# Decisions: Content Strategy

Critical decision points that determine content success and ROI.

---

## Decision 1: Content Velocity vs. Depth

**Context:** Balancing how much content to produce versus how deep to go.

**Options:**

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|----------|------|------|-------------|
| **High velocity** | More topics covered, faster iteration | Quality risk, thin content | Established brand, clear playbook |
| **Deep depth** | Better rankings, higher value | Slower coverage, resource intensive | New brand, competitive topics |
| **Balanced** | Flexibility, varied content | Harder to optimize | Mixed topic competition |

**Framework:**
```
Content velocity decision:

Competition level?
├── High competition → Deep content wins
├── Low competition → Velocity works
└── Mixed → Balanced approach

Resources available?
├── Limited team → Fewer, better pieces
├── Large team → Can do both
└── Freelance heavy → Risk with velocity

Brand authority?
├── Established → Can publish more freely
├── Building → Need quality to establish
└── Unknown → Quality over quantity

VELOCITY LEVELS:
Low: 2-4 pieces/month (deep)
Medium: 1-2 pieces/week (balanced)
High: Daily content (velocity)

QUALITY MINIMUMS:
Every piece must:
- Be best available on topic (or close)
- Match search intent fully
- Have unique value
- Be well-formatted
- Have clear CTA

RECOMMENDATION BY STAGE:
Startup (0-1): Low velocity, maximum quality
Growth (1-10): Medium, building systems
Scale (10+): High velocity, quality systems
```

**Default Recommendation:** Start with depth (1-2 excellent pieces/week). Increase velocity only when quality systems are proven.

---

## Decision 2: Gated vs. Ungated Content

**Context:** Deciding when to require email for content access.

**Options:**

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|----------|------|------|-------------|
| **Gated** | Lead generation, list building | Friction, SEO limitations | High-value assets, active sales |
| **Ungated** | Max reach, SEO benefits, trust | No direct lead capture | Brand building, SEO focus |
| **Hybrid** | Flexibility, optimized per content | Complexity in execution | Mature content program |

**Framework:**
```
Gating decision:

Content type?
├── Blog/articles → Ungated (SEO)
├── Research/reports → Gated (high value)
├── Templates/tools → Gated (utility)
├── Guides/ebooks → Hybrid (chapter vs full)
└── Webinars → Gated (event)

Content goal?
├── Traffic/awareness → Ungated
├── Lead generation → Gated
├── Brand/authority → Ungated
└── Conversion → Gated

GATING MATRIX:
High effort to create + High value to user = Gate
Low effort to create + High value = Gate
High effort + Low value = Don't create
Low effort + Low value = Ungate

HYBRID APPROACH:
"Read 50% free, download full PDF with email"
"Free tool, save results with email"
"Ungated content + gated upgrade"

GATING RULES:
1. Gate must feel fair (enough free value)
2. Gated content must deliver (worth the email)
3. SEO content stays ungated
4. High-intent content can be gated
```

**Default Recommendation:** Ungate blog content (SEO). Gate high-value assets (reports, templates). Use content upgrades for hybrid approach.

---

## Decision 3: In-House vs. Freelance Content

**Context:** Choosing who creates content.

**Options:**

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|----------|------|------|-------------|
| **In-house only** | Voice consistency, deep knowledge | Limited bandwidth, expensive | Core content, brand voice critical |
| **Freelance only** | Scalable, variety | Quality variance, management | High volume, established guidelines |
| **Hybrid** | Flexibility, balanced | Coordination complexity | Most mature content programs |

**Framework:**
```
In-house vs. freelance:

Content type?
├── Brand voice content → In-house
├── Expert/thought leadership → In-house/SME
├── SEO/commodity → Freelance possible
├── Technical → Subject matter experts
└── High volume → Freelance with editing

Budget model?
├── Fixed budget → In-house team
├── Variable budget → Freelance
├── Growth mode → Hybrid (core + flex)

HYBRID MODEL:
In-house:
- Content strategy
- Brand voice content
- Final editing
- Thought leadership

Freelance:
- Volume SEO content
- Research/drafts
- Specialized topics
- Overflow capacity

FREELANCE SUCCESS FACTORS:
- Detailed briefs
- Style guide
- Example library
- Quality bar clear
- Relationship over transaction
- Good editing process

CONTENT OWNERSHIP:
In-house: Strategy, voice, quality
Freelance: Execution, specialized topics
```

**Default Recommendation:** Start in-house for voice development. Add freelancers for scale once voice and quality bar are established.

