4 Content Marketing Mistakes Everyone Makes

Content marketing is the underdog of business success. By investing your time and energy into it, you will actively engage your audience and equally promote your business.

But what’s the catch? There is a common misconception that content marketing is easy. While it can be – if you do it right – there are unfortunately many content marketing mistakes being made on a daily basis, despite people’s best efforts.

That’s where we come in. In this blog, we’ll talk you through the top 4 content marketing mistakes people make, and how to resolve them. By the end, you will know how to kick-start your content marketing strategy and drive high-level results with a fresh perspective and brand-new skills. 

Top 4 Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

With so much content being produced today, it’s important your content marketing strategy delivers effective content that cuts through.

Sometimes, fixing the mistakes isn’t the hard part – it is spotting them to begin with. Content marketing is like a checklist, with multiple steps that you need to tick off once they’re done. Often, some of the most crucial parts are easily missed. 

Luckily – you’ll never have to miss these again.

Mistake #1: Not Appealing to the Audience

Oftentimes, content is created blindly, with the sole aim of posting anything online to look active and interesting.

With this mistake, comes less traffic and leads. Not knowing your audience is one of the biggest pitfalls in business – not just content marketing. Customers are the reason for businesses existing, therefore they need to be at the forefront in all aspects.

When we create content, we are not just creating it to help our business. Think of how your content can help others, too. Who are these people that you’re imagining? That’s your audience. 

However, there’s a lot more research you can do to make sure you’re 100% getting it right. We recommend that you delve into social media analytics to cement who your audience is. Facebook Ads Manager’s ‘Audience Insights’ tab houses crucial data on your existing audience, including a first-hand view of what people are engaging with on Facebook.

Also, you can use Google Trends to see what topics people are searching for. This is handy if you want to generally stay up-to-date about what is trending online, as it may help spark a few new ideas for your content.

Mistake #2: Favouring Buzz Topics Over Timeless Topics

While balance is key, it is important to consider your content’s longevity.

Often, many people hop on the bandwagon of what’s trending to try and get quick fixes in traffic surges. However, they forget to think about the short-term versus the long-term. 

While buzz topics are great to show you’re in the know, these short bursts of traction do very little for content success. Really, it is important to think about content that will remain continually relevant and fresh for people to enjoy over a long period of time – even years!

The term for this type of content is ‘evergreen’ or ‘sustainable’ content. Meaning it is forever useful and reusable, no matter who needs it. This content can also be referred to as ‘cornerstone’ content, where it consists of the best, most important articles on your site; the pages or posts you want to rank highest in the search engines.

You will most likely have seen this content type before in the form of how-to guides, complete checklists, or blogs titled ‘Everything You Need to Know About X’.

One tip we suggest trying is a content calendar. This way, you can schedule time for your focal, longer-term content, and sprinkle in ad hoc buzz topics in between. This will help you strike the perfect balance between the two, while still remaining relevant and on-trend.

Mistake #3: Not Setting a Goal for Each Content Topic

We’ve all been there – where we’ve set out to write a great piece of content, then go off on an excitable tangent that no longer relates to the topic. Then you change the title – and this is where it gets messy.

While it may seem simple, this common mistake is what hinders so many content marketing efforts. Not having a clear-cut goal for your content makes the reader’s experience chaotic and confusing – hence the high bounce rates and low performance data. 

By taking time to think about who your content is being aimed towards, and what you want it to cover, this will help your content leaps and bounds. 

A top tip of ours is to jot down your working title and possible headings that you want to delve into. Then use your editing eye – are there some headings that could work as their own standalone blog? Or could some merely be a social media post instead?

This careful consideration will not take up much of your time, but will make your content so much stronger. Plus, a definitive structure will help you stay focused, as well as make your content more valuable to the reader.

Mistake #4: Not Accounting for SEO

SEO can fall by the wayside simply due to a lack of knowledge. However, it is the definitive key between success and failure when it comes to content marketing. 

Practising good search engine optimisation is what will help your content rank on search engine pages. Not only does it help with your visibility online, but also your credibility, too. 

Many people think having a keyword is all you need to master SEO. While there’s a lot more to it than that, you can easily improve your rank once you educate yourself more on it.

