Most startups scramble in creating an exclusive budget for content marketing. The truth is as startups we don’t have a budget for content marketing, let’s face it. While startups are in a bootstrapping mode, all they can see is ways and means to save money and not spend money.

Though content production and distribution global spend is reaching a fat number of $44 billion, startups would contribute little to that number. After working with startups, I gathered that they have little money but big dreams. As a content strategist I felt it is necessary to share the importance of content curation and optimizing content with little money.

Content Curation

With different objectives, I cannot offer one formula of content marketing success but I would say that this would be a generalized structure that could be enhanced as per your business need. While curating content, one tries to generate a pulse and a context to create relevant content for your business. Content is organized by objective, media and format. Then there is a need to produce content in different forms and finally create a distribution plan. Just by rewriting the sequence of this process startups can make more out of little.

Work Backwards

Learn where your audience are, while drafting your distribution plan. Identifying your audience is made easy with the explosion of new media. Listen to them carefully through different channels. Take detailed notes of what they are talking about, why are or why would they use your products or services.

Tabulate that information into a content map. For instance if you have to create a content map for offering recruitment services to those who are moving back to India. Here is how your map may look like.

Once you delve further you may have to get into further details and align them with your marketing objectives. When you complete another step, you may have more layers as presented in the snapshot below:

Use these layers in the content map to create multiple formats that could be distributed across Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Blog, Slideshare and so on. Consider factors like frequency, formats and campaign objectives to create smart content.

Your budget would definitely be your benchmark to develop content. Explore if your communication plan is aligned to these formats.