---
title: Content Strategy — Frameworks, Editorial Calendar, Funnel Mapping, Distribution, Voice Documentation
domain: marketing
level: 3
skill: marketing
---

# Content Strategy Reference

> **Scope**: Content frameworks by type, editorial calendar planning, funnel-stage mapping, distribution strategy, brand voice documentation, and style guide enforcement. Serves CONTENT and BRAND modes.
> **Generated**: 2026-05-05 — platform-specific formatting conventions evolve. Validate character limits and algorithm preferences against current platform documentation.

---

## Content Type Templates

### Blog Post

| Element | Standard | Notes |
|---------|----------|-------|
| **Headline** | Clear, benefit-driven, includes primary keyword, under 60 chars | Provide 2-3 options |
| **Introduction** | 100-150 words, opens with hook, states what the post covers, includes primary keyword | Hook types: question, statistic, bold claim, relatable scenario |
| **Body** | 3-5 sections, H2 subheadings, one core idea per section with evidence/examples | H3 for subsections, 200-300 words between subheadings |
| **Conclusion** | 75-100 words, summarize key takeaways, CTA | Don't introduce new ideas |
| **Meta description** | Under 160 chars, includes primary keyword, compels the click | Not a summary -- a reason to click |

Writing rules:
- 8th-grade reading level for broad audiences; adjust up for technical
- Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences)
- At least one data point, example, or quote per section
- Active voice dominant
- Front-load key information in each section

### Social Media

#### Platform-Specific Formatting

| Platform | Length Sweet Spot | Tone | Structure | Hashtags |
|----------|-----------------|------|-----------|----------|
| **LinkedIn** | 1,300 chars (before "see more") | Professional but human | Paragraph breaks, personal stories | 3-5, at end |
| **X/Twitter** | Under 280 chars; threads for depth | Concise, punchy, opinionated | Strong first line, no filler | 1-2 max |
| **Instagram** | 2,200 char cap; first 125 visible | Visual-first, storytelling | Line breaks, emoji-friendly | 10-20 in first comment |
| **Facebook** | Under 80 chars for link posts | Conversational, question-driven | Short for links, longer for native | Minimal |

Universal structure: Hook (first line grabs attention) -> Body (2-4 points or short narrative) -> CTA (what to do next).

### Email Newsletter

| Element | Standard |
|---------|----------|
| **Subject line** | Under 50 chars, curiosity or clear value |
| **Preview text** | Complements (never repeats) subject, 40-90 chars |
| **Header** | Visual anchor + one-line value statement |
| **Body** | 2-3 scannable blocks, bold intro sentences |
| **Primary CTA** | One clear action, visually distinct |
| **Footer** | Unsubscribe, company info, social links |

Rules: personalize where possible, mobile-first design, test subject lines and send times.

### Landing Page

| Section | Purpose | Copy Rule |
|---------|---------|----------|
| **Headline** | Primary benefit | Under 10 words |
| **Subheadline** | Elaborate headline | Supporting context |
| **Hero** | Headline + subheadline + CTA + visual | Above the fold |
| **Value props** | 3-4 benefits | Benefit-driven, not feature-driven |
| **Social proof** | Testimonials, logos, stats | Place near CTA |
| **Objections** | FAQ or trust signals | Address top 3-5 concerns |
| **Final CTA** | Repeat primary action | Same as hero CTA |

Rules: lead with benefits, use "you" language, minimize jargon, every section answers "so what?", reduce friction (fewer fields, clear next steps, trust signals near CTAs).

### Press Release

| Element | Standard |
|---------|----------|
| **Headline** | Factual, newsworthy, under 80 chars |
| **Subheadline** | Optional context |
| **Dateline** | City, state, date |
| **Lead paragraph** | Who, what, when, where, why in 2-3 sentences |
| **Body** | Supporting details, quotes, context |
| **Boilerplate** | Standardized company description |
| **Media contact** | Name, email, phone |

### Case Study

| Section | Content |
|---------|---------|
| **Title** | "[Customer] achieves [result] with [product]" |
| **Snapshot** | Customer, industry, size, product used, key result |
| **Challenge** | Problem faced (customer's words, not yours) |
| **Solution** | What was implemented, how |
| **Results** | Quantified outcomes with specific metrics |
| **Quote** | Customer testimonial |
| **CTA** | Learn more, get demo |

