Content Marketing Lifecycle Workflow

# Content Marketing Lifecycle Workflow

This reference defines the standard workflow, phase structure, diagnostic questions, content type sub-workflows, ethical guidelines, benchmarks, and deliverable format for all content marketing work.

---

## Workflow Overview

The Content Marketing Lifecycle is a 6-phase workflow that takes content from strategic planning through production, publishing, and performance iteration. Every phase has entry conditions, key activities, deliverables, and exit conditions.

The core principle: **Strategy first, production second.** No content gets produced without a documented purpose, target audience, funnel stage, and success metric. Random content is wasted effort.

### Phase Summary

| Phase | Name | Purpose | Typical Duration |
|-------|------|---------|-----------------|
| 1 | Strategy & Calendar | Define pillars, audience mapping, editorial calendar | 1-2 weeks |
| 2 | Research & Brief | Topic research, keyword analysis, content brief | 1-3 days per piece |
| 3 | Draft Production | Write first draft following brief, SEO optimize | 2-5 days per piece |
| 4 | Review & Optimize | Editorial review, SEO check, readability, fact-check | 1-2 days per piece |
| 5 | Publish & Distribute | Platform publishing, social distribution, email promotion | 1-2 days per piece |
| 6 | Performance & Iteration | Traffic, engagement, conversions, content refresh schedule | Ongoing (30/60/90 day reviews) |

---

## Phase 1: Strategy & Calendar

### Purpose
Establish the content foundation: what topics to cover, who the content serves, how it maps to the funnel, and when it publishes. This phase prevents the most common content failure -- producing content without strategic direction.

### Entry Conditions
- Brand context or SOSTAC plan available (or user provides equivalent context)
- User has articulated a content need or marketing objective

### Key Activities
1. **Define content pillars** (3-5 maximum):
   - Each pillar maps to a core audience need or business objective
   - Pillars should be broad enough for 20+ pieces each, specific enough to establish authority
   - Example: For a project management SaaS -- "Remote Team Productivity," "Project Planning Methodology," "Stakeholder Communication"

2. **Map audience segments**:
   - Who reads this content? (Job title, seniority, industry, company size)
   - What questions are they asking at each funnel stage?
   - What content formats do they prefer? (Blog readers vs. whitepaper downloaders vs. video consumers)

3. **Build funnel mapping**:
   | Funnel Stage | Content Purpose | Content Types | KPI |
   |-------------|----------------|---------------|-----|
   | Top of Funnel (TOFU) | Awareness, education | Blog posts, infographics, social content, videos | Traffic, impressions, social shares |
   | Middle of Funnel (MOFU) | Consideration, evaluation | Case studies, comparison guides, webinars, whitepapers | Downloads, email signups, time on page |
   | Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) | Decision, conversion | Product demos, free tools, ROI calculators, customer stories | Trials, demos booked, purchases |

4. **Create editorial calendar**:
   - 90-day rolling calendar minimum
   - Publication cadence: consistent frequency matters more than volume. 1 quality post/week beats 3 mediocre ones.
   - Assign each piece to a pillar, funnel stage, target keyword, and owner
   - Build in seasonal and industry event hooks

5. **Define distribution plan**:
   - Owned channels: Blog, email newsletter, resource hub
   - Social distribution: Which platforms, posting cadence, format adaptations
   - Paid amplification: Budget for boosting top-performing content
   - Syndication and partnerships: Guest posts, co-marketing, community sharing

6. **Set content standards**:
   - Voice and tone guidelines (reference brand context)
   - Quality bar: minimum word count, research depth, formatting requirements
   - SEO requirements: target keyword, secondary keywords, internal linking targets
   - Visual requirements: featured image, in-content visuals, OG image

### Deliverables
- Content strategy document (pillars, audience mapping, funnel mapping, standards)
- 90-day editorial calendar
- Distribution plan

### Exit Conditions
- 3-5 content pillars defined with clear audience connection
- Editorial calendar has at least 12 pieces planned (3 months at weekly cadence)
- Each calendar entry has: topic, pillar, funnel stage, target keyword, format, owner, publish date
- Distribution plan covers at least 3 channels

---

## Phase 2: Research & Brief

### Purpose
Deep research for each content piece before writing begins. The brief is the contract between strategy and production -- it ensures the writer produces content that serves the strategic objective.

