The Found Gen

Marketing That Works.

Search Results for: content calendar

by

3 Things to Consider When Developing Your Content Strategy

You’ve heard it a hundred times “Content is king.”

Though we prefer the more gender-neutral term “All-powerful monarch,”

king is more catchy. You need content and you need it to be amazing. ‘Nuff said.

But what’s that content achieving without an overarching strategy to create and disseminate your message?

In addition to that fantastic content, you need the accompanying content marketing strategy to ensure that your efforts are successful.

You can look all over the internet and find long, extensive lists on what your content marketing strategy needs. We’re all about doing your research, so by all means, go forth and Google. But we’re also all about boiling things down to their simplest and most effective constituents.

Therefore… Here are 3 things to consider when developing your content marketing strategy.

  1. Your mission and your goals

Who is your target audience? What content and what platforms will you use to reach them? What problems are you solving for your target audience? These are the main questions that need to be addressed in your content strategy mission and goals. You can also focus on the more immediate and long-term goals of your business like growing awareness, supporting customers, becoming a thought leader, etc.

One of the biggest things to remember is that your mission and goals need to be customer-centric. You need to know your customers, understand them, walk a mile in their shoes and know all the data that you can find about them. Don’t even think about crafting you mission and goals without having a thorough understanding of your customers.

2. How do you measure success?

If you’re blasting out content without measuring its effects, you’re just having a one-way conversation. You need to know what’s hitting the target, what’s missing and why. Metrics will tell you how successful your strategy is and they’ll help you craft even better content for even better results. Set your key performance indicators (KPIs) to gain evaluative measurements on how your strategy is performing.

Google Analytics will be one of your best friends as you begin to measure data. This will tell you who’s reading what, when they’re reading, click rates and more. You can even incorporate Google Analytics into your social media metrics. You’ll see shares, engagements, conversions and the leads you’re receiving.  

3. Create killer content and amplify it

What’s the point of a content strategy if you’re not going to back it up with amazing content? For this you need research on both your subject and your audience. Your content needs to speak to your customers and give them what they’re looking for. People can spot sales drivel and bubble gum content within the first few seconds. Don’t create any content that doesn’t give some useful benefit.

Once that great content is created you need to know where to place it to get the best results. Find out where your customers are. Think strategically and identify the channels and resources available to you to best amplify your content.

What else? One final tidbit, your strategy needs organization, so don’t even think about implementing anything without a content calendar.

And there you have it. Go forth and create great content!

by

What Even is Content? Hint: It’s More than a Bunch of Words Filling Up Your Blog

Think of it like this: Your blog is the front door of your brand. Is it covered in cobwebs, in need of a few swipes of paint, a broken key in the lock, and months of unanswered mail piling up in front of it? Or does it look like #thatpinkdoor? (Go ahead. Search it up on Instagram. We’ll wait for you.)

One door scares everyone away, except maybe serial killers or robots who don’t care about aesthetics. And the other? Well, there are almost 8k posts on Instagram devoted to pictures taken by as many people of #thatpinkdoor.

That’s what content does. It either invites people in or sends them away. It’s defined as compelling information that informs, engages, or amuses, and adds a benefit to the person who consumes it. Make it so readable, they want to read it twice. No, make it so interesting, they want to bookmark it.

How’s your content doing? Here are three easy ways to make it better:

  1. Pay attention to SEO keywords, but not too much attention. I know a lot of writers who jam-pack their blog posts with keywords and backlinks in order to increase visibility in search results, but sorely neglect their content. If it’s not compelling content, only bots will be interested.
  2. Audit frequently. One expert compared auditing your content to flossing: if you only do it once a year, you’re going to be in trouble at your next dentist appointment. Regularly check up on your links, get rid of outdated content, evaluate your SEO effectiveness, and make sure you’re staying true to your well-planned editorial calendar.
  3. Remember the long-game. Patience in a content strategy is essential, so stick with it. At The Found Gen, we always remind our clients that Rome wasn’t built in three months, but we weren’t managing that particular content.

There’s definitely a balance to consider between your on-site content – is it making healthy conversions to sales? – and off-site content, like creating link networks and building your brand’s reputation.

If you ever want to talk about this in-depth and specific to your own content, give us a call. We love this stuff.

by

How to Successfully Delegate Your Content

At The Found Gen, we believe you can do anything, but not everything. Just kidding. That’s what David Allen believes, and we know this because literally everyone on Pinterest has his words formatted in inspirational all-capped fonts on a brightly colored background.

I mean, we mostly agree with Mr. Allen, but we also know a secret to being able to do anything and everything. It’s called outsourcing. Also known as delegating.

Also known as what we do here at The Found Gen.

We help companies like yours do everything. Maybe you want to grow your community, but aren’t sure the best way to do so; we can do that for you. Perhaps you want your company to stand out in an otherwise crowded industry, inspiring supreme confidence and authority in the services you offer; we can do that for you. Could be you finally realize you need a social media presence and a solid, winning direction; we can do that for you.

“It’s just…here’s the problem…no offense, The Found Gen…but we want to do it ourselves. Because we know our company best, and…you know how it is…”

Actually, we do. We know how it is, and we understand your hesitation. But we also know your company in a much different way than you ever could, since we see it as content and marketing professionals with years and years of words and ideas in our portfolios. We see instantly what’s missing, and we know exactly where to find it.

Our advice? Delegate the work to us.

Here are a few ways you can make the delegating process truly pain-free:

  • Educate us. Tell us the non-negotiable messages you want to share, and be honest when we talk about goals. Show us the styles of sites and writing you like, and tell us why you gravitate toward them.
  • Commit to a content calendar. Our goal is always to plan so well that there are no surprises. Except for the good ones, like “How did we reach so many followers?”
  • Be prepared for the long game. Very rarely does a marketing and content campaign become viral and lead to an overnight success situation. It’s going to take a minute, so be sure you’ve got the budget and patience to ride a wave that doesn’t always travel toward the shore; sometimes it heads sideways, and that’s okay, too. Think in terms of years, not minutes.

Above all, trust us. You’ve done your homework and found us to be the best team to take your company’s brand to the next level. Trust us because you trust your instincts.

Basically, surround yourself with great people and get out of the way. Ronald Reagan said that, and we totally agree. Which is why we formatted his words in an all-capped inspirational font and threw it on a brightly colored background.

We can give you one if you’d like.

by

How to Kick Start Your Content Marketing Campaign: You may need a professional to help

Content marketing isn’t a new concept, but there are plenty of companies that haven’t had the time or resources available to devote to it yet. But, it’s never too late to launch your own content marketing strategy. Content marketing helps you build trust with your audiences through the interesting and resourceful content you create and distribute.

To start spreading the word about the value of your brand through blogging, video, and social media, there are a few steps you should take.

Here are a few ways you can kick start your content marketing campaign:

Understand What Content Marketing Really is

This is so important. Content marketing adds so much value to your brand and business that it’s important for you to fully understand how and why it works. Make sure you understand how creating insightful content amplifies your brand, develops loyalty, and adds search engine optimization power.

Content marketing is a technique that sells without pushing the sell. Firmly grasping this concept will ensure that your content marketing strategy can really thrive.

Set Goals

Before starting any new project, you always have some idea of what you hope to achieve. Content marketing is no exception. Are you wanting better reviews online or more website traffic? How you go about setting up your content marketing strategy will depend on what you hope to gain from the process.

Define your objectives and know how you plan to measure your results before getting started. You’re creating a content marketing strategy for a reason, so keep that reason or goal in the front of your mind.

Make a Calendar or Idea Board

You can’t create valuable content at the last minute, so timelines, calendars, or idea boards are great ways to help you take the time needed for creating informative content. Think about the type of content you want to post, how often you want to post it, and what platforms you’ll be posting and sharing it on. By creating a calendar and an idea board, you’ll be more likely to keep the tone and content you post in sync.

Consider Hiring Content Marketers

Content marketing often becomes a full-time job that few companies can handle on their own. It requires a high level of planning and creating new innovative ideas and ways to share content. If you feel like handling your own content marketing could put a strain on the other work you have to take care of, hiring a content marketing team may be a good idea.

We know how valuable content marketing can be for your brand. When content marketing is fully embraced, it creates a way for audiences to engage with your company. Get in touch with us if you’re looking for creative content to share with your audiences.

by

No Time to Blog? How to Still Create Top-Notch Content

Blogging is pretty time consuming, and writing can be a Herculean task. But, no matter how little time you have, maintaining a blog is highly important as a branding and marketing tool.

Even when you’re pressed for time, you can still create great content for your blog and social media accounts. With practice, you can learn to write faster. But until that happens, these four tips will help you maximize your writing time.

Create a Content Calendar

Planning ahead and scheduling time to write will keep you in constant supply of fresh content. It’s an important component of your marketing strategy because, all too often, we spend any time we set aside to write starting at a blank document trying to think of something to write. If you’ve pre-planned the topics, you can dive right in.

Start by establishing a consistent tone for your writing. Then, come up with a list of topics. Set daily or weekly goals to make sure you get it all done. If you don’t produce regular content, your readers will lose interest and your marketing strategy could tank — even if everything you are putting out there is top-notch content.

Make Outlines for What to Write

Once you’ve set a clear tone and have some topics ready, create outlines for the main points you want to include in each piece. Outlines can be informal — they’re for your eyes only — but will dramatically speed up the writing process.