We recommend that you always tick-off these key basic SEO practices:

• Ensure your content is at least 1,000 words in length;
• Make sure you are including internal links (e.g. links to your other blogs) and external links (e.g. if you are using a statistic, link to the source);
• Write simple content by keeping your sentences and paragraphs short and sweet;
• Outline primary and secondary keywords and use these throughout your content, including your title and headings.

For more SEO tips and tricks, check out our full SEO basics guide.

Your Common Marketing Mistakes Resolved

Now, you should be feeling pretty confident about tackling your content marketing strategy with an all-new attitude. Any silly content marketing mistakes you might have made in the past, can easily be resolved by applying these key pieces of advice:

1. Research who your audience is;
2. Make sure your content is balanced, with timeless topics in mind;
3. Remember to set a goal for each piece of content;
4. Apply simple SEO techniques.

This way, your content will be high-quality and most importantly, high-performing.

For more advice on how to boost your content marketing, get in touch with ProfileTree.

7 Content Marketing Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making (and How to Fix Them)

Let’s face it, we all make mistakes. Even in the exciting world of content marketing, sometimes the best campaigns stumble due to missteps we might not even realize we’re taking. To help you navigate the path to content marketing success, let’s explore seven common blunders (beyond the usual suspects) and equip you with the tools to avoid them:

1. The Blind Content Creator:

Mistake: Churning out generic, uninspired content that fails to resonate with your audience. You get stuck in a rut of rehashing the same topics or using stale formats, leaving readers yawning and clicking away.

Fix: Inject some personality into your content! Understand your target audience’s interests, pain points, and preferred content styles. Diversify your format toolbox – don’t just rely on blog posts. Experiment with videos, infographics, interactive quizzes, or even podcasts to keep things fresh and engaging.

2. The Promotion Phantom:

Mistake: Creating amazing content, then letting it languish in the digital shadows. You assume “if you build it, they will come,” but in the crowded online space, promotion is crucial.

Fix: Develop a comprehensive promotion strategy that leverages multiple channels. Share your content on social media, engage with relevant communities and forums, guest post on other websites, and utilize email marketing to reach your target audience effectively.

3. The Data Diva (who ignores it):

Mistake: Believing content marketing is all about creation and neglecting the power of data to refine your strategy. You may be publishing consistently, but are you analyzing what resonates with your audience and what falls flat?

Fix: Embrace the power of analytics! Track key metrics like engagement, click-through rates, and conversions to understand what content performs well and where you need to adjust. Use this data to inform your content calendar, optimize your headlines and calls to action, and tailor your content to cater to your audience’s preferences.

4. The Conversation Crusher:

Mistake: Treating content marketing as a one-way street. You publish your content and disappear, ignoring comments, messages, and feedback from your audience.

Fix: Foster a two-way conversation! Respond to comments and questions promptly, participate in discussions, and actively engage with your audience. This not only builds relationships but also provides valuable insights for future content creation.

5. The One-Trick Pony:

Mistake: Relying solely on one content format, like blog posts, to reach your audience. You fail to consider the diverse ways people consume information and miss out on potential engagement opportunities.

Fix: Expand your content repertoire! Explore different formats like videos, infographics, webinars, ebooks, or even interactive quizzes to cater to different learning styles and preferences. This diversifies your reach and attracts a wider audience.

6. The Trend Chaser:

Mistake: Obsessing over every shiny new content marketing trend without considering its relevance to your brand or audience. You jump from fad to fad, diluting your message and confusing your readers.

Fix: Focus on building a strong brand identity and content strategy that aligns with your core values and audience needs. While staying informed about trends is good, don’t be afraid to say no to those that don’t fit your long-term vision.

7. The Measurement Mystic:

Mistake: Obsessing over vanity metrics like likes and shares without considering their actual impact on your business goals. You get lost in the numbers game, forgetting to track conversions, leads generated, or brand awareness.

Fix: Define clear content marketing goals aligned with your overall business objectives. Choose relevant metrics that track progress towards those goals, like lead generation forms completed, website traffic growth, or sales conversions. This ensures your content marketing efforts contribute directly to your bottom line.

Remember, content marketing is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the learning process, adapt to evolving trends, and experiment to find what works best for you. By avoiding these common mistakes and implementing these practical tips, you can create content that resonates, engages, and ultimately drives success for your brand.