### Entry Conditions
- Content piece is on the editorial calendar with assigned pillar, funnel stage, and target keyword
- Content strategy from Phase 1 is documented

### Key Activities
1. **Topic research**:
   - Search existing content on the topic (Google top 10, competitor blogs, industry publications)
   - Identify the content gap: What does existing content miss? What angle is underserved?
   - Find original data, statistics, or expert perspectives to differentiate

2. **Keyword analysis**:
   - Primary keyword: search volume, difficulty, intent match
   - Secondary keywords (3-5): semantically related terms, long-tail variations
   - Search intent analysis: Is the searcher looking for information, comparison, or a solution?
   - Featured snippet opportunity: Can we structure content to capture position zero?

3. **Competitive content audit** (for the specific topic):
   - Top 5 ranking pages: word count, structure, depth, freshness, domain authority
   - Content quality score: What is the minimum bar to compete?
   - Differentiation angle: How will our piece be meaningfully different or better?

4. **Build the content brief**:
   - **Working title**: Clear, keyword-inclusive headline
   - **Target keyword**: Primary + secondary keywords
   - **Search intent**: Informational, navigational, commercial, transactional
   - **Target audience**: Specific persona this piece addresses
   - **Funnel stage**: TOFU, MOFU, or BOFU
   - **Content angle**: The unique perspective or value proposition of this piece
   - **Outline**: H2/H3 structure with key points under each section
   - **Word count target**: Based on competitive analysis (typical ranges below)
   - **Internal links**: Existing content to link to and from
   - **CTA**: What action should the reader take after reading?
   - **Sources**: Required data, quotes, or references to include
   - **Visual needs**: Charts, screenshots, diagrams, or custom graphics needed

### Word Count Benchmarks by Content Type

| Content Type | Minimum | Target | Maximum |
|-------------|---------|--------|---------|
| Blog post (standard) | 1,200 | 1,800-2,500 | 3,500 |
| Blog post (pillar/ultimate guide) | 3,000 | 4,000-6,000 | 10,000 |
| Case study | 800 | 1,200-1,800 | 2,500 |
| Whitepaper | 3,000 | 5,000-8,000 | 15,000 |
| Thought leadership article | 1,000 | 1,500-2,500 | 3,500 |
| Lead magnet (ebook) | 3,000 | 5,000-10,000 | 20,000 |
| Product comparison | 1,500 | 2,500-3,500 | 5,000 |

### Deliverables
- Keyword research summary
- Competitive content analysis
- Content brief (complete with outline, keyword targets, CTA, word count, visuals)

### Exit Conditions
- Content brief is approved by strategist or stakeholder
- Primary keyword identified with volume, difficulty, and intent documented
- Outline has H2-level structure with key points
- Differentiation angle is documented (why this piece will be better than existing content)

---

## Phase 3: Draft Production

### Purpose
Produce the first draft following the approved content brief. The writer's job is to execute the strategic vision in the brief while bringing subject matter expertise, storytelling quality, and SEO optimization.

### Entry Conditions
- Approved content brief from Phase 2
- Writer assigned with relevant domain expertise
- Any required source materials, data, or expert inputs are available

### Key Activities
1. **Write the first draft** following the brief structure:
   - Open with a hook that addresses the reader's problem or question directly
   - Follow the outline structure from the brief
   - Include all specified keywords naturally (no keyword stuffing)
   - Write for the target audience's reading level and expertise
   - Include data, examples, and specific details -- generalities are weak content

2. **SEO optimization during writing**:
   - Primary keyword in title, H1, first 100 words, meta description
   - Secondary keywords distributed naturally across H2s and body content
   - Internal links to related content (minimum 3 per 1,500 words)
   - External links to authoritative sources (minimum 2 per 1,500 words)
   - Meta description: 150-160 characters, includes primary keyword, compelling click reason
   - URL slug: short, keyword-inclusive, no stop words

3. **Structure for readability**:
   - Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences maximum)
   - Subheadings every 200-300 words
   - Bullet points and numbered lists for scannable content
   - Bold key phrases and takeaways
   - Visual breaks: images, charts, or callout boxes every 400-500 words

4. **Include the CTA**: Every piece needs a clear next action for the reader. Match the CTA to the funnel stage:
   - TOFU: "Subscribe to our newsletter" or "Download the free guide"
   - MOFU: "Read the case study" or "Book a demo"
   - BOFU: "Start your free trial" or "Get a custom quote"

