How to Build a Content Strategy from Scratch

Most startups approach content marketing the wrong way. They hire a writer, spin up a blog, and publish whatever comes to mind — then wonder why it doesn't generate traffic or pipeline six months later.

A content strategy isn't a list of blog topics. It's a system that connects your business goals to the content you create, the channels you use, and the metrics you track. Build it right once, and it compounds for years.

This guide walks you through building a content strategy from scratch — even if you're starting with zero content, a small team, and a modest budget.

What you'll learn:

• How to set goals that tie content to business outcomes
• How to define your audience and what they actually want to read
• How to choose the right channels for your stage
• How to build a topic and keyword framework
• How to create a sustainable publishing workflow

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Step 1: Set Goals That Connect to Business Outcomes

Before writing a single word, answer this question: what is content supposed to accomplish for your business?

Vague goals ("build brand awareness") don't work. You need specific, measurable outcomes tied to your stage:

Early stage (pre-revenue / seed):

• Build organic search presence before paid kicks in
• Drive 500 monthly organic visitors within 6 months
• Generate 50 email subscribers per month

Growth stage (Series A+):

• Generate 20% of MQLs through organic content
• Rank in top 3 for 10 primary commercial keywords
• Reduce CAC by 15% by increasing organic share of new signups

Mature stage:

• Own topical authority in your category
• Support sales with case studies and comparison content
• Build an owned audience of 10,000+ newsletter subscribers

Pick 1–2 primary goals and 2–3 supporting KPIs. Everything else is noise.

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Step 2: Define Your Audience (Beyond "B2B SaaS Buyers")

"Our audience is B2B SaaS marketers" is not audience research. You need to know:

Who they are:

• Job title, seniority, company size
• What tools they use day-to-day
• Where they go to learn (newsletters, Slack groups, Reddit, conferences)

What they struggle with:

• Their biggest professional pain points
• What they're trying to accomplish in the next 90 days
• What makes them look good or bad to their boss

How they buy:

• Research process (solo vs. committee)
• What triggers a purchase decision
• Where they go for social proof

The fastest way to get this is to talk to 10–15 current customers or target customers. Ask them: "What's the biggest challenge you face with [your category]? Where do you go to solve it? What would you Google first?"

Their answers become your content topics.

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Step 3: Audit What You Already Have

If you have any existing content — blog posts, landing pages, old product pages — audit it before creating anything new.

For each piece of existing content, track:

• URL and title
• Monthly organic traffic (Google Search Console)
• Current keyword rankings (Ahrefs, Semrush)
• Backlinks
• Conversion rate (if trackable)
• Last updated date
• Action: keep, update, consolidate, or delete

You'll often find that 20% of your existing content drives 80% of traffic. Double down there first before creating net-new content.

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Step 4: Choose Your Content Types and Channels

Not all content is created equal for your stage. Match content types to your goals:

For organic search (SEO):

• Long-form blog posts (1,500–3,000 words)
• Comparison pages ("X vs Y")
• How-to guides
• Templates and tools
• Pillar pages + topic clusters

For thought leadership and brand:

• LinkedIn articles and posts
• Newsletter issues
• Podcast guest appearances
• Conference talks

For pipeline and conversion:

• Case studies
• ROI calculators
• Product comparison pages
• Webinars

For retention and expansion:

• Help documentation
• Best practices guides
• Community content

Early-stage startups should pick one primary channel and do it exceptionally well. The SEO + blog combination works for most B2B companies because the traffic compounds over time and doesn't turn off the moment you stop paying.

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Step 5: Build Your Keyword and Topic Framework

Your keyword framework is the backbone of your content strategy. It tells you what to write about, in what order, and why.

Start with commercial-intent keywords:

These are the terms people search when they're evaluating solutions like yours. Examples: "best [category] software," "[your tool] alternatives," "how to [do what your product does]."

These keywords should be the first ones you target because they have the highest ROI.

Then build topic clusters:

A topic cluster groups related content around a central pillar page. The pillar page targets a broad keyword ("content marketing strategy"). Cluster content targets more specific sub-topics ("how to create an editorial calendar," "content marketing KPIs").

Internal links between cluster content and the pillar page tell Google you have deep expertise on the topic.

