By now, every digital marketer should know how important content is not only for their website, but for their marketing efforts as a whole. So you sit down and you write, write, write, then you throw it on some various pages, create a few blog posts and boom – you have content, right? Wrong.
Creating content “just to have” and creating quality content that actually provides value to your readers are two completely different things.
What to Avoid
It’s also the main factor in whether or not your site appears in search engines. While in the past we’ve talked about the ways to create compelling content, today I’m here to burst your creative bubble and tell you all the things you shouldn’t be doing when developing your content marketing strategy.
Talk only about yourself
No one likes a know-it-all, right? There’s no reason to repeat over and over to the world how great you think you are. That’s your reader’s job to decide. So how can you convince them how great you are without actually saying it? You show them – of course. Put all your expertise, knowledge and specialties into your writing by relating them to different parts of your business. Did your IT center just fix a common security problem other companies are facing? Write about it! Grab a quote from a team member and explain how to fixed the problem *(bonus points if your team member actually writes the entire post from their perspective!). Simply telling your viewers your company can fix it won’t cut it.
Speak another language
I remember back in college when I had to read a textbook and I spent more time in the glossary than I did actually reading. Only to find out at the end of the chapter (and semester) I still had no idea what was going on. While in my case, it affected my work and my final grades, in a business, the effects can be much more catastrophic. Using industry jargon, slang or acronyms in your content is a sure sign to push readers (aka your potential clients) away. You know how the saying goes, “keep it simple, stupid”. If you can’t explain it in simple terms, then don’t try to at all.
Assume
Never assume your viewer knows what you do, why you do it, and how you get it done. When someone visits your site for the very first time, they probably found it through a search engine. Don’t assume viewers know what information they are looking for because chances are, they don’t and that’s exactly why they came to your site. Google told them you had the answers, now you have to prove it.
Write & Walk Away
The whole point of content marketing is to market the content you write. Don’t hit publish and walk away thinking that just because you wrote it, it’s visible for everyone to find. You must distribute your content through various channels like social media, email blasts and newsletters. And then in a few months, do it again.
The Internet is chock full of fluff and useless information. Don’t be like everyone else. Use your company’s unique-ness to your advantage and you will soon see that you have the advantage in your industry.
