Content strategy example: every step to success

Building an effective content strategy is much easier when you can draw on real examples and proven best practices. In this article, you'll find 10 content strategy examples, including 7 real-life cases from Incremys clients who have implemented successful SEO and GEO strategies, as well as 3 illustrative examples for social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, multi-platform). Each example covers the context, the approach taken, and the results achieved. For a full overview of the methodology (audience analysis, editorial calendar, KPIs), see our comprehensive guide to editorial strategy.

Real-life examples: SEO and GEO content strategies – Incremys client cases

The following 7 examples are real business cases from companies supported by Incremys in their SEO and GEO content strategies, covering a range of sectors: retail, e-commerce, B2B, luxury, SMEs, and startups.

Example 1: Retail SEO content strategy – TERACT (Gamm vert & Jardiland)

Context and challenges

TERACT, France's leading agricultural cooperative group, includes Gamm vert (over 900 stores) and Jardiland (over 150 stores), two major gardening brands. With a small in-house SEO team and a vast product catalogue, TERACT needed to structure its content strategy to maximise organic visibility and drive qualified footfall to stores.

Strategy implemented

Audience segmentation: TERACT identified three main audience profiles (expert enthusiasts, beginner gardeners, professionals) to tailor the technical level and tone of content to each segment.

Comprehensive semantic mapping: The teams identified high-potential topics and keywords: “outdoor plant”, “vegetable plant”, “potato”, “bulb”, “indoor plant”. Competitor analysis enabled them to prioritise topics by business value and likelihood of ranking.

Large-scale production with SEO scoring: Over 500 SEO-optimised pieces of content were produced for each brand, with real-time SEO scoring during writing. A centralised review and validation workflow sped up publication.

Data-driven management: A shared editorial calendar tracked campaign progress. Integrated reporting centralised performance data, including Google Analytics and Google Search Console integration.

Results achieved

Gamm vert: 50% SEO traffic growth in 18 months, 80% of targeted keywords ranked in Google's Top 10, 60% in Top 3.

Jardiland: 50% growth in 2 years, 56% of keywords in Google's Top 10, 36% in Top 3.

Overall: Over 1,500 pieces of content produced since 2018, with significant operational time savings for the teams.

“Incremys provides us with an end-to-end methodology: ensuring the technical health of our sites, defining the right SEO strategy by prioritising by value, organising the editorial calendar effortlessly, delivering clear and enriched briefs to writers.” – Léa Savonitti, SEO Project Manager, Invivo Retail (TERACT)

Key takeaways

Audience segmentation is essential in SEO: a single topic can generate multiple pieces of content tailored to different levels of reader expertise. Large-scale production, data-driven and supported by powerful tools such as the SaaS 360, enables coverage of the entire semantic field.

Example 2: B2B content strategy in a regulated sector – Giphar (pharmacy)

Context and challenges

Giphar, a group of 1,300 pharmacies in France, aimed to strengthen its health expertise with professionals and the public, while differentiating itself from major media outlets and competitor networks. The challenge was to become the editorial authority on health topics, a regulated sector requiring expert validation.

Strategy implemented

Expert positioning: Every piece of content is validated by an internal editorial committee of pharmacists, guaranteeing scientific accuracy and credibility (Google's E-E-A-T criteria).

SEO and business impact prioritisation: Content is prioritised by traffic potential, likelihood of ranking, and business value. Underperforming existing pages are identified and optimised first.

Industrialised, high-quality production: Over 100 articles a year are produced, combining human expertise for sensitive topics and personalised AI for higher-volume informational content.

Results achieved

227% increase in organic sessions in one year. Over 1,000 keywords ranked in Google's Top 3 within 24 months. More than €50,000 saved per month in SEA spend. Over 600,000 extra visits annually on strategic health topics.

