Content Marketing Mistakes

You’ve heard it all before, “Content is King.” It’s not wrong! According to a 2014 Demand Gen Report, 75% of B2B buyers rely more on content research to make purchasing decisions than they did a year ago. On top of that, the cost of content marketing is 62% less than traditional marketing, so it’s really no surprise that businesses everywhere are attempting to push out content. However, while content is essential in marketing efforts – it could be hurting you more than helping if you’re making these mistakes.

• Unclear Direction: Talking for the sake of talking without purpose or understanding is a big no-no in the content world. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, chances are your audience won’t either and they’ll lose interest fast. Purpose and relevance are key to quality content. Establish a goal for your content and how you’re going to reach that goal. Then develop the method to deliver that message.
• Guessing: Taking a shot in the dark about what will resonate with your audience, or who your audience even is will be a sure-fire way to tank your content marketing strategy. You need to be aware of your audience and their needs so that you’re able to provide tailored and personalized content that meets their needs.  Provide content with context and you’ll allow your audience to receive relevant information they can relate to.
• Lacking Consistency: You know what your message should be, know it and stick to it. While it can seem like too much repetition at times, remember there is always someone out there getting that information for the first time. Straying from you ultimate communicative goal will cause confusion and lack on interest from your audience.
• Uninteresting Content: The purpose of content marketing is to provide interest, educate, and engage your audience, and you can’t do that with boring information. Brains are stimulated by visuals more than text, so liven up lackluster content with images that assist an otherwise “boring” piece.
• Gloating: Content is meant to provide education and information that is of value to your readers. It is not the place to boast achievements or aggressively sell yourself. While you may feel comfortable writing about all of the great things you’ve done, you’re quickly driving customers away. Let your content speak for itself, build trust with your readers and let them come to you.
• Not Sharing Your Content: Once the content is published the hard work is done, right? Not so! The important steps of content marketing come after publication, when it’s time to get visibility and reach. You need people to want to read the great information you have curated. Create a plan of action to get your content read that focuses on optimizing its benefits. Identify the right channels for your pieces and then execute your action plan to create consistency.
• Shooting for Gold Every Time: Be realistic. Not everything is going to go viral, and honestly viral doesn’t always mean it’s going to be good for the business. Content importance comes from how well it influences your direct consumers. Sometimes that niche audience of yours is only a few people, but the important thing is you’re still reaching them with relevant content.

The success of a content marketing campaign isn’t necessarily correlated to the number of likes or shares it’s gotten. Determine the measurable metrics of your content marketing goals and focus on those. Information is powerful when it’s correctly shared to the right audience. Stop with the keyword stuffing and start with the education!