it. Here’s what Goldberg had to say, “Content seeding is the strategic distribution of valuable content across various platforms and networks to organically reach and engage your target audience.” Goldberg notes that the process involves planting content in places where it can grow visibility, like through blogs, social media, or partnerships. This leads to increased brand awareness and trust. If you’re an avid podcast listener like me, you’ve likely heard an ad about Quince, an online fashion retail brand. Typically, podcast hosts read the Quince ads and give glowing reviews about the brand. I won’t lie. These reviews have convinced me to check Quince’s website more than a few times. That’s content seeding. Part of the reason content seeding (sometimes referred to as product seeding) is so successful is that the content shared by influencers or partners is relevant to the target audience. And brands know this because they’ve conducted market research, which gives them clues about where to seed content. What is influencer seeding? Influencers are a prime choice for content seeding because they usually have large audiences. These audiences have been proven to trust influencers more than their friends. Goldberg explained influencer seeding to me, too. He said, “It’s the process of sending products or services to influencers in your target demographic with the aim of encouraging authentic reviews, content creation, and word-of-mouth marketing.” According to Goldberg, successful influencer seeing involves finding advocates who align with your brand values and audience to amplify your message in a relatable. Like content seeding, using influencers who align with the interests of your target audience will yield the best results because their audience trusts them. For example, you can collaborate with: Industry leaders who are trusted experts in their niche. Micro-influencers who have built a small but tight-knit community of loyal followers. Working with influencers can be an advantage when you segment or narrow your target audience. Social media platforms are inundated with marketing campaigns and ads. Make your product or service stand out by tapping into smaller influencers’ networks and using word-of-mouth cred. Content Seeding vs. Gifting Before we get too far into it, I think it’s helpful to discuss the differences between content seeding and gifting. I like to think of gifting as a strategy under the content seeding umbrella. Gifting is a great marketing tactic for eliciting genuine comments about your brand. Typically, your brand identifies an influencer in your niche, and you send them your product or service for free. You would include a note that says, “If you like our product, consider talking about us on your channels.” With gifting, you leave the ball in the influencer’s court. Since your product or service is a gift, they don’t technically have to use it. But it’s great when they do because this helps with your reach. Gifting works best when you target several influencers within your niche. This gives you a better chance of spreading the word about your brand. However, influencers aren’t the only way to facilitate product seeding. You can also contact an agency specializing in seeding or contact thought leaders for a partnership. Where Content Seeding is Commonly Used While blogging and editorial outlets previously served as the primary avenues for content seeding, social media platforms have become the dominant method of choice. Content seeding works on platforms like: TikTok. Twitter. YouTube. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Podcasts. Pinterest. But, all of these platforms are useless if you don’t have a plan to use them. Next, we’ll dig into tips for creating an effective influencer seeding campaign. Creating an Influencer Seeding Strategy Goldberg has used content seeding to spread awareness about his brand, Kimberfire. So, I asked him for tips on creating a product seeding strategy. Here’s what Goldberg told me. 1. Set your end goal. Before you start planning your seeding strategy, think about your end goal. For instance: What would you like to accomplish? Are you looking to build brand awareness or boost sales? Are you trying to grow your follower count? Once you have established your goals, you can assess which platform would be most effective for achieving them. 2. Research ideal influencers. By now, you should have clear personas to identify your target audience. Now, it’s time to identify your ideal influencers. When I asked Goldberg about this, he reiterated that working with micro- and nano-influencers whose audience aligns with your brand values is best. With that information in hand, look into the types of people they would follow and their interests. Look at trending hashtags or topics about your brand and the influencers who follow them. 3. Send relevant content, services, and products. You should make sure that what you send to an influencer to promote is relevant to their brand and audience. For example, if you sell artisan chocolates, you may want to reach out to influencers who have content dedicated to chocolate sweets and desserts instead of just sending products to foodies in general. This is where going