5. **Write supporting elements**:
   - Featured image brief or selection
   - Social sharing snippets (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Meta -- tailored to each platform)
   - Email teaser copy for newsletter distribution
   - Alt text for all images

### Deliverables
- First draft (complete with meta description, internal/external links, CTA)
- Social sharing snippets
- Email teaser copy

### Exit Conditions
- Draft meets the word count target from the brief (+/- 10%)
- All outline sections from the brief are covered
- Primary and secondary keywords are naturally included
- CTA is present and matches the funnel stage
- Meta description is written

---

## Phase 4: Review & Optimize

### Purpose
Quality gate before publication. Every piece goes through editorial, SEO, readability, and accuracy review. No content publishes without passing all four checks.

### Entry Conditions
- First draft from Phase 3 is complete
- Draft follows the approved content brief

### Key Activities
1. **Editorial review**:
   - Does the content deliver on the headline's promise?
   - Is the argument logical and well-structured?
   - Is the voice consistent with brand guidelines?
   - Are claims supported with data or evidence?
   - Is the opening compelling enough to keep reading?
   - Is the conclusion actionable, not just a summary?

2. **SEO review checklist**:
   - [ ] Primary keyword in title tag, H1, first 100 words, meta description, URL
   - [ ] Secondary keywords present naturally in H2s and body
   - [ ] Internal links: minimum 3 relevant links to existing content
   - [ ] External links: minimum 2 links to authoritative sources
   - [ ] Meta description: 150-160 characters, keyword-inclusive, compelling
   - [ ] Image alt text: descriptive, keyword-inclusive where natural
   - [ ] URL slug: clean, short, keyword-inclusive
   - [ ] Schema markup: FAQ, HowTo, or Article schema where applicable
   - [ ] Featured snippet optimization: summary paragraph, table, or list that could capture position zero

3. **Readability check**:
   - Flesch-Kincaid readability score: Grade 7-9 for general audiences, Grade 10-12 for technical audiences
   - Average sentence length: 15-20 words
   - Paragraphs: 2-4 sentences
   - Passive voice: below 10% of sentences
   - Jargon audit: remove or explain any insider terms

4. **Fact-check and accuracy**:
   - All statistics cited with source and date
   - Claims are current (data older than 2 years should be flagged)
   - Product references are accurate (features, pricing, availability)
   - Competitor references are fair and factual
   - Legal claims (ROI, performance, guarantees) are defensible

5. **Optimize for AI search (GEO/AEO)**:
   - Clear, direct answers to the target question in the first paragraph
   - Structured data that LLMs can parse (tables, lists, definitions)
   - E-E-A-T signals: author bio, credentials, cited sources, original research
   - Concise summary sentences that LLMs can cite directly

### Review Decision
- **Approve**: Proceed to Phase 5 (Publish & Distribute)
- **Revise**: Return to Phase 3 with specific revision notes
- **Kill**: Rare. Content does not meet quality bar and cannot be salvaged. Document why.

### Deliverables
- Reviewed and approved final draft
- SEO checklist (all items verified)
- Revision notes (if revisions needed)

### Exit Conditions
- Editorial review passed: content is well-structured, on-brand, and compelling
- SEO review passed: all checklist items verified
- Readability score within target range
- All facts and statistics verified with sources

---

## Phase 5: Publish & Distribute

### Purpose
Get the content live and in front of the target audience. Publication is only the beginning -- distribution is where content reaches its audience. The 80/20 rule: 20% creation, 80% distribution.

### Entry Conditions
- Final draft approved in Phase 4
- All supporting assets ready (images, social snippets, email copy)
- Publishing platform access confirmed

### Key Activities
1. **Platform-native publishing**:
   - Format content for the publishing platform (CMS, blog, resource hub)
   - Verify rendering: headings, images, links, embeds, mobile display
   - Set canonical URL if publishing to multiple platforms
   - Configure schema markup
   - Set up tracking: UTM parameters for all distribution links

2. **Social media distribution** (coordinate with paw-mkt-social for calendar):
   - **LinkedIn**: Professional angle, long-form excerpt or native article. Best for B2B.
   - **Twitter/X**: Thread format for key insights, link to full piece. 3-5 tweets per thread.
   - **Instagram**: Visual summary carousel or quote graphics. Story with swipe-up/link.
   - **TikTok/Reels**: Short-form video summarizing key points (if content lends itself to video).
   - **Facebook**: Community-oriented framing, question or poll to drive engagement.
   - Post on publication day + reshare at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month with different angles

