“Marketers allocate 28% of their total marketing budget, on average, to content marketing – the same percentage as last year. The most effective allocate 42, and the most sophisticated/mature allocate 46%†says the Content Marketing Institute. If we didn’t before, now we know that a strong content strategy is key to success. So, let’s look at the five ways in which your current content could be killing your website and your brand.
1. You’re Choosing Quantity, Not Quality.
Not every business can afford to hire an in-house content writer to publish high quality posts on a daily basis. But let’s take a step back from this idea. Is it right to publish a piece of content on your website every day just for the frequency? The simple answer is no.
“A strong blog, filled with shareable content that speaks to your target audience’s interests, is likely to gain engagement. Getting to know your audience, their interest, and their needs is the first step toward getting there.†– The Outreach Marketer
Focus on the importance, the relevance and the quality of the content you choose to present on your website. For instance, if you own a pest control business then utilise your newsfeed for informative updates on wasp season or a checklist for how to prevent rodents invading your property. And don’t limit your quality content to your newsfeed! FAQs and top tips can be a quick win for engagement without compromising on quality. For instance, if your business is storage-based then a page dedicated to your best top tips for moving house could be much appreciated by your users.
2. You’re Obsessed With Keywords.
“We are a highly qualified team of professional and hardworking builders based in Leeds who can provide loft conversions, house extensions and building maintenance to our customers throughout West Yorkshire as well as further afield.â€
Does the above look like an engaging piece of copy to you? Yet again, the simple answer is no. You might be a builder who is based in Leeds and does offer loft conversions, as well as other building-related projects, but it’s important to look at the way in which you present this. Not only is Google aware of keyword-stuffing and will penalise you for it but your website users may be put off by such blatant, overly-promotional content.
3. Your Not Checkin That Speling.
A short point but a good one. You want to promote yourself as a professional, intelligent and trustworthy brand. The worst case scenario is your website or your social media platforms letting you down because you haven’t edited out those oh-so-common typos. Check, check and check again!
“Content mishaps can be messy and nobody wants to be the guy that misspelled “potatoâ€. That said, be a smart marketer and hire a high quality content team to handle your content—and make sure nothing that could harm your reputation or make you a laughing-stock gets out.†Julia McCoy – Search Engine Journal
In fact, check out Search Engine Journal’s whole post on the 10 Craziest Content Mishaps because it is so right and so hilarious.
4. You’re Not Answering Questions.
Regardless of whether your website is looking to provide information or gain conversions, the first step is to engage your customers. They have arrived at your site to find out what you can offer them and if your pages are filled with the aforementioned keyword-heavy content, you’ve lost before you have even begun. Think about what questions need to be answered for your specific customer base. Do you offer a free consultation? What are your guarantees? What times are you available during the week/weekend?
Firstly, think of everything that your customer needs to know about your business that may make a difference to their decision. Secondly, answer those questions in your content.
5. You’re Not Spreading The Word
Say you’re the pest control business owner that I mention above and you have created a fantastic piece of content focused on top tips for avoiding rodents. Perhaps it’s a creative infographic, video or illustration. It’s resting on your newsfeed for your website visitors – and that’s ace – but is that all you can do? No, you can outreach!
“Content marketing and link building can work hand-in-hand because links are actually the byproduct of great content marketing… The content, because it’s so incredible that it could rank itself, will be shared by industry leaders and publications. That one piece of content could then earn you a couple of quality links, which in turn boosts your credibility and helps attract more links or signals.†– Loren Baker, How To Build Links Using Data
Build a prospect list of blogs, websites and social media avenues (such as Google+ communities) that you feel would benefit from this content and outreach to them. And never forget to share your creative content on your own social media platforms!