Information is both abundant and crucial when working in the health and wellness realm, and having a robust content plan is paramount. It's not just about producing content; it's about addressing the questions and concerns of your audience in a way that builds trust and authority. We're going to share our cheat code for doing exactly that: enter "They Ask, You Answer," a content strategy framework pioneered by Marcus Sheridan. We've written about this concept at length in previous blog posts and talked about it on our podcast, Worth Your Salt. If you can't tell, we believe strongly in the TAYA concept; this is truly a plug and play approach, and we're here to guide health and wellness practitioners and entrepreneurs through a 12-month content plan tailored to their needs.
Month One: Start Making a List of Questions
In the first month, the foundation is laid. We delve into the core principle of "They Ask, You Answer" by identifying the Big 5 - your audience's five most common questions and concerns. The Big 5 includes Pricing, Problems, Comparisons, Reviews, and Best of. These are the fundamental queries that potential customers or clients have about your industry, products, or services. Identifying and addressing these questions through your content strategy is pivotal in building trust, establishing authority, and ultimately driving business growth.
Using the "Big 5" as part of your Content Plan
- Pricing: Customers often want to know how much a product or service costs before making a purchase decision. Addressing pricing concerns transparently in your content helps to alleviate uncertainties and build trust.
- Problems: Potential customers frequently seek information about the problems they're facing and how they can solve them. By openly discussing common challenges within your industry and providing solutions, you position yourself as a helpful resource and expert in your field.
- Comparisons: Consumers often conduct research to compare different products or services before making a purchase. Providing objective comparisons between your offerings and competitors' helps to educate your audience and showcase your unique value proposition.
- Reviews: Testimonials, reviews, and case studies play a crucial role in the purchasing process, as they provide social proof of your product or service's efficacy and reliability. Sharing positive customer experiences through your content reinforces trust and credibility.
- Best Of: This includes reviews and comparisons of leading products or services within your niche, roundup articles, or guides highlighting top-performing solutions for specific needs or challenges.
By consistently addressing the Big 5 topics in your content plan, you demonstrate a commitment to transparency, helpfulness, and customer-centricity. This not only fosters stronger relationships with your audience but also helps to attract qualified leads and drive conversions.
Month Two: Create a Content Calendar
With questions identified, it's time to organize your content plan. In month two, you'll dedicate time to creating a content calendar that maps out which questions you'll address each month. Make a list of competitors within your niche and see the content they are producing for their (and your) audience. You can find the gaps in their content and speak directly to potential client's pain points and questions when creating your content plan.
This ensures a consistent flow of relevant content that resonates with your audience.
During this step of the content planning process, we recommend setting up a system like Keap. Setting up the Keap platform provides health and wellness practitioners and entrepreneurs with a powerful arsenal of tools tailored for content marketing and successfully implementing the "They Ask, You Answer" strategy. It enables seamless integration of your content initiatives with revenue tracking, ensuring a clear link between your content efforts and business outcomes. With Keap, you can assess the performance of your content, synchronize your marketing activities, streamline social media content publishing, manage data effectively, and unlock a plethora of additional features.
Month Three: Decide on Your Format or Medium
Different audiences prefer different formats. In month three, you'll decide whether to answer questions through articles, videos, podcasts, infographics, or other mediums. You can and should utilize different mediums to repurpose content in different ways. Tailoring your content to meet your audience's preferences enhances engagement and maximizes reach.
Month Four: Batch-Create Your First Month of Content
Efficiency is key. By batch-creating content in month four, you streamline the production process, allowing for more consistent publishing schedules and freeing up time for other business activities.
Before diving into creation:
- Revisit your content calendar from Month Two.
- Review the topics and questions you've outlined for the first month and ensure they align with your audience's interests and pain points.
- With a clear plan, allocate dedicated time to create multiple pieces of content in one sitting.
- Once your content is created and polished, schedule it for publication according to your content calendar. Utilize content management tools or scheduling platforms to automate the publishing process and maintain consistency in your posting schedule.
- Maximize the value of your content by exploring opportunities for repurposing and reuse. Repackage written content into visual formats, extract key insights for social media posts, or repurpose videos into blog transcripts. This approach extends the lifespan of your content and reaches a wider audience across different channels.
By batch-creating content in Month Four, you set the stage for a successful execution of your content strategy. This proactive approach not only ensures a steady flow of high-quality content but also frees up time for other aspects of your business, ultimately contributing to long-term growth and success. This approach allows you to leverage momentum and maintain consistency in publishing.
Month Five: Learn More About SEO
Understanding search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for ensuring your content gets seen. Month five is dedicated to delving deeper into SEO principles and practices to enhance the visibility of your content in search engine results. This is a very comprehensive step in your content plan; to learn more about our SEO process and to get a deep dive into everything it encompasses, read this blog post on Content Strategy and SEO or SEO Content Writing.
Month Six: Explore Other Avenues of Amplification
In month six, broaden your content distribution channels. Consider platforms like YouTube, guest podcasting, social media collaborations, and email newsletters to amplify your message and reach new audiences.
Research the channels that your target audience spends the most time on. You can repurpose your created content and share it on multiple channels.
Month Seven: Learn About Analytics and Adjust Your Strategy
Data is your ally. In month seven, dive into analytics to understand how your audience interacts with your content. Use insights to refine your strategy and deliver more of what resonates with your audience.
Identify which SEO metrics are most relevant to health and wellness practitioners, like organic traffic and click-through rate, among many others -- which we cover in this blog post on SEO Metrics. Next, it's time to leverage those insights to refine your content plan and SEO strategy.
Month Eight: Establish Pillar Content and Understand Keyword Clusters
Pillar content, which addresses broader topics relevant to your niche or industry, serves as the cornerstone of your content plan. In month eight, focus on creating comprehensive, in-depth pieces that cover these broad topics within your niche. Understand keyword clusters to optimize content around high-performing keywords. Surrounding each cornerstone article are what are referred to as clusters of content. These are pieces of content or blog posts that explore specific subtopics or aspects related to the main cornerstone content.
Month Nine: Continue Creating Consistently
Consistency is key to success. In month nine, commit to creating at least one "They Ask, You Answer" piece of content per week. During this stage, you need to celebrate wins along the way and evaluate the effectiveness of your content plan.
Month Ten: Try New Mediums
Experimentation leads to innovation. Step out of your comfort zone in month ten and try a medium you haven't explored yet. Whether video, podcasting, or infographics, diversifying your content keeps your audience engaged and attracts new followers.
Month Eleven: Evaluate Progress and Stay Consistent
As the year progresses, evaluating your progress and adapting your strategy is crucial. In month eleven, take stock of what's working and what's not in your content plan, and stay consistent in your content creation efforts.
Month Twelve: Continue Publishing and Reap the Rewards
In the final month, stay the course! By consistently publishing new content, you'll start to see the "marketing flywheel" in action. Even older content will continue to attract new clients, contributing to the growth and success of your business.
Build Trust and Authority With a Strategized Content Plan
We believe that "They Ask, You Answer" isn't just a strategy; it's a philosophy that empowers health and wellness practitioners to connect with their audience authentically. By addressing their questions and concerns head-on, you build trust, authority, and loyalty within your community. At Salt Marketing, we're passionate about helping you implement this approach effectively, scaling your business and generating quality leads.
Ready to revolutionize your content plan and take your health and wellness business to new heights? Partner with Salt Marketing for your inbound marketing needs. Our team of experts will work with you to develop a tailored content plan that resonates with your audience and drives tangible results. Contact us today to start your journey towards sustainable growth and success.