3. **Email promotion**:
   - Newsletter feature with teaser copy
   - Dedicated email for high-value pieces (whitepapers, major guides)
   - Segment-specific sends for persona-relevant content
   - Drip sequence inclusion for relevant funnel stage

4. **Paid amplification** (for top-performing or strategically critical content):
   - Boost budget: $50-500 for initial distribution test
   - Targeting: match the content's target persona
   - Retarget site visitors with the content
   - Track cost per engagement and cost per conversion from content

5. **Syndication and partnerships**:
   - Republish on Medium, LinkedIn, or industry platforms (with canonical tag)
   - Share with relevant communities (Reddit, Slack groups, Discord, forums) -- add value, don't spam
   - Partner cross-promotion: share relevant content with complementary brands
   - Pitch for inclusion in industry newsletters or roundups

6. **Internal distribution**:
   - Share with sales team for use in outreach
   - Add to relevant resource collections or knowledge base
   - Update related existing content with links to the new piece

### Deliverables
- Published content with verified formatting and tracking
- Social posts scheduled across platforms
- Email distribution sent or scheduled
- Syndication completed where applicable

### Exit Conditions
- Content is live and verified on the publishing platform
- Social distribution is active on at least 2 platforms
- Email distribution is sent or scheduled
- UTM tracking is verified for all distribution links

---

## Phase 6: Performance & Iteration

### Purpose
Measure content performance against objectives, identify optimization opportunities, and build a content refresh schedule. Content that is not measured cannot be improved.

### Entry Conditions
- Content has been live for a minimum of 30 days (for initial review)
- Analytics tracking is verified and collecting data

### Key Activities
1. **Performance measurement** (at 30, 60, and 90 days):

   | Metric | TOFU Target | MOFU Target | BOFU Target |
   |--------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
   | Organic traffic | 500+ sessions/month | 200+ sessions/month | 100+ sessions/month |
   | Avg. time on page | 3+ minutes | 4+ minutes | 2+ minutes |
   | Bounce rate | Below 70% | Below 60% | Below 50% |
   | Social shares | 50+ | 20+ | 10+ |
   | Email click-through | 3%+ CTR | 5%+ CTR | 8%+ CTR |
   | Conversion (content CTA) | 1-3% | 3-8% | 8-15% |
   | Backlinks acquired | 2+ | 1+ | N/A |
   | Search position (primary keyword) | Top 20 by 60 days | Top 20 by 90 days | Top 10 by 90 days |

2. **Content performance scoring**:
   - **A-tier** (top 10%): Exceeds targets across 3+ metrics. Scale distribution. Create derivatives.
   - **B-tier** (next 30%): Meets most targets. Optimize and monitor.
   - **C-tier** (next 40%): Below targets but has potential. Refresh and re-promote.
   - **D-tier** (bottom 20%): Significantly below targets. Audit for consolidation, redirect, or removal.

3. **Optimization actions by tier**:
   - A-tier: Repurpose into 10+ derivatives (social series, email sequence, video script, podcast episode, infographic). Gate as lead magnet. Translate to other languages.
   - B-tier: Update headline for CTR, add internal links, improve CTA, re-promote on social.
   - C-tier: Major refresh -- update statistics, add new sections, improve structure, re-optimize for keyword. Republish with current date.
   - D-tier: Evaluate if the topic is worth the investment. Consolidate with related pieces, 301 redirect, or noindex.

4. **Content refresh schedule**:
   - Evergreen content: Review every 6 months for accuracy and freshness
   - Data-heavy content: Update quarterly with new statistics
   - Trend-based content: Review monthly during trend lifecycle
   - Declining content (traffic drop >30%): Immediate audit and refresh

5. **Attribution and ROI analysis**:
   - First-touch attribution: Which content brought users into the funnel?
   - Multi-touch attribution: Which content assisted in the conversion path?
   - Content cost per lead: (Production cost + distribution cost) / leads generated
   - Content ROI: Revenue attributed to content / total content investment

### Deliverables
- Content performance report (30/60/90 day reviews)
- Tier classification for all published content
- Content refresh calendar
- Attribution and ROI summary

### Exit Conditions
- All published content has been measured against targets
- A/B/C/D tier classification is current
- Refresh calendar is populated with upcoming updates
- Underperforming content has documented action plans

---

## Content Type Sub-Workflows

Different content types require specialized approaches within the standard 6-phase lifecycle. Apply the relevant sub-workflow during Phases 2-4.

