A bigger content marketing budget isn’t better if you’re wasting money.
Year after year, marketing teams involved in business to business and business to consumer markets want to increase their budgets. If you want consistently good content that is educational, interesting and grabs attention, all that quality costs money.
But more money isn’t always a better return on investment. You could be wasting a lot of your budget.
You’re publishing too much
Audience attention spans are spread thin, and with a wealth of content consumption opportunities your target readers are unlikely to be paying attention. If there’s a dip in web traffic in your articles, consider dialing it back. Test options until you feel your traffic has stabilized. Expect this process to take a few months and be persistent and patient.
You’re ignoring SEO opportunities
Search is often the first channel where audiences turn when they have questions about a topic. If you have expertise to answer that question, show it.
Read this article for a thorough guide on creating SEO friendly content. You’ll also want to conduct a technical audit to ensure that everything you publish is crawlable and easy to find. Reference this technical site checklist from Moz to get started.
You’re not introducing a new perspective
If you’re simply publishing the same material as everyone else, you’re burying your brand’s unique value proposition and core message. That means introducing a new perspective rather than following the crowd.
Ask a few of your existing customers for feedback on your blog posts. Ask questions around what your customers are hoping to see and what they might change about your content.
You’re not investing in the right distribution
Distribution is a key part of the content marketing equation. You can’t expect audiences to come to your website just because you write it. That means use the right channels. If you’re creating B2B content, don’t target a mass market audience.
Not sure which distribution channels to use? Ask your target audiences to share insight. See if you can uncover new marketing opportunities.
Your content has a short shelf life
Even if your content is appealing, it may fall short in helping your company achieve its long-term marketing goals.
Brands aren’t newsrooms. They don’t want what’s happening in the news, they want engaging, educational material they can use. Focus on creating evergreen, informative content with a long shelf life.
Final thoughts
Prioritize efficiency. The more efficient your content programs are, the more likely you’ll get that bigger budget from the company.
