Do you feel like you’re swimming upstream when it comes to your content marketing? Week after week you write blog posts, e-books and create videos but still aren’t getting any traction?
It may not be your content per se but instead your delivery.
Here are 6 common content mistakes to avoid in your content marketing so you can find your ideal audience and start engaging with them.
Content Mistake #1 – Not Knowing Your Audience
If you don’t clearly define your audience and who your ideal customer is, your writing will be too generalized. If you’re talking to everybody you’re really talking to nobody. It’s vital that you know exactly who you’re talking to before you start creating content. Sometimes it’s helpful to give them a name to make it more personal.
Content Mistake #2 – Not Setting Goals
When you’re writing content you should have a clear goal in mind. Without a clear goal your content will be all over the place. Ask yourself are you trying to teach your audience something or would you like your audience to take action? Sometimes it’s helpful to determine your goal first then create your content.
Content Mistake #3 – Not Writing for Your Audience
Many businesses fall victim to this. They create content filled with marketing buzzwords and complex examples. But instead of encouraging and engaging with their audience, they’re alienating them instead. When writing for your audience make sure to use the phrases and language that they use.
Content Mistake #4 – Not Being Conversational
Remember not to be too formal with your writing. Keep your tone as conversational as possible, like you’re chatting with someone over a cup of coffee. You also want to make sure you aren’t talking down to your audience but instead relating to them.
Content Mistake #5 – Not Being Specific
You could be the best writer in the world, but if your content doesn’t address your audience’s pain points, you might as well be writing a shopping list. What specific problem is your audience struggling with? If you aren’t sure, ask them. Then use that same language to create content to remedy that specific pain.
Content Mistake #6 – Not having a Call to Action
Once you’ve provided your audience with all of the information they need to be told what to do with it. Every post should have a next step for your reader. It could be to join your email list, sign-up for a free guide or webinar, purchase a product etc. It could even be as simple as “share this with a friend.”
Remember, it’s all about quality over quantity. Gone are the days when people would churn out five blog posts a week. People resonate more with well thought out, intentional content. You’ve got this.
Need some help?
If you’re like most busy business owners, you like to know this stuff but would prefer a professional to help you execute it. Schedule a strategy call to see if we’re a good fit to help you with your content marketing and reaching your business objectives.