Person working on content strategy.
Content marketing sounds simple, right? Post engaging blog posts, upload a few captivating videos, and maybe add some infographics for good measure. But if it really were that simple, every marketer tasked with developing online content would see the ROI they crave. Unfortunately, the reality is much more disappointing.
Making your content ideas available to the public doesn’t mean they will. Even if they do, the pieces your team works so hard to create need to be relevant and timely to work. What complicates matters is that what resonates today will not necessarily do so tomorrow. As a result, most marketers need to revise their strategies from time to time. If you want to breathe new life into your approach, here are four tips to try.
1. Match SEO to Audience Interests
Your content strategy is not complete without the use of search engine optimization. But a common mistake is to focus on business-centric SEO tactics. What does this mean, exactly? Well, it usually looks like keyword research that only includes a list of high-ranking phrases.
While you don’t want to aim too low, developing successful content isn’t just about ranking keywords high on a list. Who is to say that these phrases match the search intent of your audience? Maybe the words don’t even match your business goals and areas of expertise.
Content and SEO can be interrelated, but it’s more important to consider the big picture. You’re more likely to discover a winning formula when you match selected keywords to the information your audience needs. To do this, start by defining who your audience is and the topics they are looking for.
2. Develop partnerships
Over 75% of brands dedicate budgets to influencer marketing. However, not all partnerships have positive effects on the return on investment. Influencer posts announcing new products reduce ROI by 30.5%, while originality increases it by 15.5%. Other factors, such as number of followers and posts with branded links, also increase ROI.
Surprisingly, you won’t get the best results from an influencer who seems to fit your brand like a glove. Rather, optimal brand-follower fit is governed by what researchers call a “Goldilocks effect”—not too little, not too much. If an influencer’s followers are too aligned with your brand, they may already be inundated with content similar to yours. If there’s too little alignment, your content won’t matter to them.
Expanding your partnerships with “right” influencers can expose your brand to new prospects with balanced interest in your offerings. Suppose your company markets financial services, including retirement accounts. Instead of limiting partnerships to thought leaders in the same space, try to expand to those whose audiences are interested in passive income. This way, you won’t be competing in the same space and overloading consumers with repetitive content.
3. Experiment with new platforms
You can create intriguing content all day. But he won’t do his job if he’s not in the right place at the right time. In the world of digital marketing, publishing your articles on the right platforms is essential. It’s like choosing which radio stations your target market listens to.
Putting content on platforms and social channels where your audience members don’t hang out means you’re not giving posts a fair chance. Your new energy drink content will likely gain more traction on TikTok than on Facebook. The reverse is true if you are marketing retirement timeshares.
If your messages aren’t getting the response you expected, you may need to change your delivery strategy. Assess where your markets are and meet them there. Also pay attention to shifts in audience preferences, platforms emerging markets are gravitating towards, and new channels having an impact.
4. Refine the message
Content marketing can be a profitable way to increase revenue, but it’s also very competitive. There are many fascinating things in the digital jungle that people can find. However, they won’t think it’s all worth their time.
Another reason content performs poorly is that it doesn’t add value. The consumers marketers compete for are smart but have short attention spans. They will be turned off by content that feels disconnected from a brand’s purpose. People also don’t want to engage with the same information they’ve seen before.
While expanding your content calendar might sound like a good idea, make sure these niches emphasize quality over quantity. Publishing more coins is usually not the solution to poor performance. More than likely, your content is not adding to the conversation in a compelling and useful way. Go back to the drawing board to find where your market interests and brand purpose intersect.
Do not abandon
Creating great content isn’t as easy as it sounds. Developing effective strategies is a science And an art. You can’t neglect the basics, but you also need to be prepared to interpret what your audience’s behaviors are saying. When you do, your content will take on a new lease of life.