When I first started working on my thesis, I set out to help one solo baker in Singapore launch her chiffon cake brand. Along the way, something bigger emerged – a flexible content strategy framework that other small businesses could use too.

Solo entrepreneurs often wear many hats. And when you're juggling everything from product development to customer service, content can feel like just another item on an overwhelming to-do list. That's exactly what my client, Jennifer, was feeling when she approached me.

She wanted to turn her love for chiffon cakes into a home-based business. What she didn't have was a clear way to communicate her brand or connect with potential customers online.

This led me to develop a practical four-stage approach to content strategy that's tailored to small businesses with limited time, money and expertise. This is not a rigid checklist – more of a flexible guide you can scale up or down, depending on your needs.

The four stages at a glance

The idea is simple: good content doesn't come from random bursts of inspiration. It comes from having clarity, structure and systems. This framework breaks it down into four key stages:

1. Discovery and research

2. Strategic foundation

3. Content structure and design

4. Implementation and maintenance

And underpinning it all is testing and iteration. Because strategies, like chiffon cake recipes, benefit from tweaks to get them just right.

Stage 1: Discovery and research

Before you write a single line of content, you need to know who you're writing for – and what matters to them. This stage is all about understanding the business, its audience, and the landscape.

For BounceBake, this meant:

• Clarifying Jennifer's business goals

• Interviewing potential customers to form a persona

• Studying direct and indirect competitors

Even a few conversations with real people uncovered valuable insights, such as the importance of trust and visual appeal when buying cakes online. These insights shaped everything that came after.

Stage 2: Strategic foundation

Here's where the building blocks of your brand come together. This includes:

• Defining your brand message architecture

• Crafting your value proposition

• Creating your brand voice and core strategy statement

• Documenting it all in a style guide

For Jennifer, this stage helped her move from uncertainty to clarity. She landed on a name – BounceBake – and built a voice that was warm, authentic and down-to-earth, just like her cakes.

Stage 3: Content structure and design

Now that the brand has a strong foundation, it's time to decide how content will be organised and delivered. This stage includes:

• Choosing the right channels to publish the content

• Creating a content ecosystem map

• Modelling the content for reuse and scalability

• Designing information architecture and navigation structure

• Content writing sample content

For example, I created the navigation structure for the website and sample content for key sections that focused on meeting the audience’s needs. This built on the insights about the target persona’s needs that were uncovered in Stage 1.

Stage 4: Implementation and maintenance

Finally, content strategy needs to be put into action. That means:

• Planning content themes and topics

• Creating an editorial calendar

• Tracking performance

• Setting up regular workflows to review content and improve it 

I also created a monthly checklist to help Jennifer stay on top of content planning without feeling overwhelmed. Think of it like mise en place in a kitchen – a little prep goes a long way.

Why this matters

Many small business owners think content strategy is only for big companies with big teams. But this approach proves otherwise. When you break it down into manageable stages, even a one-woman brand like BounceBake can launch with clarity, confidence and a plan.

And best of all? It's designed to evolve. Whether you're just starting out or have been running your business for years, this framework gives you the tools to adapt your content as you grow.

Want to see the framework in action? If you'd like a peek at the full methodology including the monthly checklist, feel free to reach out.

Have you applied content strategy to a side hustle or small business? I'd love to hear how you approached it!