content-strategy

# Content Strategy & Ideation ## Before You Start 1. **Check for existing brand context**: Read `brand/VOICE.md` and `brand/VISUAL.md` if they exist. Strategy work must align with the established brand identity. If no brand files exist, the strategy phase is a good time to define them -- suggest the user run content-setup first, or build foundational voice/visual decisions into the strategy output. 2. **Understand the distinction between strategy and tactics**: - **Strategy** answers: Who are we talking to? What do we want them to think/feel/do? What is our unique position? What themes define our content? - **Tactics** answer: What specific pieces do we publish? When? Where? In what format? - This skill handles strategy first, then translates it into tactical briefs that other skills (content-blog, content-twitter, content-video, etc.) can execute. 3. **Gather context**: Before strategizing, you need to understand the user's situation. Use the questions in `questions.md` as a starting framework. Not every question applies to every situation -- use judgment about which to ask and which to infer. --- ## Ideation Flow Follow these four stages in order. Each stage builds on the previous one. ### Stage 1: Audience Analysis Define who the content is for. Use the audience persona framework from `frameworks/audience-persona.md`. For each target audience segment, document: - **Demographics**: Role, seniority, company size, industry - **Psychographics**: Values, beliefs, worldview, identity markers - **Information diet**: Where do they currently get information? Who do they follow? What formats do they prefer? - **Pain points**: What problems keep them up at night? What frustrates them about existing solutions or content? - **Aspirations**: What do they want to become or achieve? What does success look like for them? - **Current beliefs**: What do they already believe about your topic? What misconceptions exist? - **Desired beliefs**: What should they believe after consuming your content? The gap between current beliefs and desired beliefs is where your content strategy lives. ### Stage 2: Pillar Definition Define 3-5 content pillars using the framework in `frameworks/content-pillar-model.md`. Each pillar is a core theme that: - Aligns with the brand's expertise and authority - Addresses a real audience need or interest - Is broad enough to sustain dozens of content pieces - Is specific enough to differentiate from competitors - Connects to the brand's product, service, or mission For each pillar, document: - **Pillar name**: A clear, memorable label - **Why it matters**: To the audience and to the brand - **Core thesis**: The central argument or perspective the brand brings to this theme - **Example topics**: 5-10 specific content ideas that fall under this pillar - **Interconnections**: How this pillar relates to the other pillars ### Stage 3: Idea Generation Generate specific content ideas organized by pillar. For each idea, capture: - **Working title**: A specific, compelling title (not generic) - **Pillar**: Which content pillar it belongs to - **Format**: Blog, thread, video, newsletter, LinkedIn post, etc. - **Angle**: What makes this take unique or interesting - **JTBD**: What job does the audience hire this content to do? (See `frameworks/jobs-to-be-done.md`) - **Key points**: 3-5 main arguments or sections - **Effort**: Low / Medium / High - **Priority**: Must-have / Nice-to-have / Backlog Aim for 3-5 ideas per pillar in the initial brainstorm. Prioritize ideas that: - Address the belief gap identified in Stage 1 - Can be executed with available resources - Have clear distribution channels - Can be repurposed across multiple formats ### Stage 4: Brief Creation For each prioritized idea, create a structured content brief that can be handed off to an execution skill. The brief format: ``` ## Content Brief: [Working Title] **Pillar**: [Content pillar] **Format**: [Blog / Thread / Video / Newsletter / etc.] **Target audience**: [Specific segment from Stage 1] **Goal**: [What should the reader think, feel, or do after consuming this?] **Angle / Hook**: [One paragraph describing the unique angle and why someone would click/read/watch] **Key Points**: 1. [First key argument or section] 2. [Second key argument or section] 3. [Third key argument or section] **Evidence / Examples**: - [Data point, case study, or example to include] - [Another supporting element] **CTA**: [What action should the audience take after consuming this content?] **Distribution Plan**: - Primary: [Main platform/channel] - Repurpose: [Secondary formats -- e.g., "Extract 3 tweets, 1 LinkedIn post"] **Success Metrics**: - [How will you know this content worked?] **Notes for Writer**: - [Voice/tone guidance specific to this piece] - [Things to avoid] - [References or inspiration] ``` --- ## Frameworks Reference This skill includes three strategic frameworks in the `frameworks/` directory: | Framework | When to Use | File | |---|---|---| | Jobs to Be Done | Understanding why audiences consume content | `frameworks/jobs-to-be-done.md` | | Audience Persona | Defining target audience segments | `frameworks/audience-persona.md` | | Content Pillar Model | Organizing content into strategic themes | `frameworks/content-pillar-model.md` | Use one or more frameworks depending on the user's needs. Not every engagement requires all three. --- ## Strategy vs. Execution This skill produces strategy and briefs. It does not produce finished content. The output of this skill feeds into execution skills: | Output | Feeds Into | |---|---| | Blog brief | `/content blog` | | Thread brief | `/content twitter` | | Video brief | `/content video` | | LinkedIn brief | `/content linkedin` | | Presentation brief | `/content presentation` | | Calendar plan | `/content calendar` | When handing off a brief, include enough context that the execution skill can work independently -- the brief should be self-contained. --- ## Anti-Patterns to Avoid When developing strategy, watch for these common failures: 1. **Strategy without specificity**: "We should create thought leadership content" is not a strategy. Name the audience, the angle, and the differentiation. 2. **Pillar sprawl**: More than 5 pillars means you have not made hard choices. Three focused pillars beat seven vague ones. 3. **Audience of everyone**: If your target audience is "developers," narrow it. Which developers? What experience level? What domain? 4. **Ideas without angles**: "Write a blog about Kubernetes" is a topic, not an idea. "Why your Kubernetes cluster is wasting 40% of your compute budget" is an idea. 5. **Ignoring distribution**: A content strategy without a distribution plan is a content graveyard. Every piece needs a specific path to its audience. 6. **Copying competitors**: Strategy should find the gap, not fill the same space. Ask: "What is nobody else saying about this topic?" --- ## Output Checklist Before delivering the strategy, verify: - [ ] At least one audience segment is defined with specifics (not generic) - [ ] Belief gap is identified (current beliefs vs. desired beliefs) - [ ] 3-5 content pillars are defined with clear theses - [ ] Each pillar has 3-5 specific content ideas - [ ] Priority ideas have full content briefs - [ ] Distribution plan exists for each brief - [ ] Strategy clearly differentiates from what competitors are publishing - [ ] All frameworks used are referenced with specific findings - [ ] Output is actionable -- another skill or human can execute it immediately