Just ad-lib
Strategies need to be communicated from the top down and be documented so that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet. Making decisions without a detailed plan will result in investment without any tangible returns while undermining the efforts of staff and agencies to achieve success.
SEO-only focus
Pura Vida Bracelets’ CEO Griffin Thall believes that devoting considerable time and resources to SEO is often wasteful as writing great content will naturally lead to a higher ranking in search on Google and Bing.
Saturate the funnel
Author Carla Johnson says that using content to herd customers through the sales cycle overlooks the potential for marketing materials to build real and lasting relationships. She says that “helping first” is a preferable mindset as the sales “will come”.
Select one format
3M’s Content Strategy Leader Carlos Abler is not a fan of a one-format-fits-all approach as both short and long-form content has an important role to play in the marketing mix. Consider publishing snackable high-impact images and infographics alongside in-depth slow-burn editorials to reach the widest audiences.
Content is the same as ads
It is possible to measure content using the same methods as advertising, but that would be missing the point of organic output entirely. Content Monsta’s CMO A. Lee Judge recommends approaching content with the idea of it having a “longer lasting effect”.
Click-based campaigns
Getting consumers to click through to content is important, but it is not enough to sustain a successful campaign. Find The Red Thread’s founder Tamsen Webster says that the “real goal” is to fully comprehend the behaviour of end users after the click and how content influences what they do.
Follow competitors without thinking
Gauging the output of competitors can inform your strategies, but it should not be a signal to pursue topics, keywords and formats that may not be suitable for your brand, audience or objectives.
Data rules everything
Data now dictates marketing decisions, but succumbing to hard numbers and metrics entirely may lead to you missing out on approaches that can transform your content. It is also important to make sure that big data is answering the right questions.
