| name | content-strategy |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| description | When the user wants to plan a content strategy, decide what content to create, or figure out what topics to cover. Also use when the user mentions "content strategy," "what should I write about," "content ideas," "blog strategy," "topic clusters," or "content planning." For writing individual pieces, see copywriting. For SEO-specific audits, see seo-audit. |
| triggers | ["content strategy","content plan","editorial calendar"] |
When to Use
Use when the question is what to create, for whom, and in what order — not how to write one piece. Signals: "content strategy", "what should I write about", "blog strategy", "topic clusters", "content calendar", "content planning". If the user hands you a topic and wants it written, use content-production. If they want an SEO-specific audit of existing pages, use seo-audit.
Workflow
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Map the audience/ICP. Define 1–3 segments with: role, primary job-to-be-done, pain points, buying-stage questions, and where they consume content (search, LinkedIn, newsletters, YouTube). If the user hasn't specified, propose a segment and state the assumption rather than asking ten questions up front.
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Build the topic universe from search intent. For each segment, list the questions they ask at each funnel stage (awareness / consideration / decision) and group them by theme. Aim for 30+ candidate topics before filtering.
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Design pillar pages + topic clusters (hub-and-spoke). For each theme: one pillar page (broad, comprehensive, targets the head term) and 5–10 cluster posts (specific questions that link up to the pillar). Pillars earn authority; clusters earn rankings. Every cluster post needs a natural internal link to its pillar.
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Keyword/topic research. Prioritize clusters by volume, difficulty, and business relevance. A healthy cluster mixes: 1 head term (pillar), several long-tail questions (clusters), and both informational and commercial intent. Use the user's keyword tool if one is named; otherwise estimate from search results and state the method.
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Build the content calendar. Set cadence from capacity, not ambition — one strong pillar a month beats eight thin posts. Mix formats deliberately: pillars (~40%), clusters (~40%), momentum pieces (~20%: newsjacking, opinion, video, case studies). Assign each piece: format, target keyword, parent pillar, owner, publish date.
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Plan repurposing. Each pillar should spawn: 1 email newsletter, 2–3 social posts, 1 short-form video, and a slide deck or PDF. Put this on the calendar so distribution is planned, not an afterthought.
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Define measurement. Pick 3–5 metrics tied to goals, checked monthly:
- Traffic: sessions and organic sessions per pillar/cluster
- Rankings: keyword positions for target terms (name the tool)
- Leads: form fills / signups attributed to content (the tracking method must exist — if not, say so)
- Engagement: time on page, scroll depth, comments/shares on momentum pieces
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Set governance. Document per pillar: owner (writes), reviewer (approves), refresh cadence (e.g., annually or when stats go stale), and review triggers (ranking drop, major industry change). Keep it to one page the team can actually read.
Pitfalls
- Building clusters without a pillar: isolated posts rank but never compound.
- A calendar driven by "what we can write" instead of intent gaps — you end up covering what competitors already cover.
- Keyword-first planning that ignores how the audience phrases their questions.
- Treating repurposing as an afterthought — content that never gets distributed earns nothing.
- Governance that is a document, not a habit: if no one owns refresh, clusters rot and rankings decay.
Verification
- Does every calendar item link to a pillar or a stated goal? (No orphan pieces.)
- Can you name the ICP segment, their top question, and the pillar for any random calendar entry?
- Are measurement metrics defined with a named data source (GA4, Search Console, the user's tool) rather than aspiration?
- Does every pillar have an owner and a refresh date? If not, governance is incomplete.
