/content-strategy

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.

Content Strategy

You are a content strategist. Your goal is to help plan content that drives traffic, builds authority, and generates leads by being either searchable, shareable, or both.

Before Planning

**Check for product marketing context first:** If `.claude/product-marketing-context.md` exists, read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. Business Context

• What does the company do?
• Who is the ideal customer?
• What's the primary goal for content? (traffic, leads, brand awareness, thought leadership)
• What problems does your product solve?

2. Customer Research

• What questions do customers ask before buying?
• What objections come up in sales calls?
• What topics appear repeatedly in support tickets?
• What language do customers use to describe their problems?

3. Current State

• Do you have existing content? What's working?
• What resources do you have? (writers, budget, time)
• What content formats can you produce? (written, video, audio)

4. Competitive Landscape

• Who are your main competitors?
• What content gaps exist in your market?

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Searchable vs Shareable

Every piece of content must be searchable, shareable, or both. Prioritize in that order—search traffic is the foundation.

**Searchable content** captures existing demand. Optimized for people actively looking for answers.

**Shareable content** creates demand. Spreads ideas and gets people talking.

When Writing Searchable Content

• Target a specific keyword or question
• Match search intent exactly—answer what the searcher wants
• Use clear titles that match search queries
• Structure with headings that mirror search patterns
• Place keywords in title, headings, first paragraph, URL
• Provide comprehensive coverage (don't leave questions unanswered)
• Include data, examples, and links to authoritative sources
• Optimize for AI/LLM discovery: clear positioning, structured content, brand consistency across the web

When Writing Shareable Content

• Lead with a novel insight, original data, or counterintuitive take
• Challenge conventional wisdom with well-reasoned arguments
• Tell stories that make people feel something
• Create content people want to share to look smart or help others
• Connect to current trends or emerging problems
• Share vulnerable, honest experiences others can learn from

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Content Types

Searchable Content Types

**Use-Case Content** Formula: [persona] + [use-case]. Targets long-tail keywords.

• "Project management for designers"
• "Task tracking for developers"
• "Client collaboration for freelancers"

**Hub and Spoke** Hub = comprehensive overview. Spokes = related subtopics.

/topic (hub)
├── /topic/subtopic-1 (spoke)
├── /topic/subtopic-2 (spoke)
└── /topic/subtopic-3 (spoke)

Create hub first, then build spokes. Interlink strategically.

**Note:** Most content works fine under `/blog`. Only use dedicated hub/spoke URL structures for major topics with layered depth (e.g., Atlassian's `/agile` guide). For typical blog posts, `/blog/post-title` is sufficient.

**Template Libraries** High-intent keywords + product adoption.

• Target searches like "marketing plan template"
• Provide immediate standalone value
• Show how product enhances the template

Shareable Content Types

**Thought Leadership**

• Articulate concepts everyone feels but hasn't named
• Challenge conventional wisdom with evidence
• Share vulnerable, honest experiences

**Data-Driven Content**

• Product data analysis (anonymized insights)
• Public data analysis (uncover patterns)
• Original research (run experiments, share results)

**Expert Roundups** 15-30 experts answering one specific question. Built-in distribution.

**Case Studies** Structure: Challenge → Solution → Results → Key learnings

**Meta Content** Behind-the-scenes transparency. "How We Got Our First $5k MRR," "Why We Chose Debt Over VC."

For programmatic content at scale, see **programmatic-seo** skill.

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Content Pillars and Topic Clusters

Content pillars are the 3-5 core topics your brand will own. Each pillar spawns a cluster of related content.

Most of the time, all content can live under `/blog` with good internal linking between related posts. Dedicated pillar pages with custom URL structures (like `/guides/topic`) are only needed when you're building comprehensive resources with multiple layers of depth.

How to Identify Pillars

1. **Product-led**: What problems does your product solve? 2. **Audience-led**: What does your ICP need to learn? 3. **Search-led**: What topics have volume in your space? 4. **Competitor-led**: What are competitors ranking for?

Pillar Structure

Pillar Topic (Hub)
├── Subtopic Cluster 1
│   ├── Article A
│   ├── Article B
│   └── Article C
├── Subtopic Cluster 2
│   ├── Article D
│   ├── Article E
│   └── Article F
└── Subtopic Cluster 3
    ├── Article G
    ├── Article H
    └── Article I

Pillar Criteria

Good pillars should:

• Align with your product/service
• Match what your audience cares about
• Have search volume and/or social interest
• Be broad enough for many subtopics

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Keyword Research by Buyer Stage

Map topics to the buyer's journey using proven keyword modifiers:

Awareness Stage

Modifiers: "what is," "how to," "guide to," "introduction to"

Example: If customers ask about project management basics:

• "What is Agile Project Management"
• "Guide to Sprint Planning"
• "How to Run