Before launching contentki, Anna and I spent time at a cafe brainstorming our potential services based on our skills and experience. We identified key areas such as content writing, SEO optimization, and content strategy, further breaking these down into SEO blog writing, thought leadership pieces, landing page copy, and social media content. This early planning provided a clear vision of our offerings and prevented us from having to define our services on the go. The visual representation of our ideas, known as a concept map, was crucial in organizing and structuring our thoughts.
Concept maps are visual diagrams used to show relationships between different ideas or concepts. They consist of nodes, which represent concepts, and arrows that connect these ideas, often with words indicating the nature of their relationship. Concept maps are valuable for breaking down complex topics into manageable components, helping both in business planning and the development of new ideas or projects.
There are several types of concept maps, each suited to different needs. Spider maps resemble a web and help explore multiple aspects of a central idea, while flowcharts illustrate linear processes using symbols and arrows. System maps focus on the relationships between different components without a hierarchical structure, and hierarchy maps show interconnections in a ranked manner, useful for illustrating authority or importance levels.
Creating a concept map involves several steps: defining a main topic, identifying essential concepts, and organizing these into a map structure. Its important to verify the accuracy of connections and continue expanding and revising the map as new insights are gained. This flexible tool allows for ongoing adjustments, helping to maintain a comprehensive and coherent understanding of the topic at hand.
For my own freelance business, I created a concept map focusing on SEO optimization, breaking it down into on-page SEO, technical SEO, and SEO tools. This exercise highlighted the multifaceted nature of SEO and its overlap with technical website performance. Regularly updating and expanding the map ensures it remains a valuable resource for organizing and developing ideas. Concept maps are particularly effective for content marketers like myself, providing a structured way to organize work and generate new ideas.