How to Set Up a Content Library
This guide will help you to set up a Content Library for clients or figureheads using our template (linked below).
The Content Library is the foundation of tracking results in the 4 stage Content Factory. It stores top content and media mentions, helping us identify what works best. We then refine and amplify those pieces through the Content Factory process while tracking their impact at every stage.
So instead of spending time on creating excessive new content, anyone can keep using their best-performing pieces or "greatest hits" to build social proof, attract more customers and close sales.
Important Note:
This information applies to both Content Factory team members and non-internal readers who want to learn how to use a Content Library. However, certain parts are only relevant to internal team members, and references intended for them are colored orange. We request that non-internal individuals refrain from requesting access. Let's get started!
Before You Begin:
Before working on a client's Content Library, you must understand how we structure the content in a Topic Wheel that connects people and topics together for genuine EEAT.
This means, it is mandatory to understand the client's GCT (Goals, Content, and Targeting).
Without this understanding you won't be able to inventory and track content properly, even with the automation we are building to collect mentions (stage 1 in Content Factory) and the various tools we have to process/repurpose raw ingredients (stage 2 in Content Factory).
Task Checklist:
Information that you will need:
- Client's social media links
- Client's articles, videos, interviews and other multimedia content
- Client's mentions
You'll need access to the following:
- Client's Content Library
- Relevant Items in the Access Checklist
- ChatGPT
Steps Overview:
- Create a duplicate copy of the Content Library Template.
- Fill out the Summary Tab
- Fill out the Personal Brand Entities Tab.
- Fill out the Topic Wheel Tab.
- Fill out the Why - How - What Videos Tab.
- Fill out the Mentions Tab.
- Fill out the Articles Tab.
- Fill out the Articles/Interviews Featured Tab.
- Fill out the Greatest Hits Tab.
- Fill out the Social Posts Tab.
- Fill out the Video Library Tab.
- Fill out the Speaking Engagements Tab.
- Fill out the Endorsement Tracker Tab.
- Fill out the Local Citations Tab.
The estimated time to create the first version of a Content Library is approximately 3 hours on average, depending on the volume of content being inventoried.
Step 1: Make a copy of the template
- Create a duplicate copy of the Content Library template.
- Click on "File," then select "Make a copy."
Step 2: Fill out the Summary tab
- This includes an overall summary and current status of the client's online presence. That is,
- Links to the client's social pages and official websites (including their personal brand website and their company website).
- Other details such as links, likes, subscribers, followers, overall likes, listeners, and the number of streams.
- Make sure everything you enter is accurate.
Format the headings in bold using the designated color scheme provided by the client or identified from the client's official website.
- Apply the same color scheme throughout the rest of the Content Library when filling out the Summary tab.
Step 3: Fill out the Personal Brand Entities tab
This is where you list of all the entities related to your client's personal brand.
Creating accounts on these platforms can help Google connect the dots to who they are and trigger a knowledge panel for them.
How to Increase Website SEO with Personal Brand Entities
Step 4: Fill out the Topic Wheel tab
The Topic Wheel forms the basis of the client's 3x3 Grid or funnel, featuring their three greatest videos on WHY, HOW, and WHAT. Essentially, the Topic Wheel is the same funnel or 3x3 Grid, wrapped in a circle.
In the Topic Wheel tab, fill the columns as follows:
The "Topic" column is for the main subjects your client is passionate about.- In the "Ambassadors" column, list three connections for each topic who share a passion for the same subject. Ambassadors are high-authority connections with whom your client has a genuine relationship.
Step 5: Fill out the Why - How - What Videos tab
Identify three videos for each category -- Why, How, and What -- from the client's existing content and compile them into the tab titled "Why - How - What Videos" in the Content Library.
We continually test all of the client's content using the Dollar a Day strategy and update this sheet with the top-performing videos. These nine videos are also what we call "evergreen content," which continues to drive leads for your client for a long time and is essentially free marketing.
To learn more about these videos, refer to the 3x3 Video Grid Strategy.
Step 6: Fill out the Mentions tab
- Mentions include all instances where the client or business owner has been featured online — such as appearances, quotes, or references from other business owners, customer reviews, and stories.