“Overtaking health giants online is possible! Thanks to Incremys' predictive features, we reached top positions on topics that are crucial for us.” – Mélanie Dieu, Content Manager, Giphar

Key takeaways

In regulated sectors (health, finance, law), expert validation is a major differentiator, delivering the credibility search engines value and readers demand. SEA savings demonstrate that editorial SEO is a profitable medium-term investment.

Example 3: Large-scale e-commerce content strategy – Spartoo

Context and challenges

Spartoo, Europe’s leading online retailer for shoes and accessories, manages a catalogue of tens of thousands of products. The editorial challenge: produce quality content for every category and product page, at scale, while maintaining brand consistency and controlling production costs.

Strategy implemented

Hybrid human/personalised AI approach: The SEO team focuses on strategic pages (homepage, main categories, best-sellers) while personalised AI generates content for the rest of the catalogue, strictly following brand guidelines.

Editorial templates by page type: Standardised content structures were defined for each page type (category, sub-category, product), ensuring consistency and completeness.

Segment personalisation: Content includes variations for different targets (men/women, sport/city, premium/entry-level) to maximise relevance and conversion rate.

Results achieved

16x acceleration of editorial production: 4 times more content created, at a quarter of the cost and speed. Savings of €150,000 on writing in 8 months (equivalent to 2 years of full-time work).

“Honestly, I can't even tell apart text I've written from that generated by Incremys' personalised AI. The advice and recommendations produced for our product pages are high quality.” – Corentin Fremy, Acquisition Manager, Spartoo

“Without Incremys' AI, we'd have needed a team of 10 full-time writers to achieve the same within the same timeframe.” – Corentin Fremy, Spartoo

Key takeaways

For e-commerce, the volume of pages to optimise makes a 100% human approach economically unfeasible. Personalised AI (distinct from generic AI) maintains quality at scale by embedding brand identity from the outset.

Example 4: Health e-commerce content strategy – Naturalforme

Context and challenges

Naturalforme, an e-commerce specialist in supplements and natural products, manages a catalogue of 5,000 products across 250 categories. With a small team, the challenge was producing SEO-optimised content for the entire catalogue while adhering to health sector regulations.

Strategy implemented

Identifying opportunities through data: Competitive analysis and identification of high-potential keywords by likelihood of gain. Content prioritised by business impact.

Mass production assisted by AI: Personalised AI produces content while maintaining brand coherence; the team focuses on checking compliance with current health legislation.

Continuous optimisation: Rewriting outdated content and adding missing trending keywords using AI.

Results achieved

5,000 products and 250 categories optimised in a short timeframe. Significant time saved in content production and optimisation. Increased visibility for strategic keywords.

“With 5,000 products and 250 categories requiring content, it’s a mammoth task. We managed to complete the mission in record time thanks to Incremys.” – Emelyne Megret, E-commerce Manager, Naturalforme

“Incremys is the ideal tool for small teams. It's like having an extra full-time SEO specialist.” – Fanny Magréault, Product Manager, Naturalforme

Key takeaways

For small teams with large catalogues, personalised AI is a force multiplier, enabling the handling of volumes that would otherwise be impossible, while freeing up the team for high-value tasks (compliance validation, strategy).

Example 5: SME content strategy with proven ROI – First Stop

Context and challenges

First Stop, a network of car garages, ran SEA campaigns with moderate results and created content “by intuition”, without SEO methodology. The challenge: pinpoint the right topics to gain market share with a limited budget.

Strategy implemented

Prioritisation by likelihood of gain: Moving away from intuition to a data-driven strategy. Identifying topics and articles to produce based on their likelihood of ranking on Google’s first page.

Optimised SEO briefs: Writing principles set with Content Factory writers, ensuring quality and SEO alignment for each piece.

Focused effort: No more time wasted on articles with no potential. Exclusive focus on content with the best chance of first-page ranking.

Results achieved

Demonstrated ROI and profitable investment. First-page rankings for strategic keywords. Significant time saved in content production.