I’ve worked in a lot of different industries — as a freelancer, as a manager of freelancers, as a marketer, as a writer — and you know what never changes? The need for content creators to be crystal clear on their assignments.  One of the simplest ways to achieve this is to write content briefs. Don’t be deceived, though: Even though a content brief is simple, it’s still important to get it right.  Table of Contents What is a content brief? Importance of Content Briefs Elements of a Content Brief How to Write a Content Brief What is a content brief? A content brief is a short document — if you can keep it to a page or two, everybody will be happy — that’s a guide or blueprint for creating content. The specifics will vary depending on the kind of content you’re creating and who the brief is for, but it should anticipate and answer top-level questions about content, format, communication, and so forth. If you manage freelance writers, a content brief will be a lifesaver for both you and your writers — and that’s only a slight exaggeration. Your content briefs will describe exactly what’s expected of the writer, including any required subheadings, target word count, and deadlines. If you work on a project with multiple partners at multiple organizations, a simple content brief will give everybody a single source of truth. Content Briefs vs. Creative Briefs Although they sound similar, content briefs and creative briefs serve different purposes. A creative brief outlines a campaign, and may include more extensive messaging, deliverables from multiple contributors, and other details that give shape to the entire campaign. A content brief focuses on a specific piece of content — my examples below are for written content, but you could use the same elements to create a content brief for videos, podcasts, or anything else you’re producing. If you’re using software like Content Hub, a brief will be the foundation for each piece of content. Importance of Content Briefs Sure, you could try to muddle through without one, but they save more time than they take to write. I once worked on a project with several external partners, and other than Slack and Google Docs, nobody used the same organizational tools, and it caused a lot of frustration and confusion. I pulled together a generic content brief that could be iterated on for specific assignments. It included approved messaging, links to all the documents that everybody was working on, and major deliverables and deadlines. You could almost hear the sigh of relief in the Slack channel. I used to do some freelance writing, and my favorite client was the one that had the best content brief. Writing for a new client can be intimidating, even for experienced writers, because you have to learn a new style guide, a new voice, and maybe even an entirely new target audience. That particular client included a one-page brief with each assignment. It included the target word count and the rate, the name of the publication and its audience, as well as links to the style guide and any assets, a description of the assignment, and the assigning editor and due date. If an interview was required, contact info was provided. They were a dream to freelance for because I never wasted time with logistical questions — the expectations were clear and everything I needed was at my fingertips. If you’re editing content, providing a clear content brief will reduce the number of revisions and rewrites (not to mention frustration!). Let’s talk about how to strike a balance between detailed and concise. Elements of a Content Brief The elements of a content brief will vary depending on your needs, but here are what I think are the absolute essentials: Point person and/or a responsibility matrix Communication protocols, such as a Slack channel Clear description of the project or assignment, including target audience and word count Links to assets, messaging, style and/or brand guides, and any other relevant shared documents Deliverables and deadlines You might also include: Approved messaging and/or language from partners KPIs Funnel stage Links to similar content that can be used as a model or inspiration Links to the competition Links to audience personas When I’ve worked on marketing multi-partner podcasts, I’ve found it helpful to include a few bullet points of approved messaging, noting who has approved on behalf of each partner. Some stakeholders may have certain requirements for how their company or organization is described, and your writers and content marketers will need that info. Keep it simple: Pro tip: Especially when working with external partners, it’s often worth repeating important brand details that are in your style guide. Don’t get too bogged down here — the style guide exists for a reason — but stakeholders will appreciate having this info at hand. If you’re writing content briefs for freelancers, you’ll want to make sure they have access to any information they might need during the course of their assignment — style or brand guidelines, Slack channels, who to contact with questions, and any context for the assignment. Let’s dig into “clear description of the assignment,” since that can contain a lot of important details for your writer(s), such as: Purpose. Tell the writer what the content goal is; maybe it’s a blog post to address demand for a certain keyword, or maybe you need ad copy and a variety of CTAs for a new product. SEO/keywords. What does your writer need to know about target keywords? Are there any keywords or topics that they should avoid to prevent content cannibalization? Subject matter experts and sourcing. In our brave new E-E-A-Tified world, firsthand experience is more important than ever. If your writer is expected to conduct SME interviews, include that in the brief. You may also ask that they provide links to any other sources they’ve used to assist with any light fact-checking. Required subheadings and other technical specifications. If you’ve

