Three Crucial Things for Content Planning

But suddenly, what exactly is "planning"? How should we approach it?

Today, planning and producing content is no longer the job of just one department. From creating articles to posting on social media and blogs, and sometimes even planning and producing videos, we've entered an era where anyone might suddenly have to do it one day. Even if you don't plan, you might still face situations where you need to make decisions.

So, what should you keep in mind when actually planning or making decisions about content? I've picked out three points that might offer some hints.

① Does "what to say" hold value?

In the world of advertising creative, there have long been key phrases: "what to say" (what to communicate) and "how to say" (how to communicate it). "What to say" can also be rephrased as "what is the message?" or "what do we want people to take away from this project?" "How to say" refers to the storytelling, design, visual tone, and other elements that effectively convey the message.

In content marketing, we often hear about identifying the user's pain points—that is, "finding the problematic points." The "valuable information" presented to address these identified pain points is what we call content. This is precisely the "what to say" part of the planning process.

The web is a place where everyone wants to quickly find the information they need, and the speed of information selection is extremely fast. Therefore, overdoing the presentation in the "how to say" aspect can potentially hinder the user's speed. Within this web-specific communication environment, planning will increasingly be judged on whether "what to say" has value.

When we talk about ideas or planning, it's easy to get caught up in the "how to say" aspects—what kind of story it is, who appears in it, what the design looks like, what music is used. However, we must be careful not to let this distract us and leave the "what to say" behind. Even if the expression seems a bit plain, specialized, or dry compared to advertising, numerous examples already prove that if the "what to say" has compelling power, it will effectively reach the intended audience.

② Expansive Ideas

People who come up with outlandish things are often called "idea people," but a newly sparked idea is ultimately just a "concept"—the starting point of planning. If a seemingly unrelated idea, like bringing up tiramisu while discussing insurance, remains disconnected even after group discussion, it must be judged as nothing more than a "whim."

Good ideas spread. They lead to questions like, "What about this?" or "Could we also do that?" creating a chain reaction.
Even if a project starts with inspiration, it ultimately gets built with logic. For example, why should this be the project? Why a park as the location? Why wear a red sweater there? Only when everything connects with clear, understandable reasons does the project truly resonate with the audience and leave a strong impression.

③ Do you have a "purpose" and a "starting point"?

Requests like "Please brainstorm ideas freely" seem open-ended and promising at first glance. But in practice, they often yield few truly effective proposals. To develop a plan, you need a "starting point" and a "purpose." Without these, planners tend to leap over the client's intentions and circumstances, wandering off into the distance.

Especially in digital content—unlike advertising—where reactions are visible, vague proposals that don't consider "who you want to reach" or "what actions you want that content to prompt" often yield little response when released. To avoid this, clearly define the communication objective before starting the planning process.

Furthermore, before starting planning, it's crucial for the entire team to share the initial starting point—such as the brand's current challenges, areas they want to change, or things the sender wants to try. If the creators and decision-makers don't share a common vision, the planning process can become a dead-end maze where "no matter what ideas come up, they just don't resonate." In content marketing, where diverse content creation and rapid updates are essential, it's crucial to focus not only on the quality of the ideas but also on the process of generating them.

 

Traditionally, planning was typically handled thoroughly by only those who understood it or had experience. Consequently, much of the thinking, decision-making, and process remained tacit knowledge. However, in content marketing, we now need people with diverse backgrounds to be involved and to plan and make decisions quickly. What approach is efficient in such situations? Sharing this with everyone involved in this field will become an increasingly important point going forward.