Understanding the content life cycle

New technologies and new media channels keep popping up, creating new challenges for businesses and a need for new strategies to ensure the right content is reaching the right audiences at the right time. The old "create", "approve", "publish" model doesn't work anymore and it's time for people to adapt to, and adopt, what's become known as the "new content lifecycle", which can be summed up into four stages:

1. Make sure your content marketing system is holistic. It should allow you to connect with various stakeholders across a number of channels (blogs, websites, apps, mobisites and social media), which will influence its ability to drive conversation and influence the consumer
   
2. Allow more members of your organisation to contribute content. This will provide you with more opportunities to connect with the consumer and extend your reach. The more people who can easily contribute, the more content you will be able to push out
   
3. Make sure your content is original, compelling and timely, and that it keeps visitors returning to your site. This can easily be extended into social channels, where your audience will be likely to share it with their contacts if it's useful to them
   
4. Listen to your consumer and optimise your strategy based on what they are asking for. Set goals and measure your results just as you would with any other campaign, and adjust your strategy as needed over time.
   

To make the most of these steps, you'll need sizzling content. You'll find out how to create it in my next piece.