How to scale content marketing for maximum effect

Content marketing has become an indispensable SEO strategy for businesses looking to build brand authority, engage with their audience, and drive conversions. However, as businesses grow, so does the demand for content. This is where content scaling comes into play. Don’t get too ahead of yourself though; producing a large volume of content quickly and deploying the right type takes skill, planning and expertise. Never fear, Dark Horse is here to shine the light on the what, why and how to scale content to help you get your act together.

What is content scaling?

Content scaling is the process of increasing the volume of content production while maintaining the high standards your audience expects, without compromising quality or consistency. This can include blog posts, videos, social media updates, infographics, and more. The goal is to boost brand awareness, reach a wider audience and grow your business.

Why should you scale your content marketing?

Scaling content doesn’t mean hiring additional team members, it focuses on the efficiency of current resources. Think of the saying; work smarter, not harder. Some of the main reasons you should scale your content are:

• Enhanced reach and visibility: Scaling content allows you to reach more people across various platforms. As your content reaches more eyeballs, you boost brand awareness. Simple.
• Improved SEO performance: With more high-quality content, you can target a wider range of keywords, boosting your search engine rankings and driving organic traffic to your site.
• Increased authority and trust: Consistently delivering content helps establish your brand as an authority in your industry, building trust with your audience.
• User experience: By producing a larger scale of content, you cater to a broader range of audience interests. Diversity enhances the user experience on your website and people are more likely to find information that resonates with them. 
• Better audience engagement: A wide variety and frequent publishing of content keeps your audience engaged and leaves them wanting more, increasing the chances of converting them into loyal customers.

7 steps to scale your content marketing

To effectively scale your content marketing efforts, a strategic approach is the way to go. Creating high-quality, user and SEO-friendly content that boosts business revenue is no easy feat. First up, you need to build a solid foundation and understand your target audience before bashing out a tonne of content that has no direction. Here’s a detailed roadmap to guide you through the process:

1. Scale Ideation & Research

   • Market analysis: Conduct thorough research to understand your audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points. Use tools like Google Trends and Semrush to gather useful insights
   • Competitor analysis: Analyse your competitors’ content strategies to identify gaps and opportunities. Look for what works well in your industry and what can be improved
   • Get your thinking caps on: Brainstorming sessions with your team is a great way to generate fresh ideas so you know what to create. Mind Maps or whiteboards with sticky notes work well to put forth ideas

2. Create Content Guidelines

   • Tone: Chatty and colloquial? Or professional and direct? By defining the tone of voice, you’re ensuring consistency across all content; this helps in building a recognisable brand identity
   • Style: Develop a comprehensive style guide that covers grammar, formatting, imagery, and brand logo usage. This means that all content adheres to the same quality standards
   • Format: Specify the types of content you wish to produce (blogs, videos, assets, etc.) and the formats they will follow

3. Automate Content Processes

   • Content management tools: No content marketing strategy is complete without a CMS (content management system). WordPress, HubSpot, or Adobe Commerce streamline content creation, editing, and publishing to make life that little bit easier 
   • Automation: Leverage tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Zapier to automate content distribution and social media posting. This saves time by alleviating you from executing every single step yourself and ensures consistency
   • Analytics and reporting: How do you know what’s working and what isn’t if you’re not analysing any metrics? Tools such as Google Analytics and HubSpot are an effective way to track content performance and gain valuable insights for future strategies

4. Utilise AI

   • Generation: AI gets a bad rep. Too often it’s used frivolously and without caution. Tools like Chat GPT and Frase are useful for generating content ideas, drafting articles, and creating outlines, which can speed up the content creation process. However, a word to the wise, make sure you proofread and edit the content. It’s so easy to notice when content has been crafted by AI and, whilst it has its advantages, it is no match for human-written copy
   • SEO Optimisation: Use the AI-features within SEO tools such as Semrush and Moz to optimise content for search engines, ensuring higher visibility and ranking

5. Have content workflows in place

   • Task management: Create detailed workflows for content creation, review, and approval processes
   • Role definition: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each team member involved in content production, this helps to ensure accountability and smooth operation
   • Collaboration tools: Use collaboration tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace to make communication amongst team members easier

6. Create a content calendar

   • Planning: Developing an organised content calendar that outlines the schedule for content creation creates a more streamlined collaboration process. As everyone can see what needs to be produced, the deadline and on which platform this will clear up any ambiguity. Aim to plan content for the next 1-3 months
   • Consistency: Maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep your target audience engaged. Regular updates also give the thumbs up to search engines that your site is active and valuable
   • Seasons greetings: Plan for relevant seasonal content that aligns with public holidays, industry events, and trends

7. Use CMS for managing tasks in the team

   • Centralised management: Choose a CMS that allows for centralised content management, making it easier to track progress and manage tasks
   • User Permissions: Ensure the CMS supports user permissions and access controls, allowing different team members to have the appropriate levels of access
   • Integration: Opt for a CMS that integrates with other tools and platforms you use, such as social media schedulers, email marketing software, and analytics tools

Commons mistakes when scaling content

Content scaling is a tricky business, so it’s not surprising there are many faux pas. Some of the most common mistakes are: 

• Compromising quality for quantity: In the rush to produce more content, it’s easy to let quality slip. Make sure every piece of content meets your brand’s standards. Your audience isn’t going to give a toss if you’re churning out any old rubbish
• Neglecting SEO: Always incorporate SEO best practices. Failing to optimise content for search engines can result in missed opportunities for organic traffic, leaving you scratching your head wondering ‘WTF, what went wrong?’
• Ignorance isn’t bliss: Scaling should not come at the expense of audience engagement. Pay attention to feedback and comments, and adjust your strategy accordingly
• Not auditing: A content audit is a forensic evaluation where you dissect your existing content to determine its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. If you’re missing this out, you may as well chuck all of your other content efforts straight into the bin
• Inconsistent branding: Without robust guidelines, scaling can lead to inconsistent branding. Maintain a uniform tone, voice, and style across all content otherwise you risk sounding like Mary Poppins one day and some pompous politician the next (we’re not naming any names)
• Overlooking analytics: Not tracking performance can make it difficult to understand what works and what doesn’t. Regularly review analytics to adjust your strategy accordingly
• Poor workflow management: Inefficient workflow can lead to missed deadlines and lower-quality content. Establish clear processes and use task management tools to stay organised
• The road to nowhere: Lastly, not having a strategy is one of the biggies. Would you jump on a plane without knowing your destination? Exactly. An effective strategy is the compass that provides direction for your business and your content marketing efforts. 

Content scaling done correctly

We get it, you’ve just been plagued with a truckload of information and you may not know where to start, what to do or simply can’t be arsed. But, luckily for you, we know our stuff.

Our content team are some of the most outrageously brilliant minds any SEO agency Manchester has ever seen. Scaling content is intrinsic to the Dark Horse collective and with our expertise, your SEO will skyrocket to stratospheric levels your competitors could only dream of. Next stop; success. Ready to jump aboard? Get in touch with us to start your journey.