A clear marketing objective with measurable performance metrics is an essential start point. An objective may be to increase website traffic by 500 visitors a month or to increase website lead capture rates by 10%. Secondly, developing a detailed buyer persona that outlines your target buyer’s pain points and their interests helps to plan and produce content that resonates with them. Thirdly, a content calendar helps you plan when and where the content will go live. Other components that are helpful are brand guidelines, tone of voice guidelines and marketing analytics, which all play a role in developing an effective content strategy.