When you realise the costs of not having a content plan, you will wonder why you didn’t act on it years ago!   

I have worked with many clients in recent times who have created their content on the run, reacting and repurposing, and seemingly, it worked for them, to a degree…

But what are the costs of this and what’s at stake? And is there a better way to bolster your digital presence and connect more deeply with your audiences?

According to a survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs in their 2022 B2B Content Marketing Report, approximately 44% of B2B marketers reported that their organization does not have a documented content marketing strategy.  Yikes!

Form years of experience, a lack of content planning can lead to a laundry list of challenges that limit the growth of your biz, such as:

Lower Engagement and Reach

Brands that lack a documented content strategy often experience lower engagement. True story! According to CoSchedule, marketers with a documented strategy are 313% more likely to report success in their campaigns. Oh wow!

Inconsistent Messaging

Inconsistent content that confuses audiences is one of the fallouts from not having a strategic plan. In many cases, inconsistency can dilute the brand message, reducing overall impact and limiting trust between the brand and the customer.

Missed Opportunities

A lack of content planning means brands are more likely to miss out on timely and relevant content opportunities. HubSpot reports businesses that publish 16 or more blog posts per month get 4.5 times more leads than those that publish 0-4 posts monthly.

Inefficiency and Higher Costs

Content planning may help allocate resources more efficiently. The CMI found that 59% of the most successful marketers have a small (or one-person) team that outsources some of its content marketing activities, suggesting that strategic planning can optimize resource use.

Poor Performance Tracking

Without a plan, tracking and analysing content performance becomes challenging. According to the CMI, only 39% of content marketers measure content marketing ROI effectively, implying that many brands may struggle to improve without proper planning.

Decreased Audience Trust and Loyalty

Inconsistent and unplanned content can lead to a loss of audience trust. Sprout Social found that 86% of social media users want brands to be honest, but without planning, maintaining authenticity and transparency can be difficult.

Reduced SEO Performance

Content planning is crucial for SEO. Brands that do not plan their content are less likely to create optimized content, leading to poor search engine rankings and reduced organic traffic.