Content marketing is all that’s buzzing these days. Every business, every entrepreneur no matter how big or small is willing to invest in content marketing. Content has become an essential tool for the survival of businesses and brands in this digital landscape. However, poor content management can be just as bad as not developing a good content marketing strategy.
If you happen to be a content marketer yourself, you would know how difficult it is to get quality content published on your site or blog. The truth is, content marketing is so vast and multi-faceted that even expert marketers and writers can get things messed up. SEO, Google, guidelines, hyperlinking, backlinking, guest posting, ghostwriting, there is just so much to cover!
Here, we have compiled a list of the top 7 mistakes that can result in the failure of your content management. With these mistakes, we offer simple actionable tips that will assist you in perfect content optimization.
Mistake 1: Not Having a Tone and Voice
Often times, content marketers tend to forget that content marketing and writing isn’t just about marketing and writing. Its purpose is as varied as it’s power. Copying and rewording content will only get you this far if you really want to succeed with your content marketing strategy you need to have a voice and tone in your writing. Your voice and tone distinguish you from other brands/competitors. Not having one won’t help you much.
The Solution
The easiest way to find your voice and tone is to think your brand stands for. Think of all the things you want to be as a brand. How do you want people to remember you? Friendly, funky, stern, courteous, rebel, the list goes on. Focus on your brand values and ethos and you’ll soon have a clear voice and tone.
Mistake 2: Marketing to The Wrong Audience
There is no point in producing and publishing content on your social media channels, blogs, or website if you are targeting people who aren’t interested in what you have to sell or offer. Most marketers get way too overconfident and start marketing content without properly defining their target audience. This only results in poor results and wasted resources.
The Solution
Before you start writing anything, research and plan about your target audience and how you’ll be engaging them. If you get things right, building a small yet loyal following on social media channels is not a big feat. But, before you get you that part you have some serious work to do. Your content research and development phase should involve you looking at your competitors and similar operating entities to see how they are entertaining and engaging their customers through content.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Call to Actions (CTA’s)
Call to action buttons has a crucial function. Call to action buttons were introduced to provoke an immediate response from the viewer by using words of assurance. A CTA is more than a pretty button. If you don’t have a CTA incorporated somewhere (ideally at the bottom) within your blog, social media, or website posts then you can say bye-bye to your sales. After you have engaged your audience, you need to convert them into customers and that is where CTA steps in. Having a CTA means having customers.
The Solution
Pay a little more attention to the CTAs you incorporate in your content.
CTAs aren’t just for blog posts and web pages. You can even have CTAs in your social media posts. Now it doesn’t have to a big fancy word, natural linking of an eBook or a video will also be as effective as a download now button.
Mistake 4: Avoiding Experimentation
We learn through trial and error. the same is true for brands. If you don’t experiment enough with your content how will you ever find what ticks your audience and what bores them to death? Experimentation allows you to test and try different content marketing strategies. Some of them might fail, others might fail terribly but every strategy you test and try helps you learn more about content management.
The Solution
Try producing and distributing a variety of content and see what’s working out in your favor. Chances are that your first and second, even third attempt will prove to be a failure but this failure only sets you up for success. Think of the skills you develop and how your brand evolves and grows. Experimentation gives you the freedom to try whatever style, tone, voice, or medium you want to try. So embrace a multi-dimensional approach and let your brand and content management evolve naturally.
Mistake 5: Inconsistent Publishing
Many marketers make the mistake of publishing quality content but publishing it inconsistently. Inconsistent publishing won’t be any benefit. If anything it will only result in poor content management. The logic behind consistent publishing is that Google looks for fresh content. It looks for engaging helpful relevant content being published by a trusted source. Being consistent with your content publishing will help you in ranking on the top search results.
The Solution
The solution is pretty simple. Make quality content, make it faster, and keep publishing it on all your online presence(s). When you start publishing more frequently you’ll notice how much your traffic and engagement has grown.
Mistake 6: Poor Headlines and Titles
Let me share an interesting fact with you. 8 out of 10 people read your headlines and titles, while 2 out of 10 people will ever read the rest of the article. This shows how important headlines and titles are for proper content optimization. Strong and catchy headlines can grab and hold attention. They have the ability to draw the reader into your content. On the other hand, poor headlines are just an eyesore.
The Solution
The easiest way to develop stronger headlines and titles is by forming them around most searched keywords and search terms. This is a sure-fire way of getting picked up both by the search engines and the reader. You will be able to develop stronger headlines by keeping them short, quirky, and value adding in some way.
Mistake 7: Not Utilizing the Correct Mediums
The fall and rise of business in the digital world are linked to its online presence or the lack of it. There are far too many businesses that don’t realize the true potential of social media. Many starts marketing on the wrong platforms. Social media can unlock numerous marketing opportunities. Therefore, before you develop an online presence, plan and create your social media presence(s) as well. This will help your content management way more than you imagine.
The Solution
Take a moment and analyze what social media platforms will be beneficial for your business. Think about engagement, traffic, and investment. If you’re a travel agency then having an Instagram page will be beneficial. You could exhibit pictures and videos in the form of stories to draw in more people. Your social media presence is dependent on your business needs and objectives. Choose wisely before you make a presence on any social media channel.
Conclusion
Content management requires patience and planning. It needs practice and implementation of correct content marketing strategy. The aforementioned mistakes are the most common cause of failure in content management. Avoid the mistakes highlighted and follow our simple solutions and you’re all set for content marketing success.