The old ways of marketing are quickly fading and proving unsuccessful in attempts to engage consumers. In a world that takes in massive amounts of content each day, companies are looking to capitalize on this fact. That is why many businesses are turning to content marketing to give them a competitive edge, increase brand awareness, and generate new leads.
Not only is it growing in popularity, but it is wildly effective. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 72% of marketers report that content marketing increases leads and engagement. However, with any solid marketing strategy, there are common pain points that go hand-in-hand in jumpstarting the process.
Below are 3 of the biggest content marketing pain points and how your business can troubleshoot them to execute the most effective content marketing strategy.
- Creating original content while still appealing to consumer interest
The overall objective of marketing is to help your business stand out from competitors. Similarly, when executing a content marketing strategy, you want to consistently output engaging, original content. The content should not be too similar to other businesses, but not so off the beaten path where it completely misses your target audience.
Content should avoid being vague or general and ought to be tailored to the proprietary product or service you are selling. That is why it is imperative for companies to find the right strategy. However, it can be difficult and sometimes take time to fine-tune this angle.
A good point to start is by researching some competitor’s SEO topics. Start by reading over their content, identify the standard, and then exceed that same standard with your own output. A great way to ensure your company is producing original content backed by a solid strategy is to outsource content creation. Bringing in a team outside your own can prevent employee burnout and bring in a fresh perspective.
- Generating consistent content
For content marketing to be effective, it must be consistent. Producing consistent content will keep your audience engaged and establish your brand as a thought-leader in the industry. By demonstrating you are dedicated to regular content publishing, audiences will find themselves returning to your site or social media accounts when they are seeking answers for their business.
A common roadblock in accomplishing this objective is primarily due to the fact that there is no content strategy plan in place. When companies take on content production in-house, oftentimes roles are unclear of who exactly is creating content and how often it is to be published. Additionally, content creation has the tendency to fall by the wayside in light of pressing client needs.
Developing a specific content strategy and a highly-detailed calendar that specifies when content is to be created and published is a great starting place to remedy this pain point. If content creation is taken in-house, make sure the whole team is on board and equipped with crystal clear expectations and deadlines.
- Appealing to different kinds of consumers
Not only should your content demonstrate originality, but it should also appeal to different types of consumers. All consumers are not uniform in thought, and therefore have unique personas and preferences in the way they take in content. Some prefer short videos or podcasts, others dive deep into whitepapers or long-form articles. Content preferences vary based on several factors such as gender, age, interests, educational backgrounds, etc.
This poses a challenge as companies need to create diverse and dynamic content offerings to appeal to different groups. An obvious, yet often overlooked solution to start with is simply asking consumers about their preferences. By offering a wide variety of content formats based on these answers, you will cast a wide net, capturing audiences of different backgrounds and preferences.
Want to learn more about a personalized content marketing strategy for your business? Contact us to get started.