“The results speak for themselves and I can only recommend Incremys. The ROI is there. At First Stop, we no longer waste time on articles that bring no traffic.” – Sandrine Ferrand, Digital Marketing Manager, First Stop

“With Incremys, you quickly understand why and how to set up a strategy that works, even without being an SEO expert.” – Sandrine Ferrand, First Stop

Key takeaways

An SME without internal SEO expertise can achieve significant results with the right methodology and tools. The key: trade intuition for data and focus efforts on high-potential content.

Example 6: Premium brand content strategy – Maison Berger Paris

Context and challenges

Maison Berger Paris, a French premium home fragrance brand, wanted to develop its digital acquisition while preserving its premium positioning. The challenge: generate qualified traffic and sales without undermining the brand image with overly commercial content.

Strategy implemented

Premium and consistent editorial line: Every piece of content upholds luxury codes: elegant tone, refined visuals, highlighting expertise and brand heritage.

Combining human expertise and personalised AI: Strategic content (brand pages, flagship collections) is written by the marketing team. Personalised AI, trained in the brand’s style and values, speeds up production for the entire catalogue.

SEO strategy preserving brand image: Targeted keywords are selected for alignment with premium positioning. “Discount” or “cheap” queries are deliberately ignored.

Results achieved

SEO became the second largest acquisition channel, representing about 20% of the French site's revenue. Double-digit organic traffic growth. Writing time divided by five thanks to personalised AI.

“Thanks to Incremys, SEO is now our 2nd acquisition channel. In 2024, the French site generated double-digit growth: SEO accounts for about 20% of our turnover.” – David Sérandour, Digital Director, Maison Berger Paris

“We’ve cut our content writing time by five thanks to personalised AI, while keeping high editorial quality.” – Nancy Hardy, Digital Manager, Maison Berger Paris

Key takeaways

An editorial strategy must match brand positioning. In luxury, content quality extends product quality. Properly configured personalised AI can maintain this standard at scale.

Example 7: Startup content strategy – MyFormality (legaltech)

Context and challenges

MyFormality, a legaltech startup specialising in online legal formalities, had to break into a market dominated by established players, without fundraising and with limited resources. The challenge: use SEO as the main growth driver against better-funded competitors.

Strategy implemented

Prioritisation by likelihood of success: Identifying keywords not intuitively detected but offering real ranking opportunities. Refusal to target keywords that are out of reach.

Step-by-step methodology: Strict adherence to the SEO methodology provided by the platform: data-driven strategy, optimised content production, tracking rankings and gains.

Centralised tool: Daily use of the platform for decision making, production, technical optimisation, and management.

Results achieved

Very good SEO positions relative to investment. Successful market penetration against established competitors. Visibility on strategically important but previously unidentified keywords.

“We see that, despite entering the market as newcomers, with no fundraising and limited investment, Incremys, through data, guides our strategy for market entry using keywords we'd not previously identified.” – Virginie Boissimon-Smolders, Managing Director, MyFormality

“With Incremys, you don’t need to know the entire SEO literature to rank on Google. Just follow the step-by-step methodology in the platform.” – Mehdi Mansouri, Digital Marketing Project Manager, MyFormality

Key takeaways

A startup can compete with established players in SEO through a data-driven approach. The key: focus on niche opportunities with less competition and target high-probability keywords.

Illustrative examples: content strategies for social media

The next 3 examples are illustrative (not Incremys clients) showing best practices for social media channels. Incremys specialises in SEO and GEO; these examples are included to broaden your view of possible content strategies.

Example 8 (illustrative): LinkedIn content strategy – B2B consultancy

Context and challenges

A digital transformation consultancy (50 consultants) wants to boost its profile and generate qualified leads via LinkedIn. With a limited marketing budget and consultants with little time for content, the challenge is to maximise impact with constrained resources.

