Many companies understand content marketing as "two posts a week". Posts go out, likes come in, but a few months later the question arises: what did this content earn us? If there is no answer, the problem is not content quality but the lack of a strategy.
A content marketing strategy is a plan that defines who you write for, why, in which format and on which channel, and how you measure the result. In 2026 this plan has to account for search engines, social media and AI answers from ChatGPT and Gemini.
This article is the updated version of the content marketing post from our old blog: 7 steps, each with a practical example.
Short answer: content marketing means earning trust by answering your target audience's questions with helpful content and turning them into customers step by step. A strategy systematises this with personas, intent, a content funnel, a calendar and measurement.
Step 1: personas — who you write for
A persona is a generalised customer description based on your real customers. "Age 25–45, Baku" is demographics, not a persona. A persona describes problems, goals and the decision process.
Example: a persona for an insurance company
- Who: a professional aged 28–35 who has bought their first car.
- Problem: does not know the difference between comprehensive (KASKO) and compulsory insurance, or which to choose.
- Where they search: Google, Instagram, asking friends.
- What drives the decision: price, easy payment, fast service when something happens.
- Objection: "insurers do not pay when there is a claim".
A persona like this immediately shows which content is needed: a "KASKO vs compulsory insurance" guide, a "steps after an accident" checklist, real claim stories.
Step 2: keyword and intent research
The persona answers "for whom", keyword research answers "about what". Search Console, Google Keyword Planner, tools like Ahrefs and the questions your sales team hears most are the main sources.
Group every topic by search intent: informational ("what is", "how to"), commercial (comparisons, "best"), transactional ("buy", "price", "order"). Do not write two separate posts for the same intent — they will compete with each other.
A special opportunity for Azerbaijani-speaking audiences: on many topics, quality AZ content is still scarce. Even where strong English and Russian sources exist, an accurate Azerbaijani guide with local examples often makes the difference.
Step 3: the content funnel — TOFU, MOFU, BOFU
| Stage | Reader's state | Content format | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOFU — top of funnel | Just understanding the problem | Blog post, "what is" guide, short video | "What is SEO and how does it work" |
| MOFU — middle of funnel | Comparing solutions | Case study, comparison, checklist, webinar | "Data-driven vs last click" |
| BOFU — bottom of funnel | Ready to decide | Service page, pricing, demo, FAQ, reviews | "SEO service — packages" |
The most common mistake is writing only TOFU: traffic comes, but without MOFU and BOFU content to take the reader to the next step, sales do not follow. Every TOFU article should link to a related MOFU or BOFU page.
This blog follows the same logic: the what is SEO guide is TOFU, the technical SEO checklist is MOFU and the SEO service page is BOFU.
Step 4: a content calendar
A calendar keeps content coming consistently and removes the "what shall we write this week?" question. A simple table is enough for a small team.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Topic and main keyword | "KASKO vs compulsory insurance" |
| Persona and funnel stage | First-time car owner · MOFU |
| Format | Blog post + 3 carousel posts |
| Author and expert review | Content manager · Insurance expert |
| Publish date and channel | 15th · Website, Instagram, email |
| Target action (CTA) | Online quote |
Plan seasonal dates in advance: Novruz, back to school, Black Friday, year end. Search demand rises in these periods, and content should be ready a few weeks early so it has time to be indexed.
Step 5: valuable content and E-E-A-T
Google describes helpful content as content "created for people" that shows real experience and expertise — see Google's guide to creating helpful content. In practice that means:
- Experience: examples from your own projects, real screenshots, process descriptions.
- Expertise: it is clear who the author is and why they write on this topic.
- Sources: where the numbers come from is shown; no unsourced statistics.
- Freshness: outdated information is updated regularly and the date is shown.
AI tools speed up content production, but without editing and expert review they are risky: wrong facts, generic text, no local context. We describe how we manage this process in our AI content quality article.
Step 6: multiple formats and distribution
One good article can become several formats. This saves time and delivers the same message to audiences on different channels.
- Blog article → the main source, for SEO and AI answers.
- Carousel post → a 5–7 slide summary for Instagram and LinkedIn.
- Short video (Reels, Shorts) → one key idea, 30–60 seconds.
- Email newsletter → the most useful posts to subscribers once a month.
- Sales material → a link the sales team can send to prospects.
Without a distribution plan, even the best content stays invisible. After publishing, link to the new post from older related posts, share it on social media and, where needed, boost it with a small ad budget. We cover the social side in our SMM guide.
Step 7: measurement and updates
To measure content results, choose metrics for each funnel stage:
| Stage | Metric | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| TOFU | Organic impressions and clicks, new users | Search Console, GA4 |
| MOFU | Scroll depth, internal link clicks, email sign-ups | GA4 |
| BOFU | Conversions starting from content, lead quality | GA4, CRM |
Run a content audit every quarter: find posts with declining traffic, outdated information or competing topics. Update them, merge them, or 301-redirect the old URL to a stronger post. This article itself is the result of such an audit. More on metrics: our marketing KPI article.
Frequently asked questions
What is content marketing?
A marketing approach that earns trust by answering the target audience's questions with helpful content and turns that audience into customers.
What does a content marketing strategy include?
Personas, keyword and intent research, a TOFU/MOFU/BOFU content funnel, a content calendar, formats and a distribution plan, measurement and regular updates.
How many articles should I publish per week?
There is no universal number. One or two quality, expert-reviewed articles a month deliver more than many shallow posts. Consistency matters more than volume.
When do content marketing results show?
Results from search usually take a few months; social and email distribution show effects sooner. Competitive topics take longer.
Can I write content with AI?
Yes, but treat the AI draft only as a starting point. Fact-checking, adding local examples and experience, and expert editing are essential for quality.
What should I do with old content?
Audit quarterly: update what is still useful, merge similar posts, and 301-redirect outdated ones to the most relevant page.
Conclusion
Content marketing works through strategy, not post counts: knowing who you write for, which question you answer and how you take the reader to the next step. These 7 steps work for small teams too.
As a first step, write one persona and list the 10 questions they ask most — that is your first content plan. We show how content fits with other channels in our digital marketing guide.
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