Everybody knows that “Content is King”. But CMOs and Marketing executives often wrongly employ random tactics to fill in the blanks and expect things to fall into place. Many companies think that filling in a content manager position is a quick task, without actually understanding the implication of hiring the wrong person. This post will help you understand more.
Let’s look at the top Content Marketing errors being made today..
1 – Poor Content Quality
This may not come as a surprise, but I’m seeing more and more Marketing departments pushing out generic and shallow content (fluff). Yes, there are always time and financial constraints, but once you lose a visitor due to a dull reading experience, chances are he won’t be back again. You are what you publish!
Don’t pressurise yourself into commissioning poor content. Focus on quality, not quantity. Make every blog post, ebook, and whitepaper matter.
2 – Undefined Target Audience
Not defining a target audience is probably the biggest mistake you can make today. With so much content being published on the web, chances are untargeted posts will go unnoticed, even if they have been written brilliantly. Define, target and engage the audience that will buy your product. Anything else is a waste of time (and money).
Don’t be afraid to target narrow segments. This will also allow you to focus your campaigns for maximum efficiency and conversions. Be focused!
3 – Hiring Under-Qualified Writers
Too many companies are making the mistake of settling for inexperienced or unsuitable candidates for reasons such as financial limitations, overly dominant (and nosy) HR departments, and inadequate track-record examinations. Hiring highly qualified writers and copywriters is a long-term investment that ALWAYS pays off.
Don’t have to settle for inexperienced or unproven writers. Make sure your HR team is looking for experience and not wasting time on irrelevant criteria.
4 – No Blog Planning
Having a good Editorial Calendar is very important in today’s dynamic digital space. However, more often than not, there is no master plan. Content is created randomly on a “first come, first served” basis. This has little to no benefit in the long run. You need to plan ahead, establish proper KPIs and boost your Blogging ops.
Don’t expect fast results. Inbound Marketing is a slow process, but with long-term benefits. Measure your progress and make tweaks on a quarterly basis.
5 – Over-Complicating the Writing Process
There are many technical aspects that can’t be neglected while creating content, SEO being one of them. But over-complicating the writing often comes at a cost. Your text has to be engaging and creative to catch the reader’s attention. Overwhelming your writers with technical instructions will lead to poor results. Find the balance!
I have seen good writers getting confused with complicated outlines that make no sense and kill the creative aspect of the writing process. Keep that in mind.
6 – Ignoring the Marketing Funnel
I have seen many CMOs in new companies making the mistake of publishing only bottom-of-funnel content. While this content is amazing and technical, they fail to realise that they don’t really have an audience. There has to be top-of-the-funnel content in every new blog to pull in new readers who will share your blog posts.
Many CMOs and marketing executives don’t like to publish new posts in the holiday season. This can be a costly mistake. Keep December for top-of-the-funnel content.
7 – Poor Content Distribution
This mistake of related to the lack of balance in your content pipeline. Even having the perfect blog or website won’t maximize your lead generation if you are not distributing your content properly. You will need to invest in Social Marketing and paste your content in the right groups and discussions. Boosting your posts is also a good idea.
Another common mistake is not re-visiting old content. Many of your posts will be showing up in searches after a few years. You need them to stay relevant.
But it’s not all bad news.
You can avoid the aforementioned mistakes with the help of proven digital agencies or experienced content experts. With the right strategy and tactics, you can turn your website into a lead generating machine, not to mention the Brand Awareness and Thought Leadership goals you can meet.
Farrell Israelson
, LCI
Ilan Paretsky
, 7P-CMO as a Service
