The Content Strategy Call takes place with a new client during onboarding. It’s lead by the CSM and Content Creator assigned to the account.
Its purpose is to explain to a new client the connection between content creation and SEO and provide a clear timeline of what we’ll be doing in terms of content.
Deliverables include:
- On-Page Edits
- The 1st Marketing Strategy Calendar
Note: This is a separate call from the branding call.
Prior to the Call
Step 1. Schedule the Call
CSMs should schedule the Content Strategy Call for one week after the Initial R&R call. So, as you’re wrapping up the Initial R&R Call, schedule some time with your client for one week later to review the content strategy.
Example: “Over the next few days, I’ll be getting together with our SEO team and your content creator to develop your content strategy. I’d like to schedule a time to discuss that with you one week from today.”
Step 2. Attend the Content Strategy Meeting
Prior to the call is the Content Strategy Meeting. This is a meeting between the SEO, CSM, and CC to develop the content strategy for your client.
The purpose of this meeting is to create a cohesive content strategy that links the initial keyword research process with content creation.
The SEO team will come to this meeting with a completed list of keyword topics as well as on-page edit recommendations for the top static pages on the client’s site. The content creator should come prepared with notes from the branding call, and the CSM should come prepared with notes regarding customer preferences from the kickoff call.
The meeting is meant to be open-ended and “brainstorm style,” but a few things definitely covered include:
- Any static pages that should be included in the first marketing calendar
- Any questions regarding the layout of the new website
Step 3. Finalize the First Marketing Calendar
Following the Content Strategy Meeting, the CSM should finalize the first marketing calendar. Be sure to include any static page updates.
Step 4. Share Deliverables with Your Client
Prior to the call, send your client a copy of the on-page edits and 1st marketing strategy calendar. Let them know you’ll be reviewing the contents of these documents during the call.
During the Call
Step 1. Explain the Purpose of the Content Strategy Call
As mentioned above, the purpose of this call is to explain the connection between content creation and SEO and provide a clear timeline of what we’ll be doing in terms of content.
We also want to convey our marketing expertise so that our clients can trust us to guide their content strategy. This does not mean throwing around a lot of marketing jargon to make them think we’re really smart and that what we do is really complicated. It means talking to them in their language and giving an explanation of our strategy in simple terms (sometimes really simple terms) so that they feel well-informed and empowered to trust us.
Example: “This week, Mia and I met with the SEO team to develop your content strategy. All of the content we create for your website is part of our SEO strategy. That means that we craft high-quality, well-written content that is optimized for search engines and for people.”
Step 2. Review On-Page Edits
Start by explaining what the on-page edits are & why we do them.
The On-Page Edits are SEO recommendations for top static pages. Any page that should have a target keyword will be included in the on-page edits document. In general, the edits are meant to improve search engine ranking potential.
Example: “The On-Page edits are recommendations for each of the main static pages on your site. These recommendations are designed to improve your website’s ability to rank. The higher your website ranks for relevant search terms, the more traffic you’ll receive.”
Then, talk them through the edits. You don’t need to read every line of content and discuss every edit, but just generally mention the edits and their purpose.
The majority of the edits will fall under one of the following categories:
- Add or update a title tag to help search engines understand what a page is about and give users a good first impression of the page. (The title tag is one of the first things they will see!)
- Add or update a meta description to give a compelling reason for users to click on the page. (Another one of the first things they’ll see.)
- Add or update a heading to help search engines and users understand what the page is about.
- Add keywords and/or relevant information in the body copy to help the page show up for relevant search queries.
Example: “On your home page, we’d like to update your title tag to help search engines understand what this page is about. The title tag is also one of the first things users will see when they come across your page in the search results, so we want to make sure the title is descriptive and compelling!”
Once you’ve gone through all of the on-page edits, ask for approval so that the SEO team can begin implementing them on the site.
Example: “Before we move on to the 1st marketing calendar, I’d like to get your approval for the on-page edits.”
Step 3. Review the First Marketing Calendar
After getting approval for the on-page edits, move along to the first marketing strategy calendar. This will be your client’s very first time seeing a marketing calendar! So this is a critical time to set the precedent for how this call will go in the future.
This is the time to explain how content creation relates to SEO. The only way to successful content marketing is through SEO and the only way to successful SEO is through content. Each keyword on the calendar is chosen with SEO in mind. More specifically, keywords are chosen based on how often they are searched, the intent behind them, & their competitiveness. When it’s time to create content around the keywords chosen, SEO techniques are applied throughout the process.
For more details regarding the 1st marketing calendar, see Marketing Strategy Calendar Tips.
Step 4. Let the SEO team know the edits are approved!
Woo! The call is over. Let the SEO team know once the call is complete and on-page edits are approved that way they can begin implementing them on the site. If the client has any notes or edits, include those on the on-page edits document. The SEO team will let the CSM know once edits have been implemented.