An example of a social media mention
Collect all positive mentions from across the web in the Mentions tab and complete all columns accordingly. - Mentions aren’t limited to social media; they also include features on high-authority websites, blog articles, and other reputable sources.
An example of a mention (Jim Donnelly's) in a high authority article
- Here's a video by Dennis Yu that teaches you how to collect positive mentions.
Step 7: Fill out the Articles tab
Enter details and links to any articles that the client has personally posted or any publications that the client is associated with.
Additionally, conduct a Google search to identify any publications or articles that feature the client's work or have written about them. Collect all the pertinent links and add them to the Content Library.
Step 8: Fill out the Articles/Interviews Featured tab
- Provide details and links to any articles, news, podcasts, or videos that the client was featured in.
- Start by listing the title of each article or interview. Next enter the URL of the article. Follow this with the name of the website where it was published, the name(s) of the author(s) and the date of publishing. Then enter the date when the link to the article was last posted anywhere online (such as on any of the client's social media channels). Mention if it was promoted or not and add any relevant remarks if required.
Step 9: Fill out the Greatest Hits tab
- Gather your client's top 15 Facebook posts here with the help of insights on your Facebook Business Manager.
Watch this video to learn how to create a greatest-hits library and do brand analysis.
Step 10: Fill out the Social Posts tab
- Document all your Facebook posts here.
Step 11: Fill out the Video Library tab
- In this tab you should add all your client's video content, whether it's from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, or any other video hosting platform.
- For example, if your client has a YouTube channel, fetch every video and related data, including shorts, and add them to the sheet by entering the video name, URL, duration of the video, the date it was posted, its editing status and any relevant notes.
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Step 13: Fill out the Speaking Engagements tab
- Document all instances where your client has been invited to give formal talks, whether for international or local community groups. Include the direct links to these events.
- Additionally, take screenshots of badges and other related images associated with these events and add links to these images and screenshots.
- It's a good idea to include the highest authority content at the top for easy accessibility.
Step 14: Fill out the Endorsement Tracker tab
Endorsements are similar to Mentions but they are specifically the mentions your client gets from people representing brands and companies, rather than individuals or social media accounts.
Here is how to fill each heading in the Endorsement Tracker tab:
- Source Name – The name of the person who has mentioned your client
- Source Company – The company that they work for
- Quote – Their quote
- Date – The date of the mention
- Permission to use? (Y/N) – Whether or not the person allowed them to use the quote
- URL – Copy/paste the URL of the post for reference so your client can go back to it any time
- Link to Image – This will link back to a Drive folder with screenshots of the mentions
- Network – The type of media you were mentioned on
You can use tools like mention.com to notify you whenever someone mentions you anywhere online across various channels.
- Before recording these mentions in the Endorsement Tracker, you should first get permission to use these mentions. Here's a video on how to ask for permission to record and use positive brand mentions.
- Copy the direct link to the mention and paste it in the URL column.
- Take a screenshot of the image and rename it to the source name.
Step 15: Fill out the Local Citations tab
Complete the Local Citations tab by adding the website URL, the link to the citations, status (whether live or pending), email, password, images used, and the image limit.
Here's a guide on everything you need to know about local citations.
That's it, you have successfully created a Content Library. Good job!
Take inspiration from Dennis Yu's Content Library as your guiding example. (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sD_TznWLzXE2K0GG-15vKQBB8HmiNI085pre-qL9l28/edit#gid=1177861540)
Content Library Verification Checklist
- Topic Wheel: Updated monthly.
- 3x3 Video Grid: Updated monthly.
- Articles: Updated weekly.
- Featured Article/s or Interview/s: Updated weekly.
- Mentions: Updated weekly.
- Repurposed Content: Updated weekly.
- Facebook Greatest Hits: Updated weekly.
- FB Content: Updated weekly.
- Video Library: Updated weekly.
- Speaking Engagements: Updated weekly; update immediately if the public figure has mentioned that they’ll be speaking beforehand.
- Endorsement Tracker: Updated weekly.