There’s a moment surfers know well. Paddle out through the choppy inside, unsure whether the swell will ever clean up, pummeling at every set. Then suddenly: a smooth, steady line rising on the horizon. A moment of clarity. A turn in the tide.

That is what a strong content marketing strategy does for a growing organization. It shifts you from paddling furiously in survival mode to catching clean, steady waves that carry you forward with far less effort. As you look toward 2026, now is the perfect time to pause, sit on your board and gain a fresh new perspective on how your strategy can support your next-level growth.

Here is a snapshot of the approach we use at Big Buzz® to bring clarity, rhythm and momentum to your content marketing for the year ahead.

What Is Strategy, Really?

At Big Buzz, we define strategy as critical thinking in a group setting on a specific area of marketing, with data in hand, to align on a set course for the year. It is collective intelligence applied with intention. It is everyone seeing the same swell at the same time and deciding together how to ride it well.

For your 2026 Content Marketing Strategy, you will need four core components: the data, the meeting, the path, and the editorial calendar.

 The Data: Your Underwater Landscape

Before a surfer enters the water, they understand the location and conditions, including the reef beneath the surface of the ocean. It shapes everything. Your data does the same.

To build a content strategy with true clarity, gather:

• Voice of Customer (VOC) data to define the brand
• Competitor research to ensure true differentiation
• A full audit of past content marketing campaigns including text, visuals and messaging
• Analytics that reveal what outcomes your past efforts produced

Data reveals patterns, currents and opportunities. It keeps you from guessing. It clarifies the way forward, so you ride waves with intention, not instinct alone.

The Meeting: Aligning the Crew on Shore

Once the data is collected, bring your full team together. This is not a meeting for updates or quick decisions. This is the annual alignment ritual. With our client teams, we carve out a dedicated 90-minute slot for this session.

In this meeting you will complete the following with the team:

• Review all data
• Revisit your positioning and differentiators
• Realign on your brand archetypes or personalities
• Reconfirm your target persona

Here’s an example of what a complete target persona looks like.

Target Persona: Bethany Parker

• Gender: Female
• Age: 52
• Role: CEO of a company moving from survival to success
• Company Revenue: $12M with a goal of $17M in 3 to 5 years
• Style: An ideas person, visionary, doesn’t need every detail, needs clarity and systems
• Budget: Strong budget for strategy, execution and team alignment
• Family: Married, kids in high school or college
• Spare Time: Skiing, travel, kids’ sports, family time

Bethany is overburdened with ideas and under-supported in execution. She wants a marketing system that is clear, structured and dependable. She wants confidence and traction. She wants partners who are as visionary, intelligent and brave as she is.

A strong content marketing strategy speaks to her consistently and clearly.

The 90-mintue strategy meeting, held just once annually, ensures your entire team is aligned in doing exactly that.

Read on to uncover these bonus sections of this article:

• The Path: Choose One, Commit Fully
• The Brainstorm: Step-by-Step Instructions to Surface Every Hidden Wave
• The Editorial Calendar: Your Ride for the Year
• 2026 Is Your Year of Clarity

Out of the wide blue ocean of marketing, we create a focused energy people notice. Since 2007, Big Buzz® has helped Stage II to Stage III organizations systemize marketing to achieve growth goals. Get details: visit www.bigbuzzinc.com and follow Wendy.