I love to do content research — what’s more satisfying than falling down a few Google rabbit holes? (Don’t answer that.)  Of course, great marketing content is built on more than just Google search results. I’ve put together a six-step guide to how I do my own content research for HubSpot blog posts using a real-life example. Table of Contents What is content research? Why is content research important? Components of Content Research How to Do Content Research On the one hand, content research is exactly what it sounds like — researching content. But it’s a deceptively simple term for a process that’s a lot more complex than a few Google searches. Put into marketing terms, content research is the systematic process of gathering information to create valuable content that meets your readers’ needs, furthers your business goals, and ranks in search results. Why is content research important? Thoughtful and thorough research will reward you with compelling, engaging, and genuinely helpful content. You’re probably already doing keyword research (if not, learn the basics!), and you probably already know subject-matter experts in your company or network. Content research will connect all these points together. And “genuinely helpful” cannot be understated. If you understand search intent and can answer your users’ questions, you’re establishing your brand as an authority, setting yourself up for return visitors, and showing Google that you know your stuff. Having a structured research plan will help with other aspects of your content workflow, like a marketing calendar or editorial calendar, content intelligence, and any other tools you and your team use to maintain a well-oiled marketing machine.  Components of Content Research Although the sub-steps of content marketing research may look a little different depending on your project and field — we’ll get into that in the next section — there are a few basics that are foundational to great content. Keyword Research Begin at the beginning, as they say. Keyword research is the gateway to analyzing search intent that answers not just your users’ initial questions, but also their follow-up questions (and maybe even questions they didn’t know they had). You can check out our beginner’s guide to keyword research, but here are the main elements to keep in mind: Relevance: Your content will only rank for a keyword if it meets the searchers’ needs. Authority: Google provides more weight to sources it deems authoritative. Volume: Volume is measured by MSV (monthly search volume), which means the number of times the keyword is searched per month across all audiences. Audience Research You probably already know who your target audience is, and you may even have customer or buyer personas. Also consider search intent and follow-up questions. If I’m writing marketing content about bedding, let’s say, there’ll be a substantial difference in the audience for budget bedding versus luxury bedding. For the former, I might be looking for subject-matter experts on different kinds of materials, including less expensive options. If I’m marketing luxury bedding, I might look for experts on the highest-quality materials and construction methods. Whoever your audience is, keep those personas in front of you as you conduct the rest of your research so you don’t find yourself down the wrong rabbit hole. For a deeper dive into market research, including a how-to guide, check out our market research guide and templates. Competitor Research You’ll likely turn up some competitors as you do your keyword research. I like the Ahrefs tool that compares two sites so you can see what one has that the other doesn’t — this can be super useful if you’re comparing a top-ranking competitor with one that ranks a bit lower. What sets the number one apart from the rest? Continuing with luxury bedding, here’s what Ahrefs’ keyword explorer looks like: Source I want to see what the top-ranked result has that the 10th result doesn’t. In the Competitive Analysis tab, I can input both of those URLs, like so: Source When I hit “Show keyword opportunities,” I can see what the top-ranked link has that the 10th-ranked link doesn’t: Source I confess I don’t know exactly what “coastal bedding” is, but the top-ranked link has a lot of it. Knowing where my competitors are killing it will help me think about the search intent of my target audience. Start thinking about what you bring to the table in terms of your own experience, knowledge, and network. What holes in search intent might you be able to fill? Topical Research Whether you start on Google or an AI-powered search engine, make sure that you’re careful about your sources. Are they websites or publications that you know and trust? What info can you find about the author in their bio or on LinkedIn? (Random pro tip that hopefully you’ll never need, but: If something seems too good to be true, check and make sure it’s not dated April 1. I know more than one smart writer who’s fallen for a brand’s April Fools’ joke.) A few starting points I’ve relied on in my own research: Search LinkedIn for your keywords. Oftentimes, I’ll find experts and thought leaders talking about exactly what I’m writing about. Just be sure that you cite and link to them if you use their writing as a source. Pro tip: Do your due diligence — read the person’s LinkedIn profile and make sure you can trust their expertise. Search Google Scholar. Even though the results might be too academic for your audience, this has helped me locate experts and find the newest research, especially when AI is involved. Pro tip: Check the publication date or restrict your search to the last couple years, unless you’re looking for historical knowledge. For studies, make sure you understand the sample size and the geographical location — they might be quite different to your own target audience, so proceed with caution. Post on your own LinkedIn. If you have a sizable following and/or a strong network in your industry, letting other content managers

