Person working on content strategy.
Content marketing seems simple, right? Publish some compelling blog posts, upload some engaging videos, and maybe add a few infographics for good measure. But if it were really that simple, every marketing leader charged with developing online content would see the ROI they dream of. Unfortunately, the reality is much more sobering.
Making your content ideas available for the public to see doesn’t mean they will. Even if they do, the pieces your team works so hard on should be relevant and timely. Complicating matters further is the fact that what resonates today will not necessarily be so tomorrow. As a result, most marketers need to shake up their strategies from time to time. If you want to revive your approach, here are four tips to try.
1. Tailor SEO to audience interests
Your content strategy is not complete without using search engine optimization. But a common mistake is to turn your focus to business-oriented SEO tactics. What exactly does this mean? Well, it usually looks like keyword research that only contains a list of high-ranking phrases.
While you don’t want to aim too low, there’s more to developing successful content than putting keywords at the top of a list. Who’s to say those phrases match your audience’s search intent? Maybe the words don’t even match your business goals and areas of expertise.
Content and SEO can be interdependent, but it’s more important to look at the big picture. You’re more likely to discover a winning formula when you match selected keywords with the information your audience is looking for. To do this, start by defining who your audience is and what topics they search for.
2. Expand partnerships
About 75% of brands spend budgets on influencer marketing. However, not all partnerships have a positive effect on ROI. Influencer posts announcing new products decrease ROI by 30.5%, while originality increases it by 15.5%. Other factors, such as the number of followers and posts with brand links, also increase ROI.
Surprisingly, you don’t get the best results from an influencer who seems to fit your brand like a glove. Rather, the optimal fit of the follower brand is determined by what researchers call a “Goldilocks effect” — not too little and not too much. If an influencer’s followers are too attuned to your brand, they may already be inundated with content similar to yours. If there’s too little alignment, they don’t care about your content.
Expanding your partnerships with “just right” influencers can expose your brand to new leads with a balanced interest in your offerings. Let’s say your company markets financial services, including retirement accounts. Instead of limiting partnerships to opinion leaders in the same space, try to expand to those with an audience interested in passive income. That way you don’t compete in the same space and don’t overload consumers with repetitive content.
3. Experiment with new platforms
You can create intriguing content all day long. But it won’t do its job if it’s not in the right place at the right time. In the world of digital marketing, getting your pieces published on the right platforms is critical. It’s like choosing the radio stations your target audience listens to.
If you post content on social platforms and channels where your audience doesn’t hang out, you’re not giving posts a fair chance. Content about your new energy drink is likely to get more attention on TikTok than on Facebook. The reverse is true if you are marketing timeshares for retirement.
If your posts aren’t getting the response you expected, you may need to mix up your distribution strategy. Assess where your markets are and meet them there. Also keep an eye out for shifts in audience preferences, platforms that emerging markets are moving to, and new channels with impact.
4. Refine the message
Content marketing can be a cost-effective way to increase sales, but it’s also highly competitive. There are many fascinating things in the digital jungle for people to find. However, they won’t think it’s all worth their time.
Another reason content underperforms is that it doesn’t add value. The consumers marketers compete for are smart but have short attention spans. They are turned off by content that seems detached from a brand’s purpose. People also don’t want to use the same information they’ve seen before.
While it may seem like a good idea to expand your content calendar, make sure those slots have an emphasis on quality over quantity. Publishing more pieces is usually not the solution for poor performance. More than likely, your content doesn’t add to the conversation in a compelling, helpful way. Go back to the drawing board to find places where the interests of your market and the purpose of your brand intersect.
Do not give up
Creating high-performing content is not as easy as it seems. Developing effective strategies is a science And an art. You shouldn’t overlook the basics, but you should also be willing to interpret what your audience’s behavior is saying. When you do, your content takes on a second life.
