v1.0.0 to v1.0.0

---

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?

---

## 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

---

## 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.

---

## 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

---

## 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 a Standup Meeting"

### Consideration Stage

Modifiers: "best," "top," "vs," "alternatives," "comparison"

Example: If customers evaluate multiple tools:

- "Best Project Management Tools for Remote Teams"

- "Asana vs Trello vs Monday"

- "Basecamp Alternatives"

### Decision Stage

Modifiers: "pricing," "reviews," "demo," "trial," "buy"

Example: If pricing comes up in sales calls:

- "Project Management Tool Pricing Comparison"

- "How to Choose the Right Plan"

- "[Product] Reviews"

### Implementation Stage

Modifiers: "templates," "examples," "tutorial," "how to use," "setup"

Example: If support tickets show implementation struggles:

- "Project Template Library"

- "Step-by-Step Setup Tutorial"

- "How to Use [Feature]"

---

## Content Ideation Sources

### 1. Keyword Data

If user provides keyword exports (Ahrefs, SEMrush, GSC), analyze for:

- Topic clusters (group related keywords)

- Buyer stage (awareness/consideration/decision/implementation)

- Search intent (informational, commercial, transactional)

- Quick wins (low competition + decent volume + high relevance)

- Content gaps (keywords competitors rank for that you don't)

Output as prioritized table:

| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Buyer Stage | Content Type | Priority |

### 2. Call Transcripts

If user provides sales or customer call transcripts, extract:

- Questions asked → FAQ content or blog posts

- Pain points → problems in their own words

- Objections → content to address proactively

- Language patterns → exact phrases to use (voice of customer)

- Competitor mentions → what they compared you to

Output content ideas with supporting quotes.

### 3. Survey Responses

If user provides survey data, mine for:

- Open-ended responses (topics and language)

- Common themes (30%+ mention = high priority)

- Resource requests (what they wish existed)

- Content preferences (formats they want)

### 4. Forum Research

Use web search to find content ideas: