Last updated on November 24th, 2022
We often get to hear about how content is king and that content marketing is key to the success of a business. Most businesses trying to strengthen their digital presence are struggling with content marketing. While the success rates are mind-boggling, it is disappointing that a lot of places don’t think they’re successful.
Another disheartening fact is that most people are not aware of the mistakes that are preventing them from reaching their content marketing goals (if they have set any).
With that being said, let’s have a look at the reasons why content fails –
Why Most Brands Fail Miserably at Content Marketing
Lack of a Proper Strategy for Content Marketing
Promoting your content is indeed a powerful tool, but only if done right. The first step to achieving success with content marketing is devising a foolproof content marketing strategy, and this is where most businesses fail. They jump into the execution phase before outlining a comprehensive strategy.
There is an old saying, “don’t be scared of making mistakes but do not make the mistakes others have already made. Make your own instead.” Learning from others’ successes and failures is the most important guide when devising a content marketing strategy.
While it doesn’t mean you copy someone else’s strategy, there are a lot of areas you can draw inspiration from. These include where they share their content, who else have they got to share it further, what is there in their content that stands above the rest, and so on.
It is all about learning the best practices and eliminating the pre-identified bottlenecks to come up with a lucid plan to execute. This stage is critical because it determines the effectiveness of all the other stages.
A content marketing platform can be your best bet if you are facing difficulty with respect to deciding on a content marketing strategy for your brand.
Use of Wrong Content Format
While most businesses have realized the value of content, the major mistake they still commit is recycling existing content without adding any additional value.
Marketing the content doesn’t mean churning out blog posts, circulating them on social media, and then waiting for magic. There are a lot more content formats that are equally effective and important. You need to choose the right format based on your target audience.
For instance, if your target base is a group of suppliers who deal in car spare parts, publishing 800-1000-word blog posts one after another is simply a waste of time and effort at your end because your prospects probably won’t be interested.
Focus on how-to guides and instructional videos instead. Content formats include written, video, audio, and image content. You can also explore webinars, checklists, infographics, case studies, eBooks, memes, etc. However, knowing your audience is the key to success here.
Absence of a Brand Voice
This may seem like quite an abstract concept to understand, but it is one of the most important points to focus on. Just like a human’s voice helps you identify them without even seeing them, a brand’s voice is its identity. It distinguishes the brand from its competitors and prevents it from getting lost in the crowd.
The content you share must carry a unique voice that creates an impression in the minds of the audience and helps them recognise your brand and remember it better. It is important to find that voice and stick to it in all your content marketing endeavors.
If you have difficulty identifying your brand voice, then marketing your content can help you greatly.
Failing to Track the Progress of Your Content Marketing Campaign
We have already established how important it is to devise a strategy and establish goals. However, it is equally important to determine how successful the execution is.
If you do not invest time in understanding the analytics, you will be unaware of what works for your campaign and what doesn’t. You need to be in touch with all the metrics related to your content marketing plan’s success.
Do not just focus on website traffic, but also take into account SEO rankings, sales, quality of leads, etc. The choice of metrics will depend on your goals, i.e., what you want to achieve. For instance, if you are a local services brand, expecting a million followers is unrealistic.
Rather, you can set your metric as an increase in the number of locals that opt for your services. Once your metrics are defined, you can delve into the data and analytics of each metric.
Not Hiring a Resource for Management
When you run a business, content marketing is not the only thing you do. Since your plate is already full of tasks, it is wise to appoint someone to take care of tasks related to content marketing solely. This will increase accountability as well as make it easier to track pitfalls.
Investing in marketing your content is the best way to eliminate the hassle of managing everything yourself.
Ignoring the Social Signals and Latest Trends on Social Media
Long before the digital boom, advertisements by Amul were a great example of keeping up with the trends. Each advertisement was in sync with the latest news or trend in India. The same goes for social media also.
It is important to reflect social media trends in your posts because the negligence of the same will render your brand something that is run-of-the-mill and not unique. Once you offer a perspective to your audience regarding something that affects them, they will relate to your brand voice and identity.
Also Read: The Ultimate List of 5 Content Marketing Trends For The Future
Conclusion
Content marketing can be confusing, and content marketing companies in India can help you achieve your goals and strengthen your business. Remember, content is indeed king! And it is up to you how you use this king’s powers of persuasion.