### Blog Post Sub-Workflow

**Phase 2 additions**:
- Keyword opportunity scoring (volume, difficulty, CPC as commercial intent proxy)
- Competitor SERP analysis: what format dominates? (listicle, how-to, guide, opinion)
- Featured snippet analysis: can we capture position zero?

**Phase 3 additions**:
- Hook: Problem-agitate-solve or provocative question opening
- Scannable structure: every H2 should standalone as a valuable insight
- Conclusion with actionable takeaway, not just summary

**Phase 4 additions**:
- Headline testing: write 5 options, select best using headline analyzer score
- Internal link audit: connect to cluster of related blog posts

**Benchmarks**: 1,800-2,500 words average. Target 500+ organic sessions/month within 90 days.

### Case Study Sub-Workflow

**Phase 2 additions**:
- Customer selection: Choose customers who represent the ideal buyer persona
- Outcome data collection: Get specific numbers (revenue increase, time saved, cost reduction)
- Approval process: Customer must approve final content before publication

**Phase 3 additions**:
- Structure: Challenge -> Solution -> Results -> Key Takeaway
- Include direct customer quotes (minimum 3 per case study)
- Quantify results: "47% reduction in onboarding time" not "significant improvement"
- Include implementation timeline and team context

**Phase 4 additions**:
- Customer review cycle (allow 5-7 business days for approval)
- Legal review if referencing revenue, market share, or competitive claims

**Benchmarks**: 1,200-1,800 words. Focus on MOFU/BOFU metrics. Target 3-8% conversion to demo/trial.

### Lead Magnet Sub-Workflow (Ebook, Checklist, Template, Toolkit)

**Phase 2 additions**:
- Value proposition: What specific problem does the lead magnet solve?
- Competitive lead magnet analysis: What are competitors gating? What is the quality bar?
- Landing page brief: Write the conversion page copy alongside the lead magnet brief

**Phase 3 additions**:
- Design requirements: Lead magnets need professional formatting (cover, layout, branding)
- Actionable content: Every section should have a worksheet, checklist, or template element
- Modular structure: Chapters or sections that standalone for repurposing

**Phase 4 additions**:
- Landing page review: Conversion path from content to download
- Form field audit: Minimize fields (name + email for TOFU; add company + role for MOFU)
- Email follow-up sequence: Plan 3-5 nurture emails post-download

**Benchmarks**: 5,000-10,000 words for ebooks. Target 15-30% landing page conversion rate. Target 20%+ email open rate on follow-up sequence.

### Thought Leadership Sub-Workflow

**Phase 2 additions**:
- Author identification: Which executive or expert provides the byline?
- Unique perspective: What original viewpoint does the author bring that no one else is saying?
- Timeliness: Is there a news hook, industry trend, or data release to anchor the piece?

**Phase 3 additions**:
- First-person voice: Thought leadership is personal, not corporate
- Contrarian or forward-looking angle: Agree-with-everything pieces add no value
- Include the author's direct experience, decisions, and lessons learned
- Reference specific data or examples that demonstrate expertise

**Phase 4 additions**:
- Author review: The named author must review and approve
- Sensitivity review: Opinions on industry trends can be politically charged
- Platform selection: LinkedIn articles, industry publications, or company blog

**Benchmarks**: 1,500-2,500 words. Measure by social engagement, backlinks, speaking invitations, and brand authority signals rather than pure traffic volume.

---

## Diagnostic Questions

Ask these before producing any content marketing recommendation. Recommendations without this context are guesses.

1. **Content goal**: What is the primary objective? (Traffic, leads, brand authority, sales enablement, customer education?)
2. **Current state**: What content exists today? Is there a blog? How often do you publish? What are current traffic numbers?
3. **Audience**: Who is the primary reader? Job title, industry, seniority, company size? What do they care about?
4. **Competitive landscape**: Who are the main competitors in content? What topics do they own? Where are the gaps?
5. **Resources**: Who writes? In-house or outsourced? What is the content budget? Who approves content?
6. **Distribution**: What channels are active? Email list size? Social following? Paid content promotion budget?
7. **Measurement**: What analytics are in place? Can you track content to conversions? What attribution model?
8. **SEO foundation**: Is there keyword research? What are the priority keywords? Any existing SEO infrastructure?
9. **Brand voice**: Is there a documented voice and tone guide? Examples of content the brand admires?
10. **Past performance**: Which content has performed best? Worst? Do you know why?

