Content marketing strategy for coaches

How to create a plan that works

Creating content is one thing. Having a strategy that brings in coaching clients is another. Many coaches spend hours writing posts, recording videos, and sharing updates, but struggle to convert that effort into actual business growth. The difference between getting traction and talking into the void often comes down to having a clear content strategy.

 

Publishing random content when inspiration strikes isn’t enough. Without a proper strategy, you risk missing opportunities to connect with ideal clients, wasting time on ineffective platforms, and failing to build the authority that brings in better leads.

When random doesn't cut it: Why coaches need a strategy for their content game

Your content needs to work harder for your coaching business. Many coaches focus on churning out posts and updates without considering the bigger picture. This misses the real power of content marketing – building a system that attracts clients while you sleep.

Build authority that brings leads to you

When you share content strategically, you stop chasing clients and start attracting them. Strategic content positions you as the go-to expert in your field, making potential clients reach out to you first. This shifts you from constant promotion to natural attraction.

 

Your ideal clients need to see you as more than just another coach. They want someone who truly gets their challenges and has proven solutions. Strategic content shows them you’re that person.

A coach developing her content marketing strategy

Scale your impact beyond your calendar

The beauty of strategic content is that it works even when you’re not. Unlike one-to-one coaching, content can reach thousands of potential clients simultaneously. This means your expertise and insights help more people while creating opportunities for your business.

 

A single piece of strategic content can generate leads for months or years. Compare that to constantly hunting for your next client. Your content becomes a valuable asset that keeps working long after you create it.

Create more predictable lead flow

Random content might bring occasional leads, but strategic content creates consistent opportunities. When you plan your content around your ideal clients’ needs, you build a reliable system for attracting new business.

 

This consistency helps you move away from the feast-or-famine cycle many coaches face. Instead of wondering where your next client will come from, you’ll have a steady stream of interested prospects.

How to create your coaching content strategy

Let’s turn your content creation from scattered to strategic. Here’s a step-by-step approach that brings results without overwhelming you.

1. Define clear content goals

Start with what you want to achieve. Don’t jump straight into creating content without clear goals. This leads to wasted effort and disappointing results. Your content should serve specific business objectives.

 

Potential goals include:

 

  • Building authority in your niche
  • Growing your email list
  • Attracting speaking opportunities
  • Generating discovery call bookings
  • Launching new programs or services
  • Increasing website traffic

 

Pick 2-3 primary goals and set measurable targets. For example, instead of “grow my email list,” aim for “add 100 new subscribers monthly through content upgrades.” These specific goals help you track progress and adjust your strategy.

 

Your goals also determine what success looks like. If you’re aiming for discovery calls, track how many qualified leads your content generates. For authority building, monitor speaking invitations and media opportunities.

2. Identify your content pillars

Content pillars are the cornerstone topics that showcase your expertise. These should align with your coaching methodology and your clients’ biggest challenges. Think of them as the main chapters in your coaching story.

 

To identify your pillars:

 

  1. List the top 5 questions clients ask you
  2. Note the main problems you help solve
  3. Consider your unique coaching approach
  4. Look at what topics get the most engagement

 

For example, a business coach might choose:

 

  • Team leadership and management
  • Business growth and scaling
  • Time management and productivity
  • Financial planning and profitability

 

Each pillar should have multiple subtopics. Under “time management,” you might cover prioritization, delegation, systems creation, and work-life balance. This gives you plenty of content ideas while maintaining focus.

 

Map your pillars to different stages of your client journey. Some content should attract new prospects, while other pieces nurture existing leads or support current clients.

3. Choose your primary platforms

Success comes from being in the right place with the right message. Study where your ideal clients spend time and how they consume content. Quality engagement on one platform beats scattered presence across many.

 

For most coaches, start with:

 

  • LinkedIn for B2B and professional services coaching
  • Instagram for lifestyle and personal development coaching
  • A blog for long-form educational content
  • Email newsletters for nurturing leads

LinkedIn is a powerful platform for coaching. The professional network rewards thoughtful insights and business-focused content. Share client success stories and practical tips that showcase your expertise. Join relevant industry discussions to build visibility. Your content should demonstrate clear business value and professional growth potential. 

 

A blog serves as your content home base, giving you space to share comprehensive guides and detailed insights. Make each post count by thoroughly covering topics your audience cares about. Optimise your content for search engines to attract organic traffic over time. Include clear next steps for readers, whether booking a call or engaging with a lead magnet.

Your email list represents people who want to hear more from you, making it invaluable for nurturing relationships. Share exclusive insights and behind-the-scenes glimpses into your coaching approach. Tell stories that illustrate your methods in action. Keep your sending schedule consistent so subscribers know when to expect your wisdom.

 

For coaches targeting younger audiences, TikTok offers unique opportunities to share quick tips and insights. While it requires a different content approach, TikTok’s algorithm can help new coaches reach large audiences without an existing following.

A coach building his content marketing strategy

4. Create your content calendar

A content calendar turns your strategy into action. It prevents last-minute rushing and ensures consistent publishing. Your calendar should map out content at least a month ahead.

 

Start with this monthly planning process:

 

  1. Choose a theme aligned with your goals
  2. Select relevant topics from your content pillars
  3. Map content to specific platforms
  4. Plan promotional activities
  5. Schedule creation and publishing dates

 

Your calendar should include:

 

  • Main topic or theme
  • Content type (post, article, video)
  • Platform
  • Publishing date
  • Call to action
  • Keywords or hashtags
  • Promotional plan

 

Use theme weeks or months to create coherent content series. This helps you dive deeper into topics and create comprehensive resources for your audience.

