anyone actually creating a content strategy successfully?

That list covers the creating side. The part most people drop is going back. Every few months look at what you published: pages that got traffic but no enquiries need a better call to action, pages that got nothing after six months either need rewriting for a different search or merging into a stronger page. A strategy that only ever adds pages ends up with a site full of thin stuff competing with itself.

For a small site, keep it simple: 1. List the 3-5 things you actually sell or do. 2. For each, write down the questions customers ask before buying. Your sales emails and support inbox are the best source. 3. One proper page per question, linked back to the relevant service page. 4. Publish on a pace you can actually keep, even twice a month. That's a content strategy. Most of the templates you see are built for teams of ten.