Have you put a huge number of hours into your online presence, just to reap little benefit? There could be
many reasons that your brand is failing online but perhaps none more important
than your content strategy. Long pushed to the side as the secondary element to
a brand's growth, content has pushed its way to the front lines and can make or break almost
any company. Here are the things you might be doing wrong and tips to learn how
to fix them.
One Without the
Other
One of the biggest mistakes companies make is creating the
content without marketing it. There are millions of blogs and opinion pieces
all over the Internet. Making yours relevant is
key. Just because it is on the Internet does not mean that it will
reach people naturally. It is important that you take the time to market the
content you produce. That is the point of the content in the first place
- to market your business. In fact, marketing the content might actually
demand more time than creating the content itself. Do you have an email list?
Send the content to them! Use your social media. Put the word out.
Constant
Advertising
I harp on this
one all the time. The point of content marketing is to share something with
potential consumers that is engaging, informative and not necessarily all about
your product. Make your content customer centered, not product centered. Leave
the advertising to your advertisements. Share something worth sharing and
learning. Your consumers want to read something that is worth their time, so
don't waste what time they give you, or you may not get any more of it. That
doesn't mean you can't write a how-to that might include use of your product;
just remember to keep it interesting and engaging.
Failing to
Engage
Obviously this
is the buzzword for content marketing. When you post content to your social
media, there is a likely chance that someone will comment on it with some sort
of statement, negative or positive. By making sure to reply to every one
separately, you are still selling your business and product and they may not
even recognize it. I recommend thanking people who make negative comments
for their input without starting an argument.
Typos
This is
probably the most overlooked step in content marketing, and one we all fall
victim to here and there. The first draft of a content piece is just that--a
first draft. There should be more drafts and multiple sets of eyes looking at
it multiple times. Want to keep people interested in what you are posting? Make
sure it is grammatically correct. There is nothing like a poorly written
article to scare people off.
Not Having a
Point of View
You absolutely
cannot be considered a professional or expert if you do not have a stance or
point of view. Standing in the middle or riding the fence can be boring and may
make your content less than helpful. Even if a customer does not agree with
your stance, they are more likely to respect you for having one than trying to
be a people pleaser. People pleasers aren't trustworthy; they'll tell you what
you want to hear to gain popularity. Stand up for something and have a point of
view.
Holding Out
Content
When you create
content for your consumers, you are telling them that you are going to deliver
consistently. One of the biggest contributors to content marketing failing is
businesses discontinuing production of content itself. If consumers are hooked
on your content and interested in what you have to say, they will come back to
read more. If you quit, that's certainly going to stop (or significantly slow
down) new customers from finding you. Continue to create content, and
continue to create it in an interesting and engaging way.
Ignoring Your
Employees
You ignore your
employees at your own peril. They can be one of your largest assets when
it comes to content article ideas or social media reach. Use their expertise
and interests to create content that your customers and readers want to read.
Rely on them to share your content to their friends and colleagues online. Your
employees are the life breath of your company. Use that to your benefit.
Credit:
inc.com
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