Despite what many people think, creating quality content isn’t easy. If you told someone to write a blog, go on a podcast, or create an interesting piece of thought leadership, how many people in your business do you think could do that effectively and consistently? Content creation is a hard task, but there are a few common mistakes to easily fix in order to make the most out of your content.
Mistake #1 - Posting for the Sake of Posting
You don't need to post something every single day. Creating too many "irrelevant" posts just for the sake of keeping your feed updated can definitely harm your business. People don't want to read content for the sake of reading content. They want content that is new and worth reading. Quantity isn't everything. Don't post just to post. Instead, post content that is relevant and that people want to read. It’s better to spend more time creating something exciting than to create 15 posts that won't attract any new visitors.
Mistake #2 - Too Focused on What You Can Provide
The second mistake is that people are often too focused on the products or services their company can provide, not thought leadership. Your content isn't supposed to be one long advertisement, it should be something that helps your readers learn and offers something new. Focusing exclusively on what your company can do in your content is bad for attracting new customers.
Mistake #3 - Stale and Uninspired
Your top priority is to deliver exciting posts with information that people want to hear, but it has to be told well. Catch your reader’s attention. Don’t be afraid to let your personality showcase through your content. Yes, people want to learn, but they also want to be entertained. Combining education with a friendly writing style will make your posts more interesting to readers.
Mistake #4 - Not Differentiating Yourself from Other Content in the Market
Today, businesses create a lot of content. It can almost be overwhelming at times. When readers struggle to differentiate your content from someone else’s content, or if they start to tune out content that is sent to them because it sounds similar – that’s a huge problem. The solution? Use a different voice when creating content. Not everything that you create needs to sound the same. Change up the tone of your content when you target different audiences.
Mistake #5 - Creating Only One Format of Content
When you look for content online, do you prefer watching videos? Reading blogs? Listening to podcasts? Your answer is probably dependent upon what kind of information you are looking for. The same goes for your readers. They have different forms of content they want to learn from. Businesses that don't provide a variety of content formats miss out on different customer bases. While blogs are an engaging format for certain people, others may want audio or visuals to cement the information. Mix up the format that you use to send your message. That way, it benefits both the reader and your business.
Below is a recent study from the Content Marketing Institute that showcases the different kinds of content marketers created in 2021.
b2b-2021-research-final.pdf (contentmarketinginstitute.com)
Mistake #6 - No Call-to-Action
Publishing relevant information is the first step in content creation. However, how you end the content is ending the post with a “Thank you, bye!” doesn’t inform the reader what to do next. That’s known as a call-to-action, or CTA. Without one, there’s nothing that inspires the reader to come back or continue along in the purchase decision cycle. If you’re creating content to generate leads, ensure you’re including a clear, concise CTA.
Mistake #7 - Boring Topics
Do you have a hard time coming up with ideas for content? Do you find yourself just writing about the first thing that comes to mind? Ask yourself if the topics you write about tell a story or provoke a feeling from your reader (i.e. curiosity or empathy). Your audience is the reason your business exists. You need to cater to their wants and needs. What do they want to see? What problems do they face in their business? When you realize what your reader wants to see and create content centered around that, more people will be drawn to your business ultimately increasing revenue.
Never underestimate the power of knowing who you’re creating content for. The posts that you create need to resonate with the people who follow you. If not, you’re going to be creating content that nobody reads, shares, or even wants to click on. That’s frustrating and a waste of your time.
Content creation isn’t as easy as people think. It takes a significant amount of time, but if you put in the time, your efforts will lead to profitable results. One way to ensure your efforts pay off is by creating seo-friendly content, which we've outlined in our step-by-step guide. Every business – and every person – makes mistakes, but by avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be able to take your content creation to the next level.
If you are struggling to keep up your digital presence or want to learn more about inbound marketing efforts, Americaneagle.com has the expertise to advance your content creation. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create content that reflects your company’s values and increases leads that come directly from your content.