5. Build your content creation system

Creating content consistently requires a repeatable system. Let’s break down how to build a system. Get this right and the whole thing becomes a lot easier.

 

Set aside two focused hours each week for planning and two for creation. It doesn’t matter when you do them, but they must be fixed and immovable. Turn content from an afterthought into a core business activity.

Your weekly workflow should follow a clear sequence. Here’s a practical approach:

 

Planning day (2 hours):

 

  • First 30 minutes: Review engagement on recent content
  • Next 30 minutes: Check content calendar and adjust topics
  • 30 minutes: Research main points and gather examples
  • Final 30 minutes: Create outlines for all weekly content

 

Creation day (2 hours):

 

  • First 45 minutes: Write main weekly content piece
  • Next 45 minutes: Break main piece into platform-specific posts
  • Final 30 minutes: Create or source supporting visuals

Write all your social posts for the week in one sitting. Create visual templates you can quickly customise for each platform. Keep a running list of content ideas in a notes app or document for easy reference.

 

Set up a simple content dashboard to track everything:

 

  • Weekly topics and deadlines
  • Content status (planned, created, scheduled)
  • Platform-specific requirements
  • Promotional activities
  • Response tracking

 

Use tools strategically to save time. A social media scheduler handles posting, while a task manager tracks content progress. Keep your visuals organized in folders by theme or platform. Store common hashtags and post structures in a swipe file for quick access.

 

Repurposing maximises your content investment. Turn long-form blog posts into multiple social updates. Transform client success stories into case studies, social posts, and email content. Break down podcast episodes or videos into written tips. Each piece of content should work multiple times across different platforms.

 

Create templates for regular content types:

 

  • Social post structures
  • Email newsletter layouts
  • Blog post outlines
  • Graphics and visual elements

 

Build a simple quality checklist to review before publishing:

 

  • Clear main message
  • Specific call to action
  • Proper formatting
  • Engaging hook
  • Correct links
  • Optimized visuals

 

Remember to schedule time for engagement and community building. Set aside 15-30 minutes daily to respond to comments and messages. This keeps your content alive and builds relationships with your audience.

The coach's content strategy template

Here’s your practical template for turning strategy into action. Each section builds on the previous one, creating a complete system for your content marketing.

 

  • Start with your strategic foundation. Fill this out first and revisit quarterly.
  • Use the framework section to plan your content pillars and platform strategy. Update this monthly.
  • Create your monthly plan at the end of each month for the next month.
  • Use the weekly checklist for daily execution.
  • Track metrics weekly but make strategy adjustments monthly.

Strategic foundation

Business goals (pick 2-3):

 

  • Primary goal with target number (Example: 5 discovery calls per week)
  • Supporting goal with metric (Example: 500 new email subscribers)
  • Brand goal with indicator (Example: 3 podcast guest appearances)

 

Target audience profile:

 

  • Role and industry
  • Key challenges
  • Goals and aspirations
  • Content preferences
  • Where they spend time online

 

Your unique positioning:

 

  • Main expertise area
  • Unique approach or methodology
  • Key differentiators
  • Core message

Here’s an example of something you could create to use as your marketing strategy guide:

Example content marketing template

Content marketing strategy framework

Content pillars (Choose 3-5)

 

  1. Main topic area
    • 5 subtopics
    • Client pain points addressed
    • Your unique angle
    • Success proof points
  2. Repeat for each pillar

 

Primary platforms

 

  • Platform 1 (Focus: 70% of effort)
    • Content types that work
    • Best posting times
    • Engagement approach
    • Success metrics
  • Platform 2 (Focus: 30% of effort)
    • Same structure as above

Monthly action plan

Example theme-based monthly planning structure:

 

Theme: [Monthly focus aligned with business goals]

 

Week 1-4 breakdown

 

  • Weekly subtopic
  • Key message
  • Content pieces to create
  • Lead magnet or CTA
  • Success metric

 

Distribution strategy

 

  • Primary content piece
  • Platform adaptations
  • Promotion methods
  • Engagement plan

Weekly execution checklist

Example weekly plan of actions to check off:

 

Planning (Monday)

 

□ Review last week’s metrics

□ Choose weekly subtopic

□ Outline main content piece

□ Plan platform variations

 

Creation (Wednesday)

 

□ Write main content

□ Create platform versions

□ Design visuals

□ Add CTAs

 

Publishing (Thursday)

 

□ Final edits

□ Schedule posts

□ Set up tracking

□ Plan engagement

Take action: Launch your strategy this week

Create a way to measure your progress. Here’s an example:

 

Weekly metrics

 

□ Post engagement rates □ Website traffic

□ Email signups

□ Lead magnet downloads

□ Discovery calls booked

 

Monthly review

 

□ Top performing content

□ Goal progress

□ Strategy adjustments

□ Next month’s focus

This template turns your content marketing from random acts of posting into a strategic system for growing your coaching business. Customise each section based on your goals while maintaining the structure that ensures consistency.

Take action: Launch your strategy this week

You’ve got the framework. Now it’s time to put it into action. Start with one platform and one content pillar. Create a simple month-long plan focusing on topics you know well.

 

Remember, progress beats perfection. Begin with what you can manage consistently and build from there. Your content strategy will grow stronger as you learn what works for your audience.

Automate like a pro

Want help creating more content in less time? Check out how Coachvox AI can help you create content based on work you’ve already done that resonates with your audience while staying true to your voice. There’s a 14-day free trial so there’s no reason not to give it a try.

Free download:

Deep dives of 6 top coaches using AI

Learn how top coaches get more clients with an AI version of them.

Each case study explores their exact method and business outcomes, including client reactions.