Why Content Marketing Fails

Content marketing is a lot more than what meets the eyes. Behind the glamour shots and catchy captions lies weeks and months worth of hard and consistent work. But what if all that work isn’t adding up to a good return on investment? In order to see what went wrong, let’s reflect on what may have happened. Here is why your content marketing could be failing:

Going with the Flow

In traditional marketing and advertising, such as billboards or television commercials, creating a goal and planning on how to achieve that is required to create a successful campaign. Content and digital marketing are no different, they are only on different platforms online. 

Instead of posting when you feel it’s appropriate, planning out a strategic content calendar can help you plan ahead and optimize your success. There, you can create an organized, cohesive place to plan ahead and strategize. Not to mention, have a place to brainstorm and collaborate with your teammates on how to make the most out of your content.

Not Having a Voice

There are more than 32.5 million businesses and more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations. Chances are, your tone and voice may not be the most distinct amongst your competition. How does your business stand out? What makes your business unique? These are things to consider while figuring out who you are, what you want to accomplish, and how you want to be perceived as. 

While you should stay up to date on trends, do keep in mind that candidacy is more important than being trendy. If the latest, viral content does not match with your company culture, then don’t partake in it because your audience will see right through a facade, which may affect your authenticity.

Not Receiving Well

Your audience is your greatest asset and most vocal critique. With or without a word, they will let you know what you’re doing well at and what you need to improve on (for free!). And with the help of digital marketing analytics, figuring out what you need to improve on is right at your fingertips.

Followers not only need to be listened to, they also need to be catered for. After trying out different types of content (social media, blogs, website pages, emails, videos, etc.), you can determine which ones are the most worth investing into with the help of customer feedback.

Ignoring Google

Though search engine optimization does not require as much creativity as content marketing, it’s just as much of a key player in keeping your content visible to potential Google searches. You also want to keep in mind other success factors, like keywords, title tags, meta descriptions and alt text. Being well rounded in your investment on all sides of digital marketing will help maximize your brand’s messaging and make it as visible to potential leads as much as possible.

Doing It Yourself

When a small team or one individual is in charge of the big task of content marketing, being overwhelmed is understandable, especially for those who may not particularly specialize in it or have many other tasks during the day to cross off. When your business is doing well enough to consider getting outside help, whether that be through a direct hire, freelancer or agency, think of it as an investment for your business. This is someone knowledgeable who will solely focus on your business’s success and brand visibility.