Nailing Your Video Content Strategy in 7 Steps

Have you ever considered what separates a good video from a great one? What makes viewers click, engage, and share certain content but scroll past others? 

The answer is a robust video content strategy.

That’s where Maekersuite comes into play. Designed for modern creators, our platform recognizes the complexity of the digital world. With AI-powered pre-production capabilities, Maekersuite ensures you create strategic, targeted, impactful video messages.

This article is your roadmap to creating a remarkable video content strategy. You'll find seven steps to elevate your video content game, backed by Maekersuite’s expertise. We’ll equip you with a strategic vision and actionable tools to produce videos that attract and captivate viewers. 

Let’s get your strategy on point.

What We'll Cover:

What is Video Content Strategy?

Imagine planning a journey without a map or directions. It's easy to get lost, right? That's where a video content strategy steps in for creators. Simply put, it's the "map" for making videos people love watching and sharing.

So, who uses this "map"? 

Everyone from big brands to solo YouTubers, because having a clear plan means you know what you're creating, for whom, and how it will help you achieve your goals. 

You may want to:  

• Increase brand awareness
• Drive sales for a product
• Grow your subscriber base
• Educate your audience about a particular topic

When done right, a video content strategy pulls viewers closer to your brand and makes them feel connected and engaged. When you understand what your audience wants and tailor your videos to those needs, you make a bigger impact than your competitors. 

A good video content marketing strategy increases views while amplifying your brand's voice and impact.

6 Elements of Content Strategy

Crafting an effective video content strategy is like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. Every piece has its place, and when you assemble the pieces correctly, they create a clear picture of your brand’s story and vision. Let's examine the seven crucial elements to understand how they fit into your content marketing strategy.

1. Business Goals and Metrics

In any content strategy, the starting point should always be the overarching business goals. Why? Because content isn’t produced for the sake of putting something to post online. It's crafted to serve specific business objectives. These goals can include:

• Increase sales: Drive customers through the sales funnel
• Build brand awareness: Educate about the brand
• Customer retention: Keep customers engaged

Businesses employ metrics to measure progress toward these goals. Common metrics include:

• Sales: Conversion rates or leads from content
• Awareness: Page views or social shares
• Retention: Email open rates or repeat site visits

You’ll know your strategy’s effectiveness based on how well the content aligns with these goals and the monitoring of relevant metrics. Without this alignment, a content strategy may lack purpose, potentially wasting resources.

2. Audience and Market Research

Audience research helps you get into your audience's mindset. It lets you know who's watching and what they crave. You can tailor your videos for maximum impact by understanding their preferences, needs, pain points and viewing habits. 

Market research gives you a broader perspective. It helps you understand what your competitors are currently doing and how you can carve a unique niche to make your content stand out based on that research.

3. Creative Brief

Think of this as your video’s blueprint. A creative brief outlines a video's main message, target audience, tone, style, and deliverables. 

Defining the important things helps ensure that every shot, line, and edit resonates with your goals and audience. When all these aspects harmonize, your video doesn’t just look good—it feels right.

4. Content Calendar

Consistency is critical in the digital world; a content calendar helps you achieve that consistency. It helps you plan and schedule videos. Some of the key components of the content calendar include:

• Date: When the content will be published
• Topic/Title: Brief description or title of the content
• Type: Blog, video, podcast, infographic, etc.
• Channel: Where it will be published - website, social media, email newsletter
• Status: Draft, in review, scheduled, published
• Assigned to: Team member responsible for creation
• Deadlines: For drafts, revisions, and final submission
• Notes: Any additional details, links, or references
  

A content calendar ensures a steady stream of content for your video marketing campaign. When viewers know when they can expect your content, you become part of their routine.

5. Multi-Channel Guidelines

There are countless platforms in the vast digital space, each with its own vibe and audience. Multi-channel guidelines help you tailor content for each platform: YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. This ensures your content fits the platform's technical specs, culture, and user behavior.

6. Feedback

Listening is an art, and in video content, it's essential. Embrace feedback, whether it’s from comments, likes, or direct messages. This real-time data offers a goldmine of insights, showing what's working and what's not. 

When you adapt based on feedback, your video strategy remains agile, relevant, and in tune with your viewers.

Nailing Your Content Strategy in 7 Steps

Crafting a compelling video content strategy involves thoughtful planning, understanding your audience, and consistent optimization. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you nail your video content strategy. Each step has a direct impact on how you achieve your objectives.

1. Define your SMART goals

Setting SMART goals ensures you create a video marketing strategy with direction and purpose. Here’s an overview of what it means to set SMART goals:

• Specific: Make videos with a clear purpose, not because others are doing it. This helps choose content, measure success, and pick where to share it.

• Measurable: Instead of drowning in countless metrics, focus on what matters. If your goal is to grow an email list, concentrate on tracking newsletter sign-ups.

• Achievable: Set realistic video marketing goals. Use past data from your platforms to decide what's possible without overshooting or underselling.

• Relevant: Ensure your video addresses your audience's needs and relates to your product. A fun video might go viral, but if it's off-topic, it may not lead to desired actions.

• Time-bound: Prioritize videos based on timing. For instance, promote Caribbean cruises when appropriate, not during hurricane peaks.

