You’ve read article after article about the merits of content marketing. You have been persuaded that, yes indeed, content marketing represents one of the best ways for you to boost your brand’s online authority and visibility. You have even begun formulating your own content marketing strategy. Everything is in place for content marketing success—right?
Not so fast. While the Internet is indeed littered with content marketing how-tos and tutorials, that’s really something of a mixed blessing. As with most other topics, you can’t believe everything you read about content marketing. There are some persistent myths and misconceptions out there, and falling prey to them could endanger your content marketing efforts before they even begin.
We’ve listed—and debunked—four of the most common content marketing myths, below.
MYTH #1: