A content strategy comes in many different shapes and sizes, and ideally, is an ongoing practice for your content writing and marketing teams.
That said, when you hire a content strategist to develop your initial content strategy, this takes on average three to six months for most of Pybop’s clients. For a new or complex technology or for a company with a diverse range of voices and opinions, the initial content strategy effort can take a year.
That’s why it’s important to plan ahead. If you plan to launch a new brand or company, get a content strategist lined up at least a year in advance. A content strategy is not a one-size-fits-all process. We have our best practices, sure, but because every organization is different, Pybop limits the number of content strategy initiatives that we manage at any given time. This provides us the opportunity to be flexible, creative, and offer the most value.
Every three, six, or even 12 months, Pybop closes an initial content strategy initiative and moves into an ongoing content development phase for that client. Or sometimes the client will take that on in-house. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch her as she’s wrapping up a client project!
Your content strategist will work alongside other web development professionals in-house or hired out, and this can influence your overall launch schedule as well.
When at all possible, you should have direct contact with your content strategy consultant, because the brand messaging nuances can be lost if they are filtered through a creative or web agency team or a project manager. Your brand messaging is unique and should be driven by a set of core messaging priorities that you work out with your strategist before any creative is developed.
Shelly Bowen, MFA, is a content writer, content strategist, and founder of Pybop.
For decades, Shelly has written for businesses on complex topics from disease prevention and medical devices to alternative energy and leveraging data. Today, she's hyper-focused on supporting B-B technology businesses. In her spare time, she hikes, kayaks, draws, and works on her T-Bird.
A wide variety of brands rely on Shelly as an essential freelance writer and content strategy resource.
Follow Shelly on Instagram @pybop or connect on LinkedIn. More about Shelly and Pybop.
