7 Reasons Why You Need a Strategy in 2025

Reposted from the Literary Marketing Newsletter.

Let’s start with a fundamental topic: Why do you need a content marketing strategy, or a strategy for your website, newsletter, social media, and other content, like a podcast?

Too often, marketing starts with frantically posting on Instagram, or launching a newsletter and figuring it out on the fly, or thinking you have to be on TikTok making elaborate book videos. It can very quickly get overwhelming and can lead to not seeing any results for your efforts.

I like to advise folks to take a step back and start with a strategy.

So, here are seven reasons why you need a content marketing strategy:

1. So you know WHY you’re making content

Why are you creating a social media post, writing that blog, or starting that podcast? Start by determining your goals for your business, book launch, or literary non-profit so you find your "why." Do you want to raise awareness around what you’re doing? Do you want to increase book sales? Do you want people to donate or come to an event?

2. So you know WHO you’re making content for

Next, think deeply about who your target audience is: How old are they, where do they live, where do they work, what do they read, what are their other interests, and where do they find information online? Knowing who you’re creating for will help you create more targeted content.

3. So you know WHAT content to make

By determining your goals and your target audience, you probably already have an idea of what content to make. Now, choose three key topics that you’re knowledgeable about and that are related to your goals and audience that you can base your content around. For example, if you’re an author, create content around your book and its themes, the process of writing, writing tips, and book recs in your genre.

4. So you know WHERE to share your content

Don’t sign up for every social media platform, start a newsletter, have a blog on your website, start a podcast, have a YouTube channel… Instead, choose two or three channels where your target audience is already and where you can focus your efforts. This could be a newsletter, and a primary and secondary social media channel (and no, you don’t have to be on TikTok).

5. So you know WHEN to share your content

You’ll also need to consider when to post. Ideally, you'll share content every day. But what’s most important is consistency and committing to a schedule that is doable and sustainable for you, which builds reliability and trust with your audience.

6. So you know WHAT to measure

How will you know your content marketing efforts are working? Track your metrics, like number of subscribers, engagement rates, website traffic, or shares. What you track will link directly to your goals. If you want to increase awareness, track new followers, impressions, or reach. If you want sales, track website visits and conversions.

7. So you know HOW you’re executing

Finally, creating even a simple content strategy guides your entire execution, from what to make, where to share it, and what impact you want it to have.