---

## Decision 4: Content Platform Strategy

**Context:** Choosing where content lives and is distributed.

**Options:**

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|----------|------|------|-------------|
| **Own domain only** | SEO control, brand building | Slower reach | Long-term focus, SEO priority |
| **Platform-first** | Built-in audience, faster traction | No ownership, algorithm dependent | Audience building, early stage |
| **Multi-platform** | Maximum reach | Resource intensive, duplicate effort | Mature program, team capacity |

**Framework:**
```
Platform strategy:

Business model?
├── SEO-dependent → Own domain priority
├── Community-driven → Platform + owned
├── Paid acquisition → Platforms for brand
└── Enterprise/sales → Own domain + LinkedIn

Audience location?
├── Search (Google) → Own domain
├── Twitter/X → Thread-first
├── LinkedIn → LinkedIn articles
├── YouTube → Video-first
└── Newsletter → Email-first

PLATFORM TIERS:
Primary: Where you create original
Secondary: Where you repurpose
Tertiary: Where you share

OWNED VS RENTED:
Owned (priority):
- Blog/website
- Email list
- Community

Rented (amplification):
- Social platforms
- Medium/Substack
- YouTube

MULTI-PLATFORM STRATEGY:
Create on owned → Repurpose to platforms
Platform success → Drive to owned
Build list from all platforms
Never depend on single platform
```

**Default Recommendation:** Own domain as hub, email list as asset, platforms for distribution and audience building.

---

## Decision 5: Content Pillar Selection

**Context:** Choosing the core topics your content will focus on.

**Options:**

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|----------|------|------|-------------|
| **Product-centric** | Direct to conversion | Limited reach | Bottom-funnel focus |
| **Industry-centric** | Broader audience, authority | Less direct conversion | Thought leadership |
| **Problem-centric** | Audience-focused, intent-aligned | Must connect to product | Inbound marketing |
| **Audience-centric** | Deep resonance, community | Scattered topics possible | Community building |

**Framework:**
```
Content pillar selection:

Start with intersection:
[What audience cares about]
        ∩
[What you're expert in]
        ∩
[What leads to your product]

PILLAR CRITERIA:
1. Search demand exists
2. You can be authoritative
3. Connects to your product
4. Sustainable (not trending)
5. Can go deep (cluster potential)

PILLAR COUNT:
3-5 pillars maximum
Too few: Limited reach
Too many: Scattered authority

EXAMPLE PILLARS:
Project management software:
1. Project management best practices
2. Team collaboration
3. Remote work productivity
4. Agile/Scrum methodology
5. Project templates and frameworks

PILLAR EVALUATION:
□ Search volume sufficient
□ Competition achievable
□ Expert content possible
□ Product connection natural
□ Audience interest proven
```

**Default Recommendation:** 3-5 problem-centric pillars that connect expertise to product while serving audience needs.

---

## Decision 6: Content Format Mix

**Context:** Balancing different content formats in your strategy.

**Options:**

| Format | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|--------|------|------|-------------|
| **Written (blog)** | SEO, evergreen, low production cost | High competition, text fatigue | SEO priority, limited resources |
| **Video** | Engagement, YouTube SEO, personality | Higher production, slower iteration | Visual products, personality-driven |
| **Podcast** | Relationship, long-form, accessible | No SEO, requires promotion | Thought leadership, interview-based |
| **Interactive** | High engagement, unique value | Complex production | Tools, calculators, differentiation |

**Framework:**
```
Format selection:

Audience preference?
├── Research mode → Written (scannable)
├── Learning mode → Video (demonstrated)
├── Commute mode → Podcast (passive)
└── Decision mode → Interactive (tools)

Resources available?
├── Writer → Blog first
├── Presenter → Video potential
├── Interviewer → Podcast potential
└── Developer → Interactive tools

Topic fit?
├── How-to → Video or written
├── Analysis → Written
├── Interview → Podcast or video
├── Calculator → Interactive

FORMAT MIX BY STAGE:
Early: Written only (80%+ blog)
Growing: Written + one additional
Mature: Full mix, based on audience

REPURPOSING FLOW:
Blog → Twitter thread → LinkedIn
Video → Blog transcript → Clips
Podcast → Blog summary → Quotes
Interactive → How-to content
```

**Default Recommendation:** Start with written content (SEO, measurable, iterative). Add second format when written is proven and resources allow.

---

## Decision 7: Content Promotion Investment

**Context:** How much to invest in promoting content vs. creating it.

**Options:**

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|----------|------|------|-------------|
| **Creation-heavy** | More content, SEO focus | Distribution bottleneck | Strong organic channels |
| **Promotion-heavy** | Maximum reach per piece | Less content produced | Established content, paid budget |
| **Balanced 50/50** | Sustainable, optimized | Neither maximized | Most programs |

**Framework:**
```
Creation vs. promotion balance:

Channel strategy?
├── SEO-primary → Creation heavy
├── Social-primary → Promotion heavy
├── Email-primary → Balanced
└── Paid-primary → Promotion heavy

PROMOTION ACTIVITIES:
Owned channels:
- Email to list
- Social posts
- Community sharing

Earned channels:
- Influencer outreach
- Link building
- PR/press

Paid channels:
- Content ads
- Social promotion
- Sponsored distribution

PROMOTION CHECKLIST (per piece):
□ Email to relevant segment
□ Social posts (multiple platforms)
□ Community posting (if appropriate)
□ Outreach for links (if link-worthy)
□ Repurpose for other formats
□ Internal team amplification

INVESTMENT GUIDELINE:
High-investment content:
20 hours creation + 20 hours promotion

Quick content:
2 hours creation + 2 hours promotion
```

**Default Recommendation:** 50/50 split as default. Shift to creation-heavy if SEO is working, promotion-heavy if building audience.

