I like the idea of thinking about content development as a factory. There are specific skill sets that are necessary to develop great content. Far too often, we expect a single person to be the policy maker, vendor relationship manager, content developer, and analyst. You need to treat content development as a specific focus. Give the folks responsible for this never ending task some room to breath.
I realize it is not practical for all companies to separate these responsibilities. Still, the structure of the content development process should separated. You need to create an environment where creativity, skill, understanding of audience, and a little luck can come together to craft great content.
With the guardrails of a content development framework, the creative development process can flourish.
Considering you might be serving several persona audiences and building several sets of content, it can be easy to let things slip through the cracks. This is why you need a process.
The Content factory is your process. It is your checklist. Each week / month, you work against a calendar. You divide tasks and activities. You test the historical trends of previous content and make it better with each round.
Of course, many people dread processes, but if you expect to be serious about creating great content, it’s a must.
*This article is part of a series titled Elements of an Effective Content Program. See below to review the related content.
Elements of an Effective Content Program – Series:
- Importance of Knowing Your Audience
- CRM Structure
- Defining strategies for each persona group
- Content Factory – Make Great Content!
- NEXT: Intentional Distribution / Marketing Automation
- Measurement and Adjustment