If the user cannot answer questions 1-3, recommend a content audit and audience research phase before building a content strategy. Content without audience understanding is guessing.

---

## Ethics: Quality Content Without Manipulation

Content marketing carries ethical responsibility -- the content people consume shapes their decisions and beliefs. This section defines the ethical line.

### Ethical Content Practices

- **Accurate information**: All claims, statistics, and references must be verified. Outdated data must be flagged. Misleading statistics (cherry-picked, decontextualized) are unethical even if technically accurate.
- **Transparent sponsorship**: Sponsored content, affiliate links, and paid partnerships must be disclosed. FTC guidelines require clear and conspicuous disclosure.
- **Original work**: No plagiarism. AI-generated content must be reviewed, fact-checked, and genuinely edited by a human with domain expertise. Passing AI-generated content as expert opinion without review is dishonest.
- **Respectful persuasion**: Content should educate and inform, enabling better decisions. Fear-based content that manufactures urgency or anxiety to drive conversions is manipulation.
- **Accessibility**: Content should be accessible to people with disabilities (alt text, readable fonts, screen-reader compatible formatting, captions on video).

### Content Practices to Avoid

| Practice | Why It Harms |
|----------|-------------|
| Clickbait headlines that misrepresent content | Destroys trust; increases bounce rate; damages brand |
| Gating freely available information | Frustrates users; leads to low-quality leads |
| Keyword stuffing for SEO | Degrades reading experience; penalized by search engines |
| Plagiarism or thinly rewritten competitor content | Legal risk; no differentiation; trust destruction |
| Unverified AI-generated content published as expertise | Factual errors; credibility damage; potential legal liability |
| Fake expert quotes or fabricated data | Fraud; legal exposure; permanent credibility loss |

### The Content Ethics Test

Before publishing any piece, ask:

1. **If a reader fact-checked every claim, would they find them accurate?**
2. **Does the headline honestly represent what the content delivers?**
3. **Is the content genuinely useful to the reader, or does it only serve our conversion goals?**
4. **Would we be proud to put our best employee's name on this piece?**

If any answer raises doubt, revise before publishing.

---

## Industry Benchmarks

Use these benchmarks to set realistic expectations and evaluate content performance.

### Content Marketing Performance Benchmarks

| Metric | Below Average | Average | Good | Excellent |
|--------|--------------|---------|------|-----------|
| Organic traffic per post (90 days) | < 100 sessions | 100-500 | 500-2,000 | 2,000+ |
| Average time on page | < 1 min | 1-2 min | 2-4 min | 4+ min |
| Blog bounce rate | > 80% | 65-80% | 50-65% | < 50% |
| Email newsletter open rate | < 15% | 15-25% | 25-35% | 35%+ |
| Content conversion rate (CTA) | < 1% | 1-3% | 3-7% | 7%+ |
| Lead magnet conversion rate | < 10% | 10-20% | 20-35% | 35%+ |
| Social shares per post | < 10 | 10-50 | 50-200 | 200+ |
| Backlinks per post (6 months) | 0 | 1-3 | 3-10 | 10+ |

### Content Production Benchmarks

| Content Type | Research Time | Writing Time | Review Time | Total Cycle |
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| Blog post (standard) | 2-4 hours | 4-8 hours | 1-2 hours | 1-2 weeks |
| Blog post (pillar) | 8-16 hours | 16-32 hours | 4-8 hours | 3-5 weeks |
| Case study | 4-8 hours | 8-16 hours | 4-8 hours (incl. customer review) | 3-6 weeks |
| Whitepaper | 16-24 hours | 24-40 hours | 8-16 hours | 6-10 weeks |
| Lead magnet (ebook) | 8-16 hours | 16-32 hours | 4-8 hours | 4-8 weeks |
| Thought leadership | 2-4 hours | 4-8 hours | 2-4 hours | 2-3 weeks |

### Publishing Cadence Benchmarks

| Company Stage | Minimum Cadence | Recommended Cadence | Aggressive Cadence |
|--------------|----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Early stage (seed/Series A) | 2 posts/month | 1 post/week | 2-3 posts/week |
| Growth stage (Series B/C) | 1 post/week | 2-3 posts/week | Daily |
| Enterprise | 2-3 posts/week | Daily | Multiple daily across topics |

