We’ve all been there in some form – felt we’ve had a brilliant idea which couldn’t possibly be missed, only to have it backfire completely, leaving us utterly devastated. But if we know the common mistakes to look out for, we can wrap this into our thinking before a project goes any further.
In content marketing, there’s a lot to assess before going into full gear, but what are the most common mistakes we should be aware of which could make us put our foot on the brakes?
3 content marketing mistakes to avoid
1. Being ‘off’ trend
It’s essential to incorporate what’s actually happening in the world with your content. Make it timely and relevant. Push yourself out of your comfort zone – just because it’s not a trend for you, doesn’t mean it won’t interest the audience you’re trying to reach.
Likewise, what you think is relevant might not hit the spot with your audience. Take Nesquik for example, and their ‘National Bunny Ears day’ app which gave user’s photos chocolate bunny ears. No one had heard of the day, and the need to download an entire app to take part meant that it had little engagement.
Tie your content to topics your audiences have a genuine interest in and then engage with them using the right tools. Listen to the music your audience is streaming, watch that episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians that everyone’s talking about, explore the depths of Twitter hashtags. Speak their language, not yours.
You wouldn’t cook your guests all the same type of steak or believe they all like it rare because you do. Get the inside scoop before you start cooking!
2. Being too salesy
Promoting the brand is the reason you’re doing the job, but by being too over the top people will switch off and lose interest.
Too often, because of the countless number of approvals a piece of content, or even an entire campaign, has to go through, it can get muddled and become a sales activity. While the content marketers’ job is to help drive sales, the activity it produces is to create helpful and engaging content. Stand your ground, and don’t fall into the trap of giving in just because it’s easier. No one wins in that instance – not your, nor the company.
Related: Content Marketing in B2B Communication
3. Creating a rod for your own back
We’ve all seen examples of brands running huge campaigns which come back to bite them as they haven’t done their research. Adidas for instance sent out an email to Boston Marathon runners reading: “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!” not long after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
Just because a lot of time and money has gone into a campaign, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be cancelled before it can get off the ground.
These are just some of the mishaps that can come from a content marketing campaign. But it doesn’t have to be this way. LEWIS can help avoid these mistakes and ensure your campaign stands the test of time. Contact us to find out more.
