Content marketing can be a non-invasive way of attracting new leads. However, without a good strategy behind it, it won’t be effective. Below are just a few content marketing mistakes that you should avoid when building content.
Relying on generic content
People are more likely to engage with content that is unique. If you run a cybersecurity business, posting a generic ‘how to secure your business’ guide is not going to get you any leads – there are likely hundreds of posts out there already like yours, so you likely won’t get any readers. Consider ways in which you can make your content authentic and interesting.
Including your own studies is a great way of making content unique. This could include using your own case studies, surveying your own customers or using your own analytics data to create stats. Such content can show that you’re not just an expert but an innovator – and may encourage people to trust you and use your business.
It could also be worth focusing on a few niche topics. While less people may be searching for these niche topics, you won’t have to compete with as many other pieces of content. If you run a cybersecurity firm this could include a post on ‘different types of ransomware’ or ‘the best VPNs for digital nomads’. It could be a great way of attracting those niche customers that other companies are missing out on.
Not sharing content on social media
Social media is a great tool for helping your content to get exposure. It can be used to share blog posts, videos, photographs and infographics. By using hashtags and by boosting posts, you can extend the reach of your content.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are some of the biggest social media platforms. Consider creating business accounts on all of these platforms, so that you can start sharing your content in these places.
There are automation tools that you can use to automatically share blog posts or Youtube videos to social media so that you don’t have to manually post them on every social media network. Some of these tools can also be programmed to regularly repost content.
Focusing on quantity over quality
Keeping your blog, Youtube channel or Instagram account regularly updated is important as it shows that your company is making efforts to be active online. However, you shouldn’t sacrifice quality for quantity.
If your content is rushed, it could end up being sloppy and unprofessional. You want to wow people with your content so that they’re then encouraged to use your business.
With blogging, you should make sure that your content is well-written. Make sure to check spelling and grammar – there are lots of spelling and grammar tools that you can use online to make your writing better. Content should also be a decent length. Anything under 250 words is likely too short. Some companies hire copywriters to ensure that content is high quality.
When it comes to vlogging, consider the quality of your videos. It could be worth investing in a high quality camera and high quality microphone before you start making videos. Understanding how to edit videos could also be useful. When creating video adverts and animations, you’ll likely want to hire a professional video production company or animator to make it happen.
Any images you use should also be high quality. Avoid generic stock photos and amateur photographs – spend time searching for high quality images or hire a professional photographer to take some of your own. Graphic designers could be worth hiring when creating infographics.
Not making it SEO-friendly
Your content needs to also be SEO-friendly. SEO stands for ‘search engine optimisation’ and is a means of boosting your rankings on search engines like Google. If your content isn’t SEO-friendly, it likely won’t appear high on search rankings and may not get as many views.
There are many ways to make your content more SEO-friendly. The most effective tactic is to include specific keywords in your content. These must be incorporated in a natural way – stuffing content full of keywords could have a negative impact on your rankings.
Getting help from effective SEO services can make a difference. Such a professional company may be able to help you find the right keywords to focus on, as well as helping you to integrate these keywords into your content in a natural way.
Ignoring trends and topics
Certain trends and topics could be getting a lot of attention. It may make sense to create content themed around these trends and topics.
This could include seasonal content. An online clothes store for instance could benefit from focusing on winter fashion posts during winter and summer fashion posts during summer. You may even be able to center posts around annual events such as Xmas, Valentine’s Day and Halloween.
It’s worth also considering unique events going on in the world. Right now, the pandemic, Brexit and global warming are all events that are affecting businesses – consider whether you can tap into these topics. Just be sure not to get too political as this could be divisive and turn certain consumers against you.
Failing to use analytic data
Without monitoring the results of your content, you’ll have no idea whether your content was effective. Most platforms have analytics tools for monitoring results – this could allow you to see who is engaging with your videos, blog posts, and social media posts.
By interpreting this data, you can then decide whether to create similar content. You may also be able to promote content that is doing well to get more leads.
