Too often, too many -would be successful "subject matter experts" fall into the pattern of building unread blogs and unsold products. They know that they need better marketing, so they go buy the latest GURU Internet Marketing program which usually only leads to more confusion, uncertainty, and an increasing fear that what they are chasing is an illusion.

If you are an expert with advice, knowledge, experience, and a message to share, that has come online to connect with the people you know you can serve, or you plan to, most likely the biggest thing you are missing to build your brand and exposure is a web content strategy.

There is only so much time in a day, and so much we can get done. There is no time to waste, and unfortunately, the way most people create and spread content online is just that.

The KEY? Having a strategy that leverages highly valuable content to serve defined purposes is the way the pro's do it, and the way you should too. 
A targeted content strategy is the key to effectively publishing your knowledge in a way that attracts attention, builds a relationship, establishes you as an expert on your topic, and will lead to sales and the lifestyle you want.

A Web Content Strategy 
A web content strategy involves the planning, creation, and distribution of targeted content designed to serve a purpose and achieve a goal.

Because people and content can sometimes become too "encyclopedic" in its definition, and stray from the practical explanations that normal people understand, I'm going to keep this article focused on explaining what a web content strategy would look like, and how you could go about designing one.

Let's say you are an author, or an expert, a speaker, a coach, or someone with specialized knowledge that knows that there is an audience of people whom you could help, and who would buy your products/programs/services if they knew about what you had to offer.

Web content, given that the internet is perhaps the best way to market your info/advice/expertise, plays a critical part in the intelligent packaging and marketing phases of your information/advice. 
A great content strategy can get you more out of your effort, and leverage your results.

For example... 
You write an article and you publish it on your blog, it IS GREAT. But it just sits there, no one reads it, and so then you write another. Same thing. A few more times of this and now you're tired and frustrated and tell all your friends that the internet doesn't work... Defeated, you throw in the towel.

The problem is not the quality of the content or your capability to help your potential customers... The problem is that you did not have a Content Strategy.

The content strategy will help you plan and write for your intended audience more effectively and leverage your content to get people (traffic) to it, and then take an action.

With planning and targeting and creating the content designed for specific purposes and goals, you have set yourself up for success or at the very least a measurable result that will tell you-THAT didn't work.

So for example... 
We knew we were writing to target experts who may be fearful of technology and uncertain of how to market themselves/their brand online. 
We know that most people are falling into the same behavior traps and pitfalls with their content, and we know why. 
So we write an article addressing the problem and the solution.

We leverage that content to turn it into links, and traffic, and rankings, which means more links, traffic, and rankings, which means long-term little revenue streams from lots of places which provide the value the visitor is searching for, and lots of little on-rampsall over the place into our sales funnel.

Leveraging Your Content 
It's typically not the quality of the content that is the issue, it is the well coordinated and executed content strategy that makes each piece of work you create-1. Go as far as it can, and 2. Serve an intended purpose.

Here are some tips for making your content go a bit further: 
-Submit your article/blog posts to article directories 
-Organize and turn your pre-existing content into a PDF eBook 
-Turn your article into a PPT presentation and submit to slidesharing sites 
-Turn your article into a video with audio narration and screencast using the PPT presentation 
-Convert the audio into an MP3 and post a page with the recording or submit to podcast sharing sites.

In Conclusion 
I hope you're beginning to understand how in-efficiency and lack of strategy are what kill most content creation campaigns, and likewise return less than decent results.

By leveraging great content intelligently you can multiply your efforts and get better results with just slightly more work.

Jamie Leger is an Independent Singer Songwriter, and Online Business Coach/Consultant in Ann Arbor, MI. He specializes in helping people turn their knowledge and experience into an online business that gives them the lifestyle they desire - through private training and step by step instruction. He has been making music in his home recording studio and writing content for various online publications since 2004. Please enjoy his free guide to the Home Studio.