Within the last few years, many marketers have started asking, “What is the future of content marketing? And is it worth our investment?” I think that’s a valid question, considering a sound content marketing strategy is one of the best ways a business can help shape its brand identity, garner interest from prospects, and retain an engaged audience. However, content marketing is constantly changing. And it definitely doesn’t look the same as it did 10 years ago. To fully understand the evolution of marketing, we need to understand both where it’s been and where it’s going. In this post, we’re going to take a look at how content marketing has evolved in the past decade and how it’s going to evolve in the next one, according to expert predictions. Table of Contents How Content Marketing Evolved in the Past Decade How AI Is Changing the Future of Content Marketing How E-E-A-T Influences the Algorithm and Marketing Strategies How Content Marketing Will Evolve in the Next Decade How Content Marketing Evolved in the Past Decade Google changed the game. In 2011, Google conducted its landmark Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) study. It found that 88% of shoppers use what’s known as a Zero Moment of Truth — a discovery and awareness stage in a buying cycle where a consumer researches a product before buying it. Google’s research also indicated that word of mouth was a definitive factor in swaying that moment. The study provides a unique point of reference in the context of content marketing’s evolution. It captures the essence of how and why businesses needed to focus on content marketing at the beginning of the 2010s. It was tacit evidence that companies’ stories were being told online — well beyond the control of their marketing departments — and it was in their best interest to help shape those conversations. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) The ZMOT study highlighted the need for sound Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Ranking for relevant keywords on search engines became all but essential to bolstering a company’s online presence and holding up during consumers’ Zero Moments of Truth. But, that study wasn’t the only bombshell Google dropped in the early 2010s. Around the time the study came out, Google’s search ranking algorithm changed to discourage “keyword stuffing” — the practice of repetitively loading a web page with specific keywords to try to sway search engine rankings. Since then, Google’s search engine results have shifted to more thorough and relevant content. Many companies and services like Captain Words have leveraged these algorithm changes to provide optimized articles with extensive research. The change represented what is still a continuous effort by Google to provide users with positive, helpful online experiences. And it did just that. The shift set the stage for businesses to focus on producing more high-quality, meaningful content. Social media rose. But content marketing’s evolution wasn’t exclusively linked to search engines. Social media’s meteoric rise to prominence — one of the most disruptive trends in human history — also had a profound impact on the practice. I still remember when Facebook became popular in high school. Anyone and everyone was on the platform. As social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X developed into mainstays of everyday life, they presented new challenges for content marketers. Pointed vs. Passive Consumption As social media evolved, it popularized a different kind of content consumption than search engines. The difference boiled down to a matter of “pointed versus passive.” Consumers use search engines to find content more pointedly. Generally speaking, when you use a search engine, you’re looking for a specific answer or a specific subject. Social media allows users to consume content more passively on their preferred platforms. The content you see on your Facebook feed is finding its way to you — not the other way around. That trend incentivized the creation of more shareable, attention-grabbing content that could easily be spread across social media channels. In fact, as of 2024, social media is still among the top three marketing channels with the biggest ROI. It’s the first place many Gen Z and Millennials head to when looking for new products, and 31% of consumers use it to find answers to their questions. Source Video made a push. Video also emerged as one of the prevailing content marketing mediums as the decade progressed, particularly among younger consumers. As of 2024, short-form video content offers the highest ROI, and nearly 25% of marketers plan to invest more in this video format than in other content marketing strategies. Additionally, 89% of consumers report wanting to see more videos from brands. Video is inherently engaging. It’s generally easier to follow than blog posts, email newsletters, or ebooks. As the decade progressed, audiences took to it more and more. By the end of the 2010s, platforms like YouTube were central to the landscape of content marketing. Obviously, content marketing underwent several shifts in the 2010s, but as I said at the beginning of this article, the practice isn’t — and will never be — static. There are still plenty of changes to come, especially with the addition of artificial intelligence. How AI Is Changing the Future of Content Marketing Whether you love it or hate it, AI is here to stay, and it’s changing the future of content marketing. In recent years, generative AI has entered marketers’ everyday workflows, promising to free up time and help create better, more personalized content. As of 2024, 40% of companies have taken a proactive approach to AI, adding dedicated AI experts to their marketing teams. AI can automate marketing-related tasks. Do you remember Microsoft’s Clippy, the helpful little writing assistant? I’m old enough to remember chasing Clippy around the screen. However, if you have no idea what Clippy was because you were born after 2007, it was Microsoft’s early version of a virtual assistant designed to help users with tasks like page layout and spelling. Think of generative AI as the new Clippy, only better.