Beyond “Everyone Makes”: Owning Your Content Marketing Journey

Mistakes are a natural part of any learning process, and content marketing is no exception. While it’s easy to fall into the trap of common blunders, the real magic lies in acknowledging them, understanding their impact, and most importantly, turning them into stepping stones for growth. This isn’t about pointing fingers or shaming ourselves; it’s about empowering ourselves to learn, adapt, and become better content creators.

Think of it like learning a new language. You stumble over pronunciations, conjugate verbs incorrectly, and maybe even butcher a sentence entirely. But with each stumble, you learn, correct, and eventually find your fluency. Content marketing is the same. The key is to embrace the stumble, analyze the “why,” and use it to refine your approach.

So, instead of simply saying “everyone makes mistakes,” let’s shift the focus towards personal ownership and continuous improvement. Here’s how:

1. Self-Assessment Audit:

Instead of passively reading about mistakes, encourage readers to conduct an active self-assessment. Provide a set of key questions that prompt them to evaluate their current content marketing strategies:

• Are we publishing consistently?
• Does our content resonate with our target audience?
• Are we tracking and analyzing our performance?
• Are we utilizing diverse content formats?
• Do we actively engage with our audience?

This self-audit empowers readers to identify their own potential missteps and take responsibility for their content marketing journey.

2. Tailored Solutions, Not One-Size-Fits-All:

Resist the urge to offer generic solutions. Instead, provide a framework for readers to develop their own solutions based on their specific needs and challenges. Offer actionable tips and resources that cater to different scenarios, allowing readers to customize their approach.

For example, instead of saying “promote your content effectively,” suggest different promotion strategies (social media, influencer marketing, guest blogging) and help readers choose the ones that best align with their audience and resources.

3. Celebrate Experimentation and Iteration:

Embrace the spirit of experimentation! Encourage readers to try new things, test different formats, and even fail gracefully. View mistakes as opportunities to learn and iterate, not as setbacks. Share success stories of brands that have overcome content marketing challenges by pivoting their strategies and adapting to their audience’s needs.

4. Build a Community of Learning:

Foster a sense of community where readers can share their own experiences, both successes and struggles, with content marketing. This creates a safe space for open dialogue, peer-to-peer support, and collective learning. You can use comments sections, social media groups, or even dedicated forums to facilitate this exchange.

5. Continuous Learning Mindset:

The content marketing landscape is constantly evolving. Encourage readers to embrace a continuous learning mindset and stay updated with the latest trends, tools, and best practices. Provide them with resources like blogs, podcasts, and industry events to help them stay ahead of the curve.

By fostering this shift in perspective, you can empower readers to move beyond the “everyone makes mistakes” mentality and become active participants in their own content marketing success stories. Remember, mistakes are inevitable, but it’s our willingness to learn, adapt, and collaborate that truly propels us forward in this exciting journey.

FAQ:

Q: I’m new to content marketing, how do I avoid making these mistakes?

A: Start small and focus on your audience’s needs. Research their interests and tailor your content accordingly. Track your performance and learn from mistakes, don’t be afraid to experiment! Utilize resources like this article and online communities for guidance.

Q: I feel stuck in a rut with my content. How can I break free?

A: Step back and evaluate your strategy. Are you diversifying your formats? Is your audience truly engaged? Try new things, collaborate with others, and find inspiration in unexpected places. Remember, learning and iterating are key!

Q: I don’t have a big budget for content marketing. What can I do?

A: Creativity is your ally! Repurpose existing content, utilize free tools and platforms, and leverage organic promotion channels like social media. Focus on quality over quantity and build genuine connections with your audience.

Q: Where can I find more resources to improve my content marketing?

A: This article is a great starting point! Additionally, there are numerous blogs, podcasts, online courses, and industry events dedicated to content marketing. Don’t hesitate to seek out communities and mentors for support and learning.

Conclusion:

Making mistakes in content marketing is inevitable, but it’s not the end of the story. The true power lies in your ability to learn, adapt, and transform those stumbles into stepping stones for growth. This article isn’t just a list of mistakes to avoid; it’s a call to action for you to take ownership of your journey, develop your own solutions, and embrace continuous learning.

Remember, the content marketing landscape is yours to explore, experiment, and conquer. So, ditch the “everyone makes mistakes” mentality, pick up your tools, and start weaving your own tale of content marketing success!