Recommended strategy

Employee advocacy programme: 15 volunteer consultants are trained to post regularly on their personal profiles. A monthly editorial kit provides: pre-written posts to adapt, visual carousels, in-depth articles to share, optimised hooks and hashtags.

Editorial line by thematic pillar: Three pillars structure output: (1) Business expertise (trends, sector analysis), (2) Behind-the-scenes and culture (firm life, values), (3) Testimonials and results (anonymous client cases).

Formats optimised for the LinkedIn 2026 algorithm: Alternation between text posts, carousels (max visibility), short videos and native articles. Visual and interactive formats are favoured.

Typical expected results

Organic reach multiplied by 5–10 in 6 months. 20–40% of incoming leads from LinkedIn. Engagement rate of 3–5% (vs 2% sector benchmark).

Key takeaways

On LinkedIn, personal profiles generate 8x more engagement than company pages. Employee advocacy multiplies reach without ad spend. The key is to provide ready-to-use content for ambassadors to personalise.

Example 9 (illustrative): Instagram content strategy – DTC brand

Context and challenges

A natural cosmetics brand (DTC – Direct to Consumer) wants to grow its Instagram community to generate direct sales. With limited budget and intense competition, the challenge is differentiation through content.

Recommended strategy

Authentic and educational editorial line: Educational rather than promotional approach: ingredient breakdowns, personalised routines, behind-the-scenes manufacturing. Ratio of educational/promotional content 70/30.

UGC (User Generated Content): Customers are encouraged to share their routines and results. The best content is reposted. A brand hashtag centralises contributions.

Formats tailored to Instagram 2026 habits: Reels for virality (30-second tutorials), Stories for daily engagement (polls, questions), Carousels for education (guides, step-by-step routines).

Typical expected results

Community growth of +200–400% in 18 months. Engagement rate of 4–6% (vs 1.5% industry average). 20–30% of online shop traffic from Instagram.

Key takeaways

On Instagram, authenticity and added value matter more than direct promotion. UGC is a powerful lever: free social proof and engagement. Visual consistency strengthens brand recognition.

Example 10 (illustrative): Multi-platform content strategy – Local authority

Context and challenges

A French city (500,000 inhabitants) wants to modernise its digital communications to inform residents and promote the area. The challenge: reach varied audiences (youth, families, seniors, businesses) on each platform.

Recommended strategy

Segmentation by platform and audience: Facebook for families and seniors (events, practical info), Instagram for 18–35s (culture, outings), LinkedIn for businesses and professionals (economy, jobs), X for breaking news, TikTok for 15–25s (quirky content, behind-the-scenes).

Message adaptation, not duplication: Each piece of content is tailored to the format and tone of each platform. One event leads to platform-specific content.

Centralised editorial calendar: A shared tool makes all posts visible, avoids duplicates, and ensures overall coherence.

Typical expected results

Cumulative audience multiplied by 2–3 in 2 years. Engagement rate of 2–4% (vs 1.5% average for local authorities). Event participation up by 15–25%.

Key takeaways

Effective multi-platform strategy adapts content to each channel’s specifics rather than duplicating. Specialising community managers by network improves output quality.

Editorial plan examples: templates by sector

The editorial plan is the operational tool that brings your content strategy to life. Here are examples of editorial plans tailored to different contexts, inspired by the client cases above. For the difference between content strategy and editorial plan, see our comprehensive guide.

Editorial plan example for e-commerce (Spartoo/Naturalforme type)

This template applies to e-commerce sites with large product catalogues. The aim is to cover search intent at every stage of the buying journey.

Key points for this e-commerce plan:

Strategic division between human and AI: high-volume category and product pages handled by personalised AI, editorial content (guides, comparisons, reviews) written by the team. Semantic cluster coverage: the main keyword “women's running shoes” is declined in all its facets (pronator, trail, brands). Informational/transactional linking: each blog article links to the relevant categories and products.

B2B / regulated sector editorial plan example (Giphar type)

This template suits B2B businesses or those needing expert validation (health, finance, law).