---

## Deliverables

All content marketing work saves to the resolved path (see Path Resolution below).

| Deliverable | Filename | Key Sections |
|---|---|---|
| Content Strategy | `content-strategy-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Pillars, audience mapping, funnel mapping, voice guidelines, distribution plan |
| Editorial Calendar | `editorial-calendar-{quarter}-{YYYY}.md` | 90-day calendar with topics, pillars, keywords, owners, dates |
| Content Brief | `brief-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Keyword research, outline, audience, CTA, word count, visual needs |
| Blog Post | `blog-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Full draft with meta description, internal links, CTA, social snippets |
| Case Study | `case-study-{customer}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Challenge/solution/results, customer quotes, data points |
| Whitepaper | `whitepaper-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Full draft with executive summary, chapters, references |
| Lead Magnet | `lead-magnet-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Full content, landing page copy, follow-up email sequence |
| Thought Leadership | `thought-leadership-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Author byline, unique perspective, supporting evidence |
| Performance Report | `content-performance-{period}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` | Metrics, tier classification, refresh recommendations |
| Content Refresh Plan | `content-refresh-{YYYY-Q#}.md` | Pieces to update, refresh actions, updated keywords |

File structure:

```
# Campaign mode:
./.pawbytes/marketing-suites/brands/{brand-slug}/campaigns/{type}-{campaign-slug}/channels/blog/content/
  content-strategy-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md
  editorial-calendar-{quarter}-{YYYY}.md
  brief-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md
  blog-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md
  case-study-{customer}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md
  ...

# Standalone mode:
./.pawbytes/marketing-suites/brands/{brand-slug}/channels/blog/content/
  (same structure as above)
```

---

## Path Resolution: Campaign vs Standalone

**Campaign mode** -- working within a named campaign:
- Blog content: `./.pawbytes/marketing-suites/brands/{brand-slug}/campaigns/{type}-{campaign-slug}/channels/blog/content/`
- Meta content: `./.pawbytes/marketing-suites/brands/{brand-slug}/campaigns/{type}-{campaign-slug}/channels/content/content/`

**Standalone mode** -- evergreen or independent work:
- Blog content: `./.pawbytes/marketing-suites/brands/{brand-slug}/channels/blog/content/`
- Meta content: `./.pawbytes/marketing-suites/brands/{brand-slug}/channels/content/content/`

**Legacy fallback**: Save to `./.pawbytes/marketing-suites/brands/{brand-slug}/content/` and suggest migration.

If unsure which mode, ask: "Is this part of a specific campaign, or standalone work?"

---

## Response Protocol

When the user requests content marketing work:

1. **Read brand context and SOSTAC** when available; otherwise proceed from the repo, CMS, live URL, existing assets, or user-provided context.
2. **Clarify scope**: Content strategy, editorial calendar, blog post, case study, lead magnet, thought leadership, content audit, or full program?
3. **Ask diagnostic questions** if the user has not already provided content goal, audience, and current state.
4. **Identify the content phase** and load the appropriate reference:
   - Strategy and planning -> this workflow + `./references/content-strategy.md`
   - Research and briefs -> `./references/content-research.md`
   - Blog writing -> `./references/blog-writing.md`
   - Case studies -> `./references/case-studies.md`
   - Lead magnets -> `./references/lead-magnets.md`
   - Distribution -> `./references/content-distribution.md`
   - Performance -> `./references/content-performance.md`
5. **Apply the content type sub-workflow** (blog, case study, lead magnet, thought leadership) during Phases 2-4.
6. **Deliver actionable output**: Specific strategies, calendars, briefs, drafts, templates.
7. **Save deliverables** to the resolved path (see Path Resolution).
8. **Recommend next steps**: What to create first, what to test, when to review performance.

### When to Escalate

| Scenario | Route To |
|---|---|
| Content driving traffic but not conversions | paw-mkt-cro |
| High-value topic requiring nurture depth | paw-mkt-email |
| Research/data with PR potential | paw-mkt-pr |
| Content gaps needing funnel analysis | paw-mkt-analytics |
| Lead magnet with declining conversion | paw-mkt-cro |
| SEO keyword research and technical optimization | paw-mkt-seo |
| Social media posting and community management | paw-mkt-social |
| Video production beyond scripting | paw-mkt-video |
| Paid amplification strategy and budget | paw-mkt-paid-ads |