The year 2013 saw the outbreak of content marketing as a trusted and reliable marketing strategy.
However, despite this there are still some misconceptions regarding this marketing strategy and in this post I’ll be dispelling them. Content marketing is a great strategy that you can and should be using for success in 2014 and I’ll be helping to explain how you can do that by avoiding some of the common pitfalls.
Myth 1: Content Marketing Is Creating a Tangible Asset, Such as a Report, Blog Post, or Video
There is more to content marketing than just creating a blog post, video, etc. Yes, a blog post is a piece of content but where content differs from content marketing is when it fits into an overall plan you have in mind for your business. For example, content marketing takes into consideration things like your audience, the inspiration behind the content you’ve produced, and the overall distribution and promotion plans.
Content marketing is far more than just producing a piece of content. It’s an overall program of producing content that is designed to communicate with and influence your target audience. This is something that takes more than just slapping up a piece of content. It requires careful consideration and planning.
Mythbuster Diagnosis
Set a calendar for organising ideas, producing and distributing content. This will allow you to plan adequately for the big picture rather than just a one off piece of content.
Myth 2: Once the Content Is Produced, the Job Is Done
Unfortunately you can’t just put content out there and hope the traffic will come. It doesn’t work like that no matter how good the quality of your content is.
You need to focus on producing content that is directed at your target audience and compels them to take action. Your goal with this content shouldn’t be virality because most content produced isn’t going to go viral. You should be focusing on providing value for your audience and if it’s high quality content that is useful, it will be disseminated throughout the market.
Mythbuster Diagnosis
You should always have a standard checklist of ways to promote your content through various distribution channels and activities. However, another great tactic is to make a list of 5-10 options that highlight different aspects of the same piece of content. From here you can see which one performs the best and then amplify that content with paid promotion.
Make sure you get the word out to as many people as possible and this includes your employees. Provide your employees with a cheat sheet that details key takeaways from the content that they can use to spread the message.
Myth 3: You Can Get by on ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Content
You can’t have the same kind of content for your whole audience. What this means is that not everyone in your audience is going to have the same needs, desires, etc, so you need to tailor your content to different stages in your audience’s buying process.
Studies have shown that most organisations tailor their content based on industry needs. This is a good idea but you should delve deeper than that and customise your content based on audience types and buying stages.
Mythbuster Diagnosis
If you want to develop content that is really targeted at what your audience wants then you should develop buyer personas. Talk to your customers and your customer service team, and find out what your audience wants.
The strategy here is developing content that is based around what your audience wants rather than simply producing content. Using this targeted content strategy you’ll reach fewer people but you’ll be reaching the ones that matter.
Myth 4: Constantly Putting Out New Content Keeps Everything Fresh
One of the most important things you need to remember with content marketing is this - quality over quantity.
You shouldn’t be posting content just for the sake of posting content. You should only be posting content when you have something relevant to say and when it is high quality.
Many organisations become strained initially with their content marketing because they are always trying to put out brand new content. However, you don’t have to do this. There is plenty of great content out there that you can re-use.
The only way that content can become stale is if you let it become that way.
Mythbuster Diagnosis
Use a content calender to rehash and revive your strongest content. Form a list of ideas from your previous content and see if there are opportunities to extend the shelf life of your content.
You should also analyse which pieces of content are resonating the most with your audience, you may find that there is an opportunity to create a series or franchise that could become your signature piece.
In Conclusion
Content marketing is not a strategy that you can develop overnight. It requires time, money, and iteration to form a strategy that resonates with your target audience. However, by following the outline in this post you will be able to avoid some of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to developing a content marketing strategy.
How have you found developing your own content marketing strategy? Have you had much success with content marketing?
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