Key points for this B2B/regulated plan:

“Expert validator” column is essential: every piece is validated by a qualified professional before publication, ensuring regulatory compliance and Google E-E-A-T. Seasonal planning: allergy content scheduled for February to rank before the March–April peak. Sensitivity-driven allocation: medicine topics written by humans, general information can be assisted by personalised AI.

Startup/SME editorial plan example (MyFormality/First Stop type)

This template suits businesses with limited resources needing to prioritise high-potential content.

Key points for this startup/SME plan:

“Top 10 probability” column: key for prioritising high-potential content and avoiding wasted effort on unattainable keywords. Priority levels (P1, P2, P3): P1 for strategic, high-volume keywords handled by the team, P2/P3 for variants delegated to AI. Competition analysis: focus on opportunities with low or medium competition for faster ranking.

Best practices for your editorial plan

Whatever your sector, an effective editorial plan follows these principles:

Publishing regularity: At least one piece per week to maintain consistent activity for Google. The above examples schedule 2–3 publications weekly.

Balancing search intent: Mix informational content (educate, attract top-of-funnel traffic) and commercial/transactional content (convert, drive sales). A 60% informational / 40% commercial split is generally effective.

Seasonal planning: Schedule content 6–8 weeks before search peaks (Christmas, sales, back-to-school, industry events) to allow time to rank.

Tracking and adjustment: Review your plan monthly. Replace underperforming content with new opportunities identified through ongoing data analysis.

Summary: key success factors for a content strategy

These 10 examples highlight recurring themes that drive a successful content strategy, whatever the context.

Alignment with business objectives

Each successful example directly connects the content strategy to company goals: in-store traffic for TERACT, e-commerce sales for Spartoo, lead generation for First Stop. Content is never a goal in itself.

Data-driven prioritisation

Cases like Giphar, First Stop and MyFormality show the importance of replacing intuition with data. Identifying high-probability opportunities helps focus efforts on content that will truly perform.

Scalable production without sacrificing quality

Spartoo, Naturalforme and Maison Berger Paris prove that large-scale production is possible thanks to personalised AI, as long as high quality standards and brand consistency are maintained.

Adapting to context and resources

Whether a startup (MyFormality), SME (First Stop) or large group (TERACT), every strategy adapts to available resources. The right tools and methodology compensate for lack of expertise or a dedicated team.

FAQ: frequently asked questions about content strategy examples

Adaptation and implementation

How do I adapt these examples to my business?

Identify the example closest to your context (sector, size, objectives). Analyse the underlying principles rather than copying actions. For example, MyFormality’s approach (startup, limited budget, focus on niche opportunities) can be used by any business in a growth phase. Adjust volumes to suit your resources but keep the strategic, data-driven logic.

What type of strategy should I start with as a beginner?

If you’re starting out, focus on SEO before branching into social media. SEO generates sustainable, qualified traffic. First Stop’s example shows even a non-expert SME can get significant results with the right methodology. Master one channel before adding others.

How long does it take to see results like these?

Timelines vary by context. TERACT and Jardiland: +50% in 18–24 months. Giphar: +227% in 12 months. La Martiniquaise Bardinet: +50% Top 3 keywords in 7 months. SEO requires patience (at least 6–12 months), but a structured and data-driven strategy speeds up results considerably.

What budget is needed to replicate these SEO strategies?

Budget depends on your ambitions. An SME like First Stop can start with a moderate budget and get proven ROI. An ambitious e-commerce strategy like Spartoo’s needs bigger investment but generates significant savings (€150,000 in 8 months). The key is to measure ROI: every case here shows a positive return on investment.

Strategic choices

Should I focus on SEO or social media?

Both have different roles. SEO captures existing demand (Google searches) and drives sustainable traffic. Social media builds awareness and community. For most businesses, SEO should be the foundation (qualified traffic, measurable ROI), complemented by social media for visibility. Incremys specialises in SEO and GEO because these deliver the highest demonstrable ROI.

