When we talk about content creation, the longstanding discussion on quality versus quantity goes on. While producing high-quality content remains crucial, understanding your position relative to competitors holds its own significance. This is where content velocity comes in – a metric gauging the pace and volume of a brand's content production. This article will explore what content velocity really is, its calculation methods, and its importance as a key element in your content strategy.
Decoding Content Velocity
At its core, content velocity is a straightforward measure of how efficiently a brand produces content within a set timeframe. Unlike typical metrics that merely count outputs, content velocity looks at the speed and effectiveness of content generation. It acts as the pulse, resonating through a brand's digital presence, offering insights beyond a simple quantity assessment.
Â
The real strength of content velocity lies in its ability to provide a comparison. It gives a live view of how a brand's content output stacks up against competitors. Plus, it captures how quickly a brand adjusts to market changes, aligns content with business goals, and connects with the target audience.
Why Content Velocity Matters?
1. Advocating for Resource Allocation
Outperforming competitors is among the top three industry priorities for 57% of companies. Executives consistently aim to exceed competition. Content velocity is a persuasive tool to request more resources for content creation. By showcasing how your output compares or exceeds competitors, you can justify the need for additional resources, whether to catch up, surpass, or maintain a lead.
2. Unveiling Competitors' Content Resources
Examining content velocity not only reveals details about your own production but also provides insights into your competitors' content creation processes. It offers a data-driven method to comprehend the number of individuals contributing to their content program, whether full-time resources, freelance writers, or a combination of both.
3. Precision in Budgeting
Beyond quantity, content velocity analysis can help estimate the financial investment in content creation. By considering metrics such as word count, you can gauge not only the average length of your competitors' content but also the potential cost involved. This estimation provides a clearer picture for budget planning, ensuring your content program aligns with financial realities.
How to Calculate Content Velocity?
Calculating content velocity ranges from simple to intricate. A straightforward approach involves using tools like SEMrush and Screaming Frog. Start by extracting blog/article pages using SEMrush, then dive deeper with Screaming Frog to retrieve publish dates. Additional metrics like word count can enhance the analysis, providing a comprehensive view of content production.
Practical Steps for Content Velocity Analysis
Step 1: SEMrush for Extraction
Utilize SEMrush to extract blog/article pages.
Filter down to specific pages using the URL filter function.
Export the final list for further analysis.
Step 2: Screaming Frog for Custom Extraction
Use Screaming Frog for custom extraction of publish dates.
Set up custom extraction through XPath and RegEx.
Retrieve additional data points like metadata, article schema, or blogposting schema.
Step 3: Additional Metrics and Insights
Explore word count analysis for estimating costs.
Calculate average cost per page based on word count.
Develop a comprehensive report showcasing various metrics.
Taking it a Step Further: Understanding Competitor Teams
To gain a holistic understanding, delve into your competitors' teams responsible for content creation and SEO. This involves examining author profiles, utilizing LinkedIn for role-specific searches, and, if ethically aligned, scraping competitor LinkedIn profiles for a quick data analysis. It's unsurprising that a notable 91.9% of organizations achieved measurable value from their investments in analytics in 2023.
Final Thoughts
Content velocity is frequently undervalued in content strategy. While producing high-quality content is fundamental, comprehending your competitors' output speed and volume is equally pivotal. Exploring content velocity offers valuable insights to shape your content strategy, acquire extra resources, and establish your brand as a significant presence in the digital sphere.
Call-To-Action
If you need any assistance regarding content velocity, Clickacademy Asia is here to help. Join our class in Singapore and enjoy up to 70% government funding. Our courses are also Skills Future Credit Claimable and UTAP, PSEA and SFEC approved. Find out more information and sign up here (https://www.clickacademyasia.com/content-marketing).