Starting with Content Marketing does not seem to be that hard. I mean how difficult can it be just to start putting your thoughts on paper (or the web in this case) and after a couple of pieces of content in comes the money machine!
The reality, however, is a little bit harder, after Producing content for some time now, and discussing it with lots of different peers, I’ve identified 9 mistakes that I see happening over and over again.
#1 Thinking it’s all about SEO
Of course SEO, is important, but writing interesting stories is even more important. If people manage to find you, you don’t want to scare them away with boring content, do you?
#2 No content marketing strategy
No strategy, and not knowing what you want to get out of it will leave you running around in circles. According to a study by the Content Marketing Institute; companies who write down their content marketing goals and their plans to achieve them are five times more likely to be successful. Creating a strategy is not that difficult as it might seem, so take the time and map out your strategy before you start.
#3 Wasting content opportunities by not converting
Your content could be the best in the world, people enjoyed the full 10 minutes of reading it, and they might even share it. But what good is it, if they don’t convert. Conversion can be done from basic things like leaving an email address (so you can contact them again in the future) or by actually buying something from you.
#4 Marketing to everyone and anyone
Who are you producing content for? Not everyone in the world is your ideal customer, so you should not try to create content for everyone. Focus on your Buyer Personas and create relevant content to your ideal customers.
#5 Not knowing what’s working
Not knowing what is working and what isn’t. You don’t want to waste your time; you want to be as effective as possible. I mean, how can you improve if you do not know what’s working and what’s not working?
#6 Not promoting your content
A lot of people live by the mistake “create, and they will come”, but producing content is only half the battle, the rest is gaining notice.
#7 Not using the power of stories
Content marketing is not delivering a sales pitch. Content marketing is just solving the same problems that your product solves through media you create and promote. Turn that problem solving into interesting stories people can relate to, and they might even stick around till the end of the article.
#8 Not diversifying your content
The first thing on the mind of people when you talk about Content Marketing is writing articles. Content Marketing, however, is so much more than just producing some written articles. Mix it up, try out different formats, maybe use some video or audio, or repurpose your content on other platforms. There are so many different options!
#9 Giving up so easily
Last, but not least… As I mentioned before, the effects of content marketing are not immediate. These are long-lasting activities that are also one of the most profitable, but you need to be patient. Many people are discouraged even after the first attempt to publish something on a blog or somewhere over the internet. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
My advice: Don’t be afraid to ask. If you’re not sure about something or wondering how to plan your work, ask someone who has more experience.
To sum up, no one is perfect and we all make mistakes. The point is to get the most out of the expert knowledge shared over the internet and learn from your mistakes.
Credits: Quora.com