Ranging from brief social posts to deep-dive digital guides, I’ve written thousands of pieces of content for SaaS companies, small businesses, government offices, major nonprofits, and my own websites. These pieces of content were tracked and analyzed to gauge their success, but all using unique measuring sticks. How? Using a tailored content scoring process. With your own tailored content scorecard, you can create a data-driven process for measuring your individual content marketing success. I’ve gathered examples from my own websites and brands across industries, plus tips to help you create a powerful content scoring system. I even have a metric that one entrepreneur says can impact conversions by 50% — measured using a free tool. Excited? Let’s get scoring! Table of Contents What is content scoring? Why is content scoring important? How to Score Content Content Scoring Best Practices Content Scoring Tools ChatGPT For Scoring What’s a good content score? What is content scoring? Content scoring is the process of measuring the success of your content marketing. Metrics such as views, engagement, shares, and backlinks are tracked to analyze content quality and performance. The resulting scorecard helps steer future content creation. Why is content scoring important? Let’s zoom in on the three big benefits of content scoring, starting with the term every marketer loves to hate: single source of truth. Content scoring helps create a single source of truth. 93% of marketers with a single source of truth for data report that it’s beneficial for their organization, but only 65% of marketers actually have one. Lack of communication and alignment between departments is a top concern of marketers, per our 2024 State of Marketing survey. A scoring system unifies teams and facilities better communication, while also acting as a roadmap for populating your editorial calendar. Pro tip: Both your sales and marketing teams must be involved in the creation of the scoring system to maximize its potential. Content scoring helps you leverage expertise. I‘m not an expert in social listening and TikTok content performance. Guess what? I use Later to help me with that, which means I don’t need to be. The tools you use to score your content will leverage incredible amounts of expertise and put data-driven insights at your fingertips. While you can use generic tools such as ChatGPT (and I’ll share a prompt in a minute), a huge benefit of the content scoring process is choosing specialized tools that deepen your understanding of your content. Content scoring helps you prove ROI. Return on investment is always a priority for marketing teams and organizations as a whole. But then, why does so much data fall through the cracks? The numbers matter: Over half of marketing decisions are influenced by marketing analytics. Yet data’s falling through the cracks. 87% of marketers reported that data was their company’s most underutilized asset. Given that 50% of marketers plan on increasing their content marketing investment in 2025, marketing teams need to quantify content’s performance and prove ROI with as much detail as possible. How to Score Content Let‘s walk through the steps to score your content. After explaining each step, I’m going to show you how this looks using the example of a blog post from my website, Walk The Camino Portugués. There‘s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to content scoring. It’s important for you to find a system that works, and you’ll — wait for it — actually use it (happily, I hope). Use this as your starting point. Step 1: Choose which content you’ll score. Not all content can be scored the same way. Social media content is different from email, which has different metrics from website content. Start this process by choosing which content you’re going to be scoring. Options include: Social media posts. Email marketing. Landing pages. Product pages. Blog posts. Videos. As an example, I‘m going to be analyzing blog content for my travel site. Let’s look at which metrics belong on the scorecard. Step 2: Choose your metrics. You should consider key metrics related to content quality AND content performance. There are many numbers that you can choose from, and they don’t all need to be included on every scorecard (your marketing team will give you an ear full if you try). Choose what matters most to your target audience and your business objectives. Here are some suggestions — notice that these include both positive and negative metrics (more on this in a minute). Video percentage watched. Reader satisfaction. Impressions/views. Optimization score. Follows/unfollows. Video view rate. Time on page. Conversions. Bounce rate. Scroll depth. Readability. Comments. Backlinks. Exit rate. Shares. Clicks. Saves. What I’m measuring: The metrics that matter most to me with my new travel website are SEO score, website traffic, readability, and Pinterest saves. Given that this is a new website, I‘ll track SEO score and readability upfront and I’ll measure traffic and saves over a period of six months. Step 3: Choose tools to score content. The numbers you‘ll get from tools aren’t all the same. Some tools will score content by assigning an objective number, while others will gather analytical data. For example, SurferSEO might assign a blog post an optimization score of 72. This number reflects how my content performed against platform or industry benchmarks. An engagement tool, on the other hand, may share that content’s engagement rate is up 5%. The 72 and 5%, while both important, aren‘t directly comparable. It’s like comparing apples and oranges — keep this in mind as you parse your data. Consider these tools to score your content: Google Search Console (GSC): search visibility. Google Analytics 4 (GA4): website traffic. Hemingway App: content readability. SurferSEO: website optimization. SharedCount: social shares. ChatGPT: content analysis. Later: social analytics. Semrush: readability. It‘s worth noting that some insights won’t be discoverable using a content scoring method. Some extremely valuable insights can only be gathered through manual review of top-performing content and looking for trends. This is ideally done over a period with significant data, such as a