You can’t measure success or find gaps in your strategy without clear objectives. 
Actionable Tip: Use the video title generator to ensure your video titles align with your SMART goals, capturing the essence of your content while appealing to your audience.

2. Decide on your marketing message

Your marketing message communicates your brand's value proposition. It’s the core message you want viewers to remember even after the video ends.

Actionable tip: Keep your message concise and impactful. Test different messages with a small audience before settling on a final version.

3. Understand your target audience

Knowing your audience ensures content relevance and personalization. You can craft video content that resonates with the audience by understanding their preferences, pain points, and needs.

Actionable tip: Conduct surveys, analyze existing customer data, or engage in social listening. Create viewer personas that will guide your content creation process. 

4. Select your video type

Different videos serve different purposes. For instance, an explainer video introduces viewers to a topic, while testimonials build trust.

Actionable tip: Use the YouTube Script Generator to draft scripts suitable for your chosen video type. This ensures you communicate your message within the context of the video format.

5. Plan your content production

Proper planning ensures timely content releases and consistent, high-quality videos. It also helps in budgeting, team coordination, and ensuring all components of the video align with the video marketing strategy.

Actionable tip: Use tools like the YouTube Script Generator to streamline your scripting process. Make a production calendar, allocate tasks, and set deadlines.

6. Strategize on different marketing channels

Not all channels are created equal. Identifying where your audience spends their time allows for targeted promotion and higher engagement rates.

Actionable tip: Use the YouTube description generator to craft compelling video descriptions tailored for your target audience. Adapt your video content for different platforms (e.g., shorter clips for Instagram, full-length for YouTube).

7. Analyze metrics and optimize your video

Metrics give you an insight into what works and what doesn’t. Continuous optimization ensures your video marketing strategy remains effective and relevant.

Actionable Tip: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as view count, watch time, and engagement rate. Adjust your video strategy based on these insights, whether refining your message or experimenting with different video types.

Crafting a successful video marketing strategy revolves around understanding your audience and setting clear goals. Each step moves you closer to achieving your objectives when executed with precision and thoughtfulness. 

Common Mistakes that Content Creators Make

Content creation is dynamic, as countless creators produce content daily. However, even the most experienced creators sometimes make mistakes. We’ll discuss those common pitfalls here, explain why they're problematic, and provide actionable tips to bypass them.

1. Everything is predetermined

Many content creators fall into the trap of planning every aspect of their content down to the smallest detail, leaving no room for spontaneity or adaptation.

Why it's a mistake: While planning is crucial, adhering strictly to a predetermined path can hinder creativity and fail to capture timely trends or audience sentiments. It can also make the content feel rigid and less authentic.

Actionable tip: While you should have a clear plan and outline, always leave room for adjustments. Regularly review your plans and be open to change based on new data, trends, or feedback.

2. Losing track and not documenting progress

Some creators dive deep into their work but forget to document their progress or milestones achieved.

Why it's a mistake: Without proper documentation, it becomes challenging to measure growth, recognize patterns, or pinpoint areas of improvement. Additionally, it's easier to drift away from your goals without a documented trajectory.

Actionable tip: Keep a content log or journal, noting down key achievements, analytics, feedback, and changes made. Review this document periodically to ensure you're on track and to glean insights from past efforts.

3. Obsessed with customer persona

While understanding your audience is key, fixating on a singular, rigid customer persona can limit your content's reach and flexibility.

Why it's a mistake: People are dynamic and diverse. If you're too focused on one specific persona, you might overlook a broader audience that could resonate with your content.

Actionable tips:

1. Use customer personas as a guideline, not a rulebook.
2. Update and refine these personas based on real data and feedback.
3. Don't be afraid to explore content that might appeal to a wider or different audience occasionally.

4. Not following your content calendar

Many content creators establish a content calendar but do not stick to it, producing content sporadically or missing planned release dates.

Why it's a mistake: Consistency is key in content creation. Irregular posting can disengage your audience and affect the growth of your platform.

Actionable tip: Treat your content calendar as a living document. If you find it challenging to stick to it, reassess its feasibility. Perhaps you're setting unrealistic goals? Adjust and plan realistically, ensuring you allocate enough time for each creation phase. Set reminders, and if possible, automate postings.

What’s important is to realize that mistakes are inevitable in any creative process. You can recognize these common pitfalls and be a step ahead in avoiding them. Embrace each error as a learning opportunity, adjust your strategies accordingly, and watch as your content flourishes.

Level Up Your Content Strategy With Us!

In our journey through the world of content creation, we've explored common pitfalls that creators encounter. We've understood the balance between crafting a killer video content strategy and allowing room for creativity and spontaneity. 

But knowing these pitfalls and strategies isn’t enough. Implementing, optimizing, and delivering quality content requires tools that make the process more efficient and effective. That's where Maekersuite comes into play.

Take your video content strategy to the next level with Maekersuite's AI-powered pre-production tool. Whether defining your goals, drafting a script, or determining the best marketing channels, Maekersuite tools are tailored to your needs to ensure your content resonates and achieves its intended impact.

Learn more about how Maekersuite can revolutionize your content strategy. Ready to transform your content game? Sign up today!