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Person working on content strategy.<\/p>\n
<\/fbs-accordion>Getty<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Content marketing seems simple, right? Publish some engaging blog posts, upload a couple of captivating videos and maybe throw in a few infographics for good measure. But if it were really this easy, every marketing leader charged with developing online content<\/a> would see the ROI they dream of. Unfortunately, the reality is much more sobering.<\/p>\n Putting your content ideas out there for audiences to see doesn\u2019t mean they will. Even if they do, the pieces your team works so hard to create must be relevant and timely to work. Complicating matters is the fact that what resonates today won\u2019t necessarily do so tomorrow. As a result, most marketers need to shake up their strategies once in a while. If you want to breathe new life into your approach, here are four tips to try.<\/p>\n Your content strategy<\/a> isn\u2019t complete without using search engine optimization. But a common mistake is to direct your focus toward company-centric SEO tactics. What does this mean, exactly? Well, it usually looks like keyword research that only includes a list of high-ranking phrases.<\/p>\n While you don\u2019t want to aim too low, there\u2019s more to developing successful content than ranking for keywords at the top of a list. Who\u2019s to say those phrases match your audience\u2019s search intent? Perhaps the words don\u2019t even align with your business goals and areas of expertise.<\/p>\n Content and SEO may be interdependent, but it\u2019s more important to consider the big picture. You\u2019re more likely to discover a winning formula when you match selected keywords with the information your audience craves. To do this, begin with defining who your audience is and what topics they\u2019re searching for.<\/p>\n Over 75% of brands<\/a> dedicate budgets to influencer marketing. Yet not all partnerships have positive effects on ROI. Influencer posts announcing new products reduce ROI by 30.5%, while originality boosts it by 15.5%. Other factors, such as follower count and posts with brand links, also increase ROI.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, you won\u2019t get the best results from an influencer who seems to fit your brand like a glove. Rather, optimal follower-brand fit is governed by what researchers call a \u201cGoldilocks effect\u201d\u2014not too little and not too much. If an influencer\u2019s followers are too aligned with your brand, they may already be inundated with content similar to yours. If there\u2019s too little alignment, your content won\u2019t matter to them.<\/p>\n Expanding your partnerships with \u201cjust right\u201d influencers can expose your brand to new leads with a balanced interest in your offerings. Say your company markets financial services, including retirement accounts. Instead of limiting partnerships to thought leaders<\/a> in the same space, try branching out to those with audiences interested in passive income. That way, you won\u2019t compete in the same space and overload consumers with repetitive content.<\/p>\n You can create intriguing content all day long. But it won\u2019t do its job if it\u2019s not in the right places at the right time. In the digital marketing world, publishing your pieces on the correct platforms is key. It\u2019s like choosing the radio stations your target market listens to.<\/p>\n Putting content on social platforms and channels where your audience members don\u2019t hang out means you\u2019re not giving posts a fair chance. Content about your new energy drink will likely gain more traction on TikTok than on Facebook. The reverse is true if you\u2019re marketing retirement timeshares.<\/p>\n If your posts aren\u2019t getting the response you anticipated, you might need to mix up your distribution strategy. Assess where your markets are and meet them there. Also, pay attention to shifts in audience preferences, platforms that up-and-coming markets gravitate toward and new channels with impact.<\/p>\n Content marketing might be a cost-effective way to increase revenue, but it\u2019s also highly competitive. There is lots of fascinating stuff in the digital jungle for people to find. However, they won\u2019t think all of it is worth their time.<\/p>\n Another reason content performs poorly is that it doesn\u2019t add value. The consumers marketers compete for are smart but have short attention spans. They\u2019ll be turned off by content that seems disconnected from a brand\u2019s purpose. People also don\u2019t want to engage with the same information they\u2019ve seen before.<\/p>\n While expanding your content calendar might seem like a good idea, make sure those slots emphasize quality over quantity. Publishing more pieces usually isn\u2019t the solution to lackluster performance. More than likely, your content isn\u2019t adding to the conversation in a convincing, helpful way. Go back to the drawing board to find places where your market\u2019s interests and your brand\u2019s purpose<\/a> intersect.<\/p>\n1. Match SEO to Audience Interests<\/h2>\n
2. Expand Partnerships<\/h2>\n
3. Experiment With New Platforms<\/h2>\n
4. Refine the Message<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t Give Up<\/h2>\n