Four Content Marketing Flubs You'll Want to Avoid
These mistakes could be hurting your marketing efforts
Jennifer Kirby, PentaVision Media
Your company has been creating content (i.e. white papers, digital supplements, online videos, etc.) within the last sixth months, but you’re not seeing the fruits of your content creator’s labor. In fact, the content has gotten minimal engagement, and what’s worse, all content that has followed the first has consistently performed poorer than the last. On average, conversion rates are six times higher for both companies and brands that use content marketing vs. those that do not, at 2.9% vs. 0.5%, respectively, according to the Aberdeen Group. So, what’s going on? The answer: You may be making the following content marketing mistakes, says Susan Gunelius, author of “Content Marketing for Dummies” and president and CEO of KeySplash Creative.
• Using a “junior writer.” “When it comes to posting very medical-related content, you need someone who understands the specific audience and can, therefore, write in a way that resonates with the audience, and this person should also understand the legalities and rules that govern the highly regulated medical industry,” she explains. “A junior writer, or someone with minimal experience, isn’t going to be able to cultivate an audience or navigate the rules, such as required disclaimers.”
• Self-promotional posts. Another mistake that could be costing your engagement is touting your company’s products or services, says Ms. Gunelius. “ . . . A trust must be built with your audience. Content that is self-promotional, or tries to sell, is not going to gain you that trust,” she says. “In fact, it’s going to turn people off. “Content marketing that is educational or entertaining and provides value . . . creates trust.”
• Content that has a condescending tone. One of the top rules of copywriting and messaging is to understand your audience and, thus, speak to them in a language they understand and appreciate, Ms. Gunelius explains. “A lot of companies, particularly, medical ones, tend to use their preferred language, which can make that company seem very condescending and elitist.” An example of this in eye care could be defining dry eye disease, glaucoma or another ocular disease in which the intended audience of optometrists and ophthalmologists are well-versed.
• Inconsistent content distribution. Creating content one day and then, “disappearing” for sixth months is another mistake companies tend to make with their content marketing, Ms. Gunelius says. “Have a consistent publishing schedule, so that people will come to expect new content from you. You’re constantly working to build that trusting relationship,” she says. “Content marketing can create long-term, organic sustainable growth, so you’re not always chasing, for example, Google and search engine optimization, but it takes time. So, you need to be persistent.” PV
Image credit: Tierney/adobestock.com
