5 Mistakes of Content Marketing

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

A black computer is sitting on a desk next to a glass of water.

Have you been trying to implement content marketing for your business, but not seeing the results you had hoped for?  In this blog post, we’ll explore some common content marketing mistakes and how to fix them.

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is how you strategically share your brand’s story online to attract your ideal  audience.

This includes your long form content, like blog posts and YouTube videos, as well as your Pinterest, social media, and email marketing.  It’s more than just the selling of your product or service, it's building interest and trust to attract people to your brand.

You are probably already already doing content marketing in some form, but it may not be effective or strategic.  Are you making any of these common mistakes?

Mistake #1: Not creating quality content

Quality content is well-researched, well-crafted, and engaging. It should also be optimized for search engines in order to maximize visibility. This means creating content that will resonate with your intended audience, and attract them to your brand. To be successful, you need to create content that is valuable and relevant to your target audience. This means doing research to understand their needs, interests and preferences. From there, you need to come up with topics and ideas that will appeal to them and create content that is engaging and informative. Once the content is created, you then need to promote it through social media, SEO, email marketing and other channels.

Here are a few tips for creating quality content:

  • Use visuals, such as photos and videos, to convey your message
  • Make sure your images are clear, with good lighting
  • Avoid using jargon or technical language
  • Double check for spelling errors and grammar mistakes (We love the grammarly.com browser extension tool!)
  • Keep up to date with the latest industry trends

Quality content can help to build trust and credibility with your audience. It also has the potential to generate leads and convert them into customers. Quality content strengthens relationships with existing customers and increases brand loyalty. By producing high-quality content on a consistent basis, you can position yourself as an authority in your field and stand out from the competition. 

Mistake #2: Inconsistency

Do you find yourself posting on Instagram a few days in a row, then not again for weeks?

Are you blogging twice a week and then not again for a couple months?  

Not only do the algorithms favor consistency, but so does your audience.  You naturally build trust with your audience by showing up for them consistently. When you are consistent with your content, you are building a recognizable brand identity while increasing the chance for  your audience to engage with your content. 

Here are a few tips for creating consistent content: 

  • Plan in advance
  • Use scheduling tools
  • Create templates
  • Create a stock photo image bank

Content marketing is a long-term strategy that requires consistent effort over time to build an audience and establish yourself as an authority in your field. When you create content on a consistent basis, it shows that you are committed to your brand, and dedicated to providing quality content for your audience.

Mistake #3: Abandoning too soon

Content marketing is a powerful tool for promoting your business, but it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and effort to create content that resonates with your target audience and drives the results you want. That means you need to be patient and consistent with your content marketing efforts. You need to plan out what kind of content you want to create, when you want to post it, and how you want to promote it.

Here are some tips for for avoiding content abandonment:

  • Set realistic goals and stick to them
  • Create a content calendar
  • Focus on quality over quantity
  • Repurpose the same content to multiple platforms
  • Get support for your content marketing

Mistake #4: Always selling

One of the biggest mistakes in content marketing is always selling. When it comes to content, your goal should be to engage and educate your audience, not inundate them with sales pitches. Sure, you want to highlight the features of your product or service, but your content should also provide real value for your readers. That means sharing useful tips, providing valuable insights, and answering questions. People are more likely to respond to content that provides them with something of value, rather than content that is simply trying to make a sale.

Here are some ways to provide value to your audience without selling:

  • Ask for feedback
  • Share content from others
  • Entertain
  • Show behind the scenes
  • Share products/ tools that you use

If you focus on providing useful content, then you can build trust and relationships with your readers, which in turn can lead to more sales in the long run. If your content is too focused on sales and not enough on providing useful information, readers will tune it out.

Mistake #5: Failure to review and tweak strategy

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make when it comes to content marketing is not regularly reviewing and tweaking their strategy. Content marketing is an ever-evolving field, and what worked for you last year might not be as effective this year. It's important to stay on top of trends, customer preferences, and changes in the market to ensure that your content is relevant and up-to-date.

Regular reviews and updates can also help you identify areas where you can improve your content marketing strategy, such as by expanding into new channels or focusing on different customer segments. By creating a process for regularly reviewing and tweaking your content marketing strategy, you can ensure that your efforts remain effective and successful.

Here are some tips to help you review your content strategy:

  • Check your analytics every month
  • Identify the KPIs (key performance indicators) that actually move your business forward, not just vanity metrics
  • Step back and make sure your content aligns with your business goals
  • Get professional help with your content

Evaluate the types of content you are creating, how often you are posting, and where you are sharing it. It also includes assessing the performance of your content to see what works and what doesn’t and making changes accordingly. Without reviewing and tweaking your content marketing strategy, you may be missing out on opportunities to reach more people and generate more leads. Take the time to review and adjust your content marketing strategy and you’ll likely see better results.

Why is my content marketing not working?

If your content marketing isn’t working, it could be due to a number of factors. The most common issue we see is not truly understanding your target audience.

You need to look at your ideal customer more closely. Consider what they want, what they need help with, how you can serve them. What platforms are they hanging out on? If your content is not interesting or useful to your audience, then it is not likely to be successful.

Need help with your content marketing strategy for your brand? Mama Hen Media is here to take you under our wing and help you create content that helps you grow your brand awareness, build your audience, and nurture them into customers.
Work with us!

Leave a Reply