If you think about your content in terms of individual projects (such as a webpage, brochure or report), you are looking only at the steps and resources you need to complete and publish that particular piece of content.

A content strategy considers both business goals and user needs, and lays out everything you require to develop and maintain effective content. It moves away from short-term planning on ‘how to get this project out the door’ to look at the long-term communication needs of an organisation.

A content strategy sets the guiding approach to help you create content that:

  • effectively supports the broader goals of your business, organisation or program
  • meets the needs of users in terms of language, format, delivery and style
  • is consistent with your brand, identity and values
  • supports other aspects of your organisation or program, including product and service design, communication strategies and plans, and stakeholder engagement activities.

Developing a content strategy involves identifying and researching user needs and business needs (including goals and limitations), understanding the subject matter and context of your content, and using best-practice methods to plan a content approach that is logical, effective and easy to implement. It also considers how to evaluate and maintain your content across the content lifecycle.

This section will introduce you to the main parts of a content strategy and what you should consider.

This section covers:

Content strategy vs communications strategy

‘Content strategy’ and ’communications strategy’ are sometimes used as interchangeable terms, but each has its own process and purpose. 

A content strategy provides an overarching framework, based on research, to ensure that content is designed and produced in a way that meets the needs of both you (or your organisation) and your target audience. It includes: 

  • your high-level organisational communications goals and messages 
  • your audience (and the ways in which you will understand their needs) 
  • a review of your existing content (and gaps) 
  • your content system (e.g. your web publishing platform or social media channels) 
  • plans for the most effective workflow and outcomes. 

A communications strategy is a more targeted, usually short-term strategy that focuses on specific communications goals, promotional campaigns and product-specific communications. It works within the framework provided by the content strategy to develop specific activities. It includes: 

  • how your communication goals support your content goals 
  • project-specific goals and messages 
  • project-specific audiences 
  • channels and timelines for getting information out 
  • project plans. 

In organisational terms, the content strategy is like the strategic plan – providing long-term strategy and structure, and clear direction. The communications strategy is like the operational plan – providing short-term goals and activities. Ideally, they work together to deliver effective content across your organisation and across time.