Is personalised AI essential for success?

No, but it becomes a major competitive advantage at scale. Spartoo (16x), Maison Berger (÷5 writing time) and Naturalforme (5,000 products) examples show huge productivity gains. For an SME with a limited catalogue, a fully human approach is still viable. Once you exceed 100–200 pages, personalised AI becomes economically relevant.

How do you maintain quality with large-scale production?

Three levers as shown in these cases: (1) Data-driven prioritisation to produce only high-potential content. (2) Personalised AI trained on your brand identity (Spartoo, Maison Berger). (3) Validation processes, especially by experts for regulated sectors (Giphar, Naturalforme). Quality is defined upfront and checked at every stage.

Sector specifics

Are these examples applicable to micro-businesses/SMEs?

Yes, several cases prove it. First Stop (automotive SME) and MyFormality (startup) both achieved significant results with limited budgets. Naturalforme shows a small team can handle a 5,000-product catalogue. The key: use the right tools to offset limited human resources.

How do you adapt these strategies for regulated sectors?

Giphar’s example is the model: systematic validation by experts (pharmacists). Naturalforme applies the same logic with regulatory constraints for supplements. In these sectors, credibility and compliance aren’t negotiable. These constraints are also an advantage: expert-validated content stands out and is valued by Google (E-E-A-T).

Are there examples of international content strategies?

Maison Berger Paris’ example shows an approach adaptable internationally. Nancy Hardy, Digital Manager, says: “Incremys’ personalised AI is now the heart of operations. We fully intend to use it for international content for our distributors.” The principle: create strategic content in the main language, then use personalised AI to adapt for each market.

Editorial plan

What’s the difference between content strategy and editorial plan?

Content strategy sets the framework: objectives, targets, topics, tone, formats. The editorial plan is the operational tool that organises production: topics, keywords, publication dates, owners, status. The plan puts strategy into practice. Without strategy, the plan lacks direction; without a plan, strategy remains theoretical.

How do you structure an effective editorial plan?

An effective editorial plan includes at least: publication date, title/topic, main targeted keyword, monthly search volume, search intent, assigned writer, status. Depending on your context, add: probability of ranking (startup/SME), expert validator (regulated sector), distribution channel (multi-channel). Use a centralised tool accessible to the team.

How often should I update my editorial plan?

Review your editorial plan monthly. Analyse published content performance, adjust priorities according to observed results, and identify new opportunities. Plan on a rolling 3-month basis: the current month is fixed, the next two are flexible. This balances medium-term vision with agility.

How much content should I include in my editorial plan?

Frequency depends on your resources. Minimum recommended: 4 pieces a month (one per week) for steady SEO activity. With personalised AI, ambitious businesses publish 15–30 pieces a month. Spartoo’s example shows massive output is possible: “4 times more content produced, 4 times cheaper, 4 times faster.” Prioritise regularity over sporadic quantity.

Measurement and optimisation

How do I know if my content strategy works?

Set measurable goals from the start and track regularly. Key SEO KPIs: rankings for targeted keywords, organic traffic, conversions. Giphar measures sessions (+227%), TERACT tracks rankings (80% Top 10), Maison Berger tracks attributed turnover (20% of revenue). As Mélanie Dieu (Giphar) says: “With Incremys, we can measure the results of the content we produce.”

Which KPIs should I track first?

Focus on 3–5 KPIs aligned with your business goals. SEO: rankings, organic traffic, conversions. E-commerce: traffic per page, conversion rate, attributed revenue. B2B: leads generated, cost per lead. As Nancy Hardy (Maison Berger) notes: “What I appreciate is the strong business focus of the solution: it makes all the difference!”

For further methodology and fundamentals, see our comprehensive guide to editorial strategy and explore all our resources in the Incremys blog.