Content marketing strategy will give you strength.
We know what a business strategy, marketing strategy & financial strategy is but have you thought about your content marketing strategy?
I mean think about it – does a hockey team just hook up 10 minutes before the game and run out on the ice and hope for the best? Nope – they have a strategy against that particular team, they train, they learn, they know what the best equipment is to wear, they exercise, they eat properly, they practice – yep – they have a plan.
And so should you when it comes to your content marketing. To illustrate – here are the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when it comes to content marketing strategy.
1. Failure to plan – they just create random social media posts and hope for the best.
2. No correlation – the social media doesn’t correlate or leverage other marketing strategies, it’s like they are all separate pieces instead of working together in harmony towards an end goal.
3. No consistency – they are ‘gung ho’ for a week emailing their list, sending out posts, engaging with people, then fall off the face of the planet for 2 weeks. Well, out of site is out of mind. I know for me – if I go on a Facebook Page and see there haven’t been posts in a month – I wonder if that business is doing well, if they have good customer support – do I really want to use their service. These things affect reputation and first impressions and decision making.
4. Under estimating its importance – some may think – well it’s not crucial to my business – they under estimate the importance of content marketing. “They won’t miss it.” or “But it’s not directly bringing in the dollars.” All myths. It’s a long term game, nurturing, providing value, showing your expertise, attracting new clients and retaining current clients. It’s showing that you are a reputable company that is successful and establishes trust.
5. Throwing branding out the window – I’ve seen posts without any consistency in branding. No logo’s, different fonts in every post, different colors used, different language and terms, different style. I mean everything doesn’t have to look exactly like your logo – but it does need to be cohesive.
6. Inconsistent messaging – the language used on their site and landing pages is inconsistent and confusing. Some places may say you do one thing and another place explains who you are in a different way. Or a landing page may say Download Now and another spot says Access Now – or calls it a webinar in one spot and online training in another. If your language is NOT consistent – folks will be confused and well, just leave.
7. Focusing on promotions – you can’t simply promote the hell out of your services and products and hope that people will buy. They need to get to know you, need to see your personality, need to trust you, to see your expertise, be engaged with you. Hitting them up for a purchase after they say hi – is well – just not cool.
8. Having no goals in mind – you need to have a goal in mind on your social media, on your landing pages and in your emails. Where do you want them to go ‘next’. Ex: The goal in social media is to build a relationships, get them to trust you and engage in your content – then the next natural step would be to say yes to a free ‘thing’ and get on your e-list. That’s all. Know where you want them to go next so that you can plan the content strategically that will accomplish your goals.
9. Putting energy in the wrong space – it’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the next best thing like Snap Chat or Periscope. Don’t join up and post there just because you THINK it should be the smart thing to do. Think about where you are already, where your audience and ideal client is hanging out. If your ideal market is NOT on Snap Chat – then don’t invest time, money and energy posting there.
10. Failure to analyze – Okay so your content is awesome, it’s branded, folks are lovin it. That’s great BUT – what if you could optimize it that little bit more to REALLY maximize results. What if you found out that MORE people are viewing your videos vs reading your blogs. What if you found out that you get more engagement on the quote graphics you do vs anything else. What if you found out they prefer topic A and topic B over any other topic. What if you found out your audience really engages and views your material at 9pm at night. Would that change the way you moved forward with your content? Damn skippy it would!
There are so many elements and planning that goes into a good Content Marketing Strategy that affects your relationships with prospects and clients, that affects how many leads you attract and how many sales you make. This is just a taste of the pieces you need to think about when creating your content marketing.
If it’s know-how that is holding you back, if it’s time that’s holding you back – the answer is simple. Hire a company that understands content marketing – one that will understand your target market, your brand, your voice and make a strategy that fits where you are and where you want to go. Know that Smooth Sailing Business Growth has your back. Call us…