Prioritize using a simple scoring model:

• Search volume (how many people are searching?)
• Keyword difficulty (can you realistically rank?)
• Business relevance (does this attract buyers?)
• Search intent (is the intent aligned with what we offer?)

Tools: Google Keyword Planner (free), Ahrefs, Semrush, or even Averi's Strategy Map which maps keyword opportunities to your content goals automatically.

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Step 6: Create an Editorial Calendar

An editorial calendar is not a fancy spreadsheet. It's a commitment device. It says: "We will publish X pieces per week/month, on these topics, for this audience."

Key elements of a working editorial calendar:

• Topic and target keyword for each piece
• Content type (blog post, case study, landing page)
• Target persona (who is this for?)
• Funnel stage (awareness, consideration, decision)
• Assigned writer and due date
• Publication date

For most early-stage startups, publishing 2–4 high-quality pieces per month beats publishing 8–12 mediocre pieces. Quality compounds; quantity alone doesn't.

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Step 7: Build Your Production Workflow

Content strategy dies without a production system. You need:

1. A brief template: Every piece of content starts with a brief that includes the target keyword, search intent, target word count, required sources, outline, and brand voice notes.

2. A review process: Who reviews for accuracy? Who reviews for brand voice? Who does a final SEO check? Build a lightweight approval chain.

3. A publishing checklist:

• Meta title and description written?
• Internal links added?
• Featured image selected?
• CTA included?
• Published URL matches slug?

4. A distribution plan: Every piece gets promoted via email, social, and relevant communities. Publishing without distribution is wasted effort.

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Step 8: Define Your Metrics and Reporting Cadence

Track what matters, ignore the rest. For most content strategies:

Monthly metrics to track:

• Organic traffic (total and by page)
• Keyword ranking changes
• Email subscribers added via content
• Content-attributed signups (GA4 events or UTM tracking)

Quarterly reviews:

• Which content drove the most pipeline?
• Which keywords moved from page 2 to page 1?
• What content types performed best?
• What should we stop, start, or double down on?

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Publishing without a keyword strategy: Writing about topics nobody searches for means your content exists in a vacuum. Every piece should target a keyword with real search volume.

Ignoring search intent: A keyword like "content strategy" could mean someone wanting a definition, a template, or a consulting firm. Match your content format to what Google's top results show.

Treating content as one-and-done: Content needs to be updated regularly. A 2021 guide that hasn't been touched isn't going to rank in 2026.

Skipping distribution: Content doesn't promote itself. Build distribution into the workflow from day one.

Trying to do everything at once: One channel, done well, beats five channels done poorly. Pick your primary channel and commit.

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How Averi Helps

Building a content strategy manually is time-consuming — especially when you're figuring out keyword research, topic clusters, and editorial planning simultaneously.

Averi's Strategy Map automates the hard parts. It analyzes your website, your competitors, and your market to generate a prioritized content strategy: which topics to target, which keywords to pursue first, and how to cluster them for maximum topical authority.

Once your strategy is set, Averi's Brand Core remembers your voice, tone, and ICP so every piece of content you create stays on-brand without constant revision. It's the difference between starting from a blank page every time and having a system that builds on itself.

Start for free →

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FAQ

How long does it take to build a content strategy?

A basic content strategy can be outlined in a day. A properly researched strategy — with audience research, keyword analysis, and a topic cluster map — takes 1–2 weeks to build well. Budget time upfront; it saves months of wasted effort later.

How much content do I need to start seeing results?

SEO results typically take 3–6 months to materialize. You'll start seeing meaningful traffic with 20–40 well-optimized pieces targeting specific keywords. Publishing 2 high-quality posts per month, you're looking at 6–12 months to build real momentum.

Do I need to be on every channel?

No. Early-stage startups should pick one or two channels and master them. Most B2B SaaS companies start with SEO/blog + LinkedIn. Newsletter is a smart addition once you have content to repurpose.

How do I build a content strategy with a small team or solo?

Focus on leverage: create fewer, longer, better-researched pieces that target high-value keywords. Use templates and AI assistance to reduce time-to-draft. Build a distribution checklist so every piece gets promoted. And ruthlessly cut anything that doesn't tie to a specific goal.

How do I know if my content strategy is working?

Set clear KPIs before you start: organic traffic, keyword rankings, email subscribers, and content-attributed signups. Review monthly. If you're consistently publishing and optimizing, you should see measurable movement in 90–120 days.