Outlining keeps you from having writer’s block and removes a lot of the research and thinking from the process. The more time you spend preparing, the less time you’ll need to spend writing.

Keep Your Content Simple

It’s fine for blog content to be pretty short, around 350 to 500 words — people usually don’t read any more than that (unless you’re creating some evergreen content. With evergreen content, you can go much longer and get a solid return). Always write in active voice to get to the point in fewer words.

Some ways to simplify content include writing lists or steps, or using infographics to convey your point — as long as you keep it to being top-notch content.

Repurpose What You’ve Already Written

When you’re really in a time crunch, you take something you’ve already written and repurpose it. The topic of a blog post from a few months ago may be relevant again today. Share it again on social media to ensure that your feeds are kept up to date.

Another option is to rewrite a blog post that didn’t get many reads the first time. For example, if you have a post that was too lengthy, condense or turn it into a list to freshen it up.

Producing great content doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of time writing. Careful planning and keeping it simple will ensure you always have relevant blogs. And, your readers will thank you.

by

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your 2026 Marketing Strategy

The start of a new year is the perfect time to take a step back, assess your marketing efforts and plan for the future because, trust us, “winging it” rarely works. A solid marketing strategy keeps your brand top-of-mind while driving growth, building loyalty and ensuring every dollar you invest works as hard as your morning coffee. 

Here’s your step-by-step guide to creating a marketing plan that will set your business up for success in 2026 without the guesswork, panic emails or caffeine-fueled all-nighters.

1. Reflect on 2025: What Worked and What Didn’t

      Before you can look ahead, you need to take a solid look in the rear-view mirror. A clear understanding of where you are today (and how you got there) will help you define goals for the future. So, zero in on your past campaigns:

      • Which strategies brought the highest ROI?
      • What content, channels or promotions fell flat?
      • Did your audience engagement and lead generation meet expectations?

      Analyzing your wins and lessons learned will set the foundation for smarter decision-making in 2026.

      2. Define Your 2026 Marketing Goals

      Armed with that information, you can now define what you want to achieve this year. As always, your goals should be SMART:

      • Specific – The goal must be clear with not an ounce of ambiguity in it (i.e., increase website traffic by 20%).
      • Measurable – You must be able to track your progress. Tie a number or other measurable criteria to your goal.
      • Achievable – This is the reality check portion of your goal setting. Can it be realistically attained given your resources and other constraints?
      • Relevant – Goals are most effective when they are tied to your broader business objectives. Their purpose should align with your priorities.
      • Time-bound – Timelines are strong motivators. Establishing parameters for completion adds urgency, focus and accountability.

      When we put it all together, a SMART marketing goal might be something like: “Increase web traffic by 20% over the next 6 months by posting 1 blog post per week.” Clear goals like this guide your strategy and make it easier to evaluate success.

        Your audience drives your marketing decisions. That’s why it’s crucial to refine your understanding of exactly who you’re targeting. This can be done by segmenting your audience based on demographics, behaviors and preferences; gathering insights from surveys, customer feedback and analytics tools; and identifying pain points your brand can address.

        3. Understand Your Audience Better Than Ever

        The more detailed your audience profiles, the more personalized, relevant and effective your marketing campaigns will be because the goal with any marketing strategy is to meet the right person at the right place and the right time. If you don’t know who they are and what they need, how can you help them?

        4. Map Out Your Channels and Content Strategy

        Next, decide where and how you’ll communicate with your audience (this is the “right place and right time” portion of your strategy). Common platforms include:

        • Email marketing – Plan your campaigns, newsletters and automated flows.
        • Social media – Identify platforms where your audience is most active.
        • Content marketing – Decide on frequency and format for content (blog posts, videos, infographics, eBooks, and other web and print content channels).
        • Paid advertising – Consider whether to augment efforts with PPC, social ads or retargeting campaigns.

        Bring it all together with a cohesive content calendar that aligns your goals and key dates for the year. Keeping your strategy front and center helps ensure consistent messaging across all touchpoints.

        5. Budget Wisely and Allocate Resources

        Even the best strategy fails without the right resources. Determine how much budget you can dedicate to each channel and campaign, and whether you need to hire talent, outsource or invest in new tools to get there. A smart allocation plan ensures you’re investing where it counts most.

        6. Lather, Rinse, Repeat

        Lastly, recognize that a marketing strategy is never “set it and forget it.” Build in regular reviews—quarterly or even monthly—to assess results, tweak tactics and seize emerging opportunities. Flexibility and responsiveness will keep your 2026 strategy relevant and turn a good plan into a great one.

        Ready to Make 2026 Your Best Marketing Year Yet?

        At The Found Gen, we specialize in helping businesses craft strategic, actionable and results-driven marketing plans. If you want to hit the ground running in 2026 with a strategy that drives growth and builds lasting connections, contact us today.