Waiting for perfection
Stage fright can be a problem for brands that are yet to embark on a content marketing adventure, but the most important thing is to just get started. Waiting for the perfect time or strategy can actually leave you trailing more proactive competitors. You might not come up with the best campaigns and hone in on the right metrics right away, but content marketing is an evolutionary process. It’s not rocket science. Put the building blocks in place, and learn from your mistakes and grow.
Trying to be everything at once
Your company needs to be diverse and open to new ideas to reach audiences, but trying to be everything to everyone can undermine your campaigns and messages. You could divide your core output into two blogs or sections, with one focusing on breaking news and another tapping into trending topics. Talking about too wide a variety of subjects can make it difficult to retain the interest of customers and build a loyal following of readers or subscribers.
Trying to go viral
Going viral certainly has its benefits, but creating content purely on the chance of it blowing up on social media would be short-sighted and nigh on impossible to achieve due to the variables involved. Instead, focus on 2019 trends for content such as being helpful, informative and entertaining. Remember, your audience wants some sort of value-added exchange from consuming your content. Think about their wants and needs, and always attempt to solve a problem.
Assuming content will reach the right people
Creative needs to be supported by a robust distribution strategy. You need eyes on your content for it to deliver returns, so going the extra mile to ensure that it reaches the right people, at the right time is critical. Never assume that your audience will go out of their way to read blogs and infographics, or watch videos. You always need to work hard to make people aware of your output. Leverage social media channels, SEO and any other platforms to achieve this aim. Working with an agency can also improve your distribution efforts.