---

## SEO Fundamentals for Content

### Per-Piece SEO Checklist

| Element | Rule |
|---------|------|
| Primary keyword | One per piece. In headline, first paragraph, one subheading, meta description, URL slug. |
| Secondary keywords | 2-3 per piece. Natural placement in body and subheadings. |
| Keyword density | 1-2% maximum. Write for humans first. If it reads awkward, the keyword is forced. |
| Title tag | Under 60 chars, includes primary keyword |
| Meta description | Under 160 chars, includes primary keyword, compels click |
| URL slug | Short, descriptive, includes primary keyword |
| H1 | One per page, matches or reflects title tag |
| H2/H3 | Descriptive, include secondary keywords where natural |
| Internal links | 2-3 to related content on your site |
| External links | 1-2 to authoritative sources |
| Image alt text | Descriptive, keyword where relevant |
| Featured snippet optimization | Answer target question in 40-60 words, then elaborate |

### Content-SEO Integration

- Aim for comprehensive topic coverage (depth affects rankings)
- Answer "People Also Ask" questions within the content
- Update high-performing content regularly (content freshness signal)
- Structure for featured snippets: definition paragraphs, numbered lists, comparison tables
- Topic cluster model: pillar page links to/from supporting pages

---

## Headline and Hook Formulas

### Headline Formulas

| Formula | Example |
|---------|---------|
| How to [result] [without obstacle] | "How to Double Email Open Rates Without Sending More Emails" |
| [Number] [adjective] ways to [result] | "7 Proven Ways to Reduce Customer Churn" |
| Why [common belief] is wrong | "Why More Content Is Not the Answer" |
| The [adjective] guide to [topic] | "The Complete Guide to B2B Content Marketing" |
| [Do this], not [that] | "Build a Community, Not Just an Audience" |
| What [result] taught us about [topic] | "What 10,000 A/B Tests Taught Us About Subject Lines" |

### Hook Formulas (Opening Lines)

| Type | Example |
|------|---------|
| Surprising statistic | "73% of marketers say their biggest challenge isn't budget -- it's focus." |
| Contrarian statement | "The best marketing campaigns start with saying no to most channels." |
| Question | "When was the last time a marketing email actually changed what you bought?" |
| Scenario | "Imagine launching a campaign and knowing, before it goes live, which messages will land." |
| Bold claim | "Most landing pages lose half their visitors in the first three seconds." |
| Story opening | "Last quarter, our team was spending 20 hours a week on reporting. Here's what we did." |

### Headline Quality Check

Reject any headline that:
- Could apply to any company in any industry (too generic)
- Uses "unlock", "leverage", "streamline", "empower", "revolutionize"
- Promises without specificity ("take your X to the next level")
- Keyword-stuffs the title

---

## Call-to-Action Patterns

### CTA Principles

- Action verbs: Get, Start, Download, Join, Try, See
- Specific about what happens next: "Start your free trial" beats "Submit"
- Reduce risk: "No credit card required", "Cancel anytime"
- One primary CTA per page or email

### CTA by Context

| Context | Examples |
|---------|---------|
| Blog post | "Read our complete guide to [topic]" / "Subscribe for weekly insights" |
| Landing page | "Start free trial" / "Get a demo" / "See pricing" |
| Email | "Read the full story" / "Claim your spot" / "Reply and tell us" |
| Social | "Drop a comment if you agree" / "Save this for later" |
| Case study | "See how [product] can work for your team" / "Talk to our team" |

### CTA Placement Rules

- Above the fold on landing pages
- After establishing value in emails (not first sentence)
- End of blog posts (after earning trust)
- In-line when contextually relevant
- Repeat primary CTA at bottom of long-form pages

---

## Brand Voice Documentation Framework

### Core Components

1. **Brand personality**: Define the brand as a person. "If our brand were a person, they would be..."
2. **Voice attributes**: 3-5 attributes, each defined with:
   - We are: [what this means]
   - We are not: [common misinterpretation]
   - This sounds like: [example]
   - This does NOT sound like: [counter-example]
3. **Audience awareness**: Who the brand speaks to, their expertise level, how they expect to be addressed
4. **Core messaging pillars**: 3-5 themes, hierarchy, connection to audience needs
5. **Tone spectrum**: How voice adapts across contexts while remaining recognizable
6. **Style rules**: Grammar, formatting, language rules
7. **Terminology**: Preferred and avoided terms

### Voice Attribute Spectrums

| Spectrum | One End | Other End |
|----------|---------|-----------|
| Formality | Formal, institutional | Casual, conversational |
| Authority | Expert, authoritative | Peer-level, collaborative |
| Emotion | Warm, empathetic | Direct, matter-of-fact |
| Complexity | Technical, precise | Simple, accessible |
| Energy | Bold, energetic | Calm, measured |
| Humor | Playful, witty | Serious, earnest |

### Tone Adaptation Rules

The voice stays constant. Tone adjusts to context.

| Channel | Tone Adjustment |
|---------|----------------|
| Blog | Informative, conversational, educational |
| LinkedIn | Professional, thought-provoking, concise |
| X/Twitter | Punchy, direct, sometimes witty |
| Email | Personal, helpful, action-oriented |
| Sales collateral | Confident, benefit-driven, specific |
| Support docs | Clear, patient, step-by-step |
| Press release | Formal, factual, newsworthy |
| Error messages | Empathetic, helpful, blame-free |

| Situation | Tone Adjustment |
|-----------|----------------|
| Product launch | Excited, confident, forward-looking |
| Incident/outage | Transparent, empathetic, accountable |
| Customer success | Celebratory, specific, credits the customer |
| Bad news | Honest, respectful, solution-oriented |
| Competitive comparison | Confident but fair, fact-based, not disparaging |

**Rule**: Voice attributes remain fixed. Tone dials them up or down. If a brand is "bold and warm": product launch dials up boldness, incident response dials up warmth.