---

## Decision 8: Content Refresh Strategy

**Context:** How to approach updating existing content.

**Options:**

| Approach | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|----------|------|------|-------------|
| **Aggressive refresh** | Maximum SEO benefit | Resource intensive | Large content library, SEO focus |
| **Selective refresh** | Efficient resource use | Some content decays | Limited resources |
| **Minimal refresh** | All resources on new | Content debt builds | Early stage, small library |

**Framework:**
```
Refresh strategy:

Content library size?
├── <50 pieces → Focus on new content
├── 50-200 → Selective refresh
├── 200+ → Systematic refresh program

SEO maturity?
├── Building → New content priority
├── Established → Refresh for quick wins
├── Mature → Balance new and refresh

REFRESH PRIORITIZATION:
Tier 1 (refresh immediately):
- Ranking position 4-10
- Declining traffic
- Outdated information

Tier 2 (schedule refresh):
- Ranking 11-20
- Stable but improvable
- Light updates needed

Tier 3 (leave or prune):
- Not ranking, no traffic
- Low-value topic
- Consolidate or remove

REFRESH PROCESS:
1. Content audit (quarterly)
2. Prioritize by impact
3. Update plan per piece
4. Execute systematically
5. Track results

REFRESH ACTIVITIES:
- Update facts/stats
- Add new sections
- Improve formatting
- Enhance visuals
- Add internal links
- Improve meta data
```

**Default Recommendation:** Quarterly content audit, prioritize top 20% for refresh, balance with new content creation.

---

## Decision 9: Content Team Structure

**Context:** Organizing the content function.

**Options:**

| Structure | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|-----------|------|------|-------------|
| **Centralized** | Consistency, efficiency | Bottleneck, less context | Small team, single product |
| **Embedded** | Deep context, speed | Inconsistency, duplication | Multiple products/teams |
| **Hub and spoke** | Balance of both | Coordination complexity | Large organization |

**Framework:**
```
Content team structure:

Organization size?
├── Startup (<50) → One content person
├── Growth (50-200) → Small content team
├── Scale (200+) → Hub and spoke

Product complexity?
├── Single product → Centralized
├── Multiple products → Hub and spoke
├── Platform → Embedded + central

TEAM ROLES:
Early stage:
- Content generalist (strategy + creation)

Growth stage:
- Content strategist
- Content writer(s)
- Editor

Scale stage:
- Head of content
- Content strategists (by area)
- Writers
- Editors
- SEO specialist
- Multimedia

HYBRID APPROACH:
Central team:
- Strategy and planning
- Editorial standards
- SEO and analytics
- High-priority content

Embedded/extended:
- Product content
- Customer content
- Sales enablement
- Regional content
```

**Default Recommendation:** Start centralized with generalist. Add specialists as volume increases. Consider hub-and-spoke at scale.

---

## Decision 10: Content Success Metrics

**Context:** Choosing how to measure content performance.

**Options:**

| Focus | Metrics | Pros | Cons | Choose When |
|-------|---------|------|------|-------------|
| **Traffic focus** | Views, sessions, users | Easy to measure | Vanity potential | Awareness stage |
| **Engagement focus** | Time, depth, shares | Quality signal | Harder to measure | Brand building |
| **Conversion focus** | Signups, leads, revenue | Business impact | Requires tracking | Performance marketing |
| **Balanced scorecard** | All of above | Complete picture | Complexity | Mature programs |

**Framework:**
```
Content metrics framework:

AWARENESS METRICS:
- Organic traffic
- New users
- Impressions
- Share of voice

ENGAGEMENT METRICS:
- Time on page
- Scroll depth
- Pages per session
- Return visitors

CONVERSION METRICS:
- Email signups
- Demo requests
- Free trial starts
- Content-attributed pipeline

REVENUE METRICS:
- Content-influenced revenue
- Customer acquisition from content
- Content ROI

METRIC SELECTION:
Early stage: Traffic + email signups
Growth stage: + Engagement + leads
Mature: Full funnel + revenue attribution

REPORTING CADENCE:
Weekly: Traffic, key conversions
Monthly: Full dashboard
Quarterly: Content audit + strategy review
Annually: Content ROI analysis
```

**Default Recommendation:** Start with traffic + conversions (email signups). Add engagement and revenue attribution as program matures.
