- Keyword research
This is essential for both search engine optimisation (SEO) and understanding what your audience is searching for online. To find out which words and phrases your audience uses, use online tools such as Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush.
Think about what your audience is looking for when they use these keywords; this helps you create content that meets their needs and/or update existing content based on these keywords.
- Idea generation
Start by brainstorming ideas, analysing industry trends and seeking inspiration from other sources – including your competitors’ websites. Browse internet forums, social media platforms and various websites to see what people are interested in or looking to find out.
Ensure your ideas and themes align with your target audience and website content objectives.
- Structure
Once ideas are identified, organise them into a cohesive structure: think about big topics in your industry and create detailed articles around them; break these down into smaller related topics. Each main topic should link together into a coherent set of articles.
You should also identify the specific content formats for your topics as well as the specific actions you want the content to inspire – such as signing up for a newsletter, sharing a post or setting up a meeting.