Content mills: the corner of the internet where everyone’s promised the moon, but most people are left in the dark. Writers are offered an opportunity to be nurtured by editors, build their writing skills, and develop a professional portfolio. Companies are promised quality work that’s delivered quickly for a minimal investment. I don’t think anyone comes out a winner in 90% of these arrangements. I know I lost when I wrote for a content mill ten years ago. Now with a freelance writing career and a book deal to my name, I see my time writing for content mills as a hazing period meant to induct me into the industry. Do quality content mills exist? Theoretically, yes (though it‘s hard to find good reviews to back any single company up). Let’s examine content mills from the perspective of both the content mill writers and the companies looking to buy these articles. You’ll probably be surprised at what you find. Table of Contents What are content mills? How Content Mills Work Content Mills You Might’ve Heard Of The Problem with Content Mills Content Mills: What to Do Instead What are content mills? Content mills, or content farms, are businesses that hire a large team of freelance writers and pay them generally low wages to produce an enormous amount of content for clients. Businesses sometimes order hundreds of articles at once, and content quality varies greatly. The demand for content mills has decreased greatly with AI writing and marketing tools. Content Mill vs. Content Marketing Agency Content mills may sound similar to content marketing agencies, but there are key differences. Payment Writers are often paid very low wages by content mills because of the quantity-over-quality approach. Agencies tend to value writers and compensate them better and see writers as team members instead of simply a way to fill up their marketing calendar for the year. Learning Opportunity Content mills target inexperienced writers, tempting them with the dream of being paid to write and shaped by professional editors. I found my job listing on Craigslist and received no training. Agencies don’t want to churn and burn through their contractor and instead want to build long-term relationships. Specialization Agencies often specialize in a specific niche, allowing them to hire editors and freelancers who have expertise (or receive training) in the industry they’re writing about. Reputation is everything to these specialists, and the opportunity for industry specialization is enormous. Here’s a real-world example: Kat Smith is the founder of several popular travel websites, as well as being the content manager at a digital marketing agency BuildUp Bookings that specializes in the vacation rental industry. She manages a large team of freelance writers and editors. Based on her expertise in the travel industry, she’s developed a rigorous system for assigning articles and creating vacation content. Kat even shared that they cap writers at a specific number of articles per month to maintain the highest quality for clients. This tailored, quality-first attitude is like night and day when compared to content mass production. How Content Mills Work So, how exactly does the content mill process work? Here’s an overview. Writers join and wait for assignments. After getting accepted by a content mill as a writer, you‘ll either get assigned articles by management, or you’ll have to bid and “win” article assignments from an internal job board. Companies order articles. Companies can order any type of writing from content mills, such as: Blog post with (most common). Product review. Product listing. Landing page. Copywriting. Fiction. My last content mill assignment was writing product listings for car parts. I didn’t even own a car. I resigned after I submitted my final work. Writers accept and process assignments. Writers accept assignments from clients and have to complete them during a specific time period. Turnaround time is often quick, and instructions on assignments vary greatly. Payment is often lower in the beginning with the promise of a raise down the road. Revision period. Once the client receives the article, there’s a period where they can request revisions. The number of revisions available depends on the package that the client paid for; sometimes unlimited revisions are a part of client packages. Receive payment. Payment methods vary based on your agreement, but you should be paid within a specified period of having your content accepted by the client. The companies will sometimes take a percentage of your earnings. One of the below mills takes 30%. Content Mills You Might’ve Heard Of I don’t have any personal recommendations for content mills, so I asked ChatGPT what the most reputable mills were. ChatGPT provided WriterAccess and Verblio, though I should mention that neither of these companies use the term “content mill” to describe themselves. Source I‘ve never worked with these companies directly, so I read dozens of reviews from both clients and writers. Here’s a summary of my findings. WriterAccess WriterAccess is a content marketing platform that connects businesses with a large pool of writers with diverse backgrounds. The platform allows you to vet writers to find specialized freelancers like doctors and lawyers, which means it has the potential to generate unique and insightful content by experts, rather than a run-of-the-mill rehashing of what’s already out there. While there’s a fair number of negative reviews out there, one independent publisher said that they were happy enough as a client to order 5,000+ articles. The timestamp on this review is dated for May 2022, before ChatGPT went public. It’s worth noting that a common sentiment from writers in their reviews of content mills is that the number of assignments plummeted post-ChatGPT. WriterAccess boasts a team of 15,000 writers, but online forums say that the work has been declining in recent years. You can read reviews here: Reviews on G2 Reviews on Glassdoor Verblio Verblio is a content platform that addresses the elephant in the room: AI content writing. They offer a specific AI content writing package, though other platforms offer similar services for free. You