---

## Style Guide Enforcement

### Grammar and Mechanics Decisions

| Rule | Options | Pick One |
|------|---------|----------|
| Oxford comma | Yes / No | — |
| Heading case | Sentence / Title | — |
| Contractions | Use / Avoid | — |
| Em dash spacing | No spaces / Spaces | — |
| Numbers | Spell 1-9, numerals 10+ / Always numerals | — |
| Percent | % / percent | — |
| Date format | Month DD, YYYY / DD/MM/YYYY | — |
| List punctuation | Periods / No periods on fragments | — |

### Formatting Rules

- Heading hierarchy: H1 (page title only), H2 (main sections), H3 (subsections)
- Bold for emphasis. Italic for titles/terms.
- Link text: always descriptive ("read the guide" not "click here")
- Exclamation marks: limited use, never more than one
- ALL CAPS: avoid; bold instead
- Emoji: define per-channel policy

### Terminology Management

#### Common Preferred Terms

| Use This | Not This | Why |
|----------|----------|-----|
| sign up (verb) | signup (verb) | "signup" is noun form |
| log in (verb) | login (verb) | "login" is noun/adjective |
| set up (verb) | setup (verb) | "setup" is noun/adjective |
| email | e-mail | No hyphen, standard |
| website | web site | One word, standard |

#### Inclusive Language Rules

- Gender-neutral: they/them for unknown individuals
- Use inclusive alternatives for ableist terms ("unexpected" for "crazy", "oversight" for "blind spot", "weak" for "lame")
- "Simple" or "straightforward" instead of "easy" (easy varies by person)
- Use universally understood phrasing over culturally specific idioms

#### Competitor and Category Terms

- Use your preferred category framing, not the competitor's
- Use original terminology over competitor-coined terms (which reinforce their positioning)
- Refer to competitors generically unless direct comparison is the point
- Define your differentiation language and use it consistently

---

## Editorial Calendar Framework

### Calendar Dimensions

| Dimension | Options |
|-----------|---------|
| Time horizon | 30-day (tactical), 90-day (strategic), annual (directional) |
| Content types | Blog, email, social, video, webinar, ebook, case study |
| Funnel stages | Awareness, consideration, decision |
| Themes | Monthly or bi-weekly topic themes |
| Channels | Where each piece publishes |
| Status | Idea, Assigned, In progress, In review, Scheduled, Published |

### Distribution Strategy

| Distribution Method | Timing | Purpose |
|--------------------|--------|---------|
| Email to subscribers | Day of publish | Drive initial traffic |
| Social (organic) | Day of + 1 week + 1 month | Multiple exposure windows |
| Repurpose to thread/carousel | Week after publish | Platform-native format |
| Internal linking from related posts | Ongoing | SEO and discoverability |
| Paid promotion (top performers) | After organic validation | Scale what works |
| Community sharing | Week of publish | Targeted distribution |

### Repurposing Matrix

| Source Content | Repurpose Into | Effort |
|---------------|---------------|--------|
| Blog post | LinkedIn post, X thread, email snippet, infographic | Low |
| Webinar | Blog recap, video clips, quote graphics, slide deck | Medium |
| Case study | Social proof snippet, email proof point, sales one-pager | Low |
| Ebook | Blog series (1 chapter = 1 post), social excerpts, email drip | Medium |
| Podcast episode | Blog transcript, quote graphics, audiogram clips | Medium |
| Original research | Blog post, infographic, press release, social data points | High |

### Funnel Content Mapping

| Funnel Stage | Content Purpose | Types | Metrics |
|-------------|----------------|-------|---------|
| **Awareness** | Attract, educate, build trust | Blog, social, podcast, video | Traffic, reach, new visitors |
| **Consideration** | Deepen engagement, demonstrate expertise | Guides, webinars, comparison pages, case studies | Time on page, downloads, email signups |
| **Decision** | Remove friction, prove value | Demos, trials, pricing pages, testimonials, ROI calculators | Signups, demos requested, pipeline |

Audit your content inventory against this map. The most common gap: plenty of awareness content, almost no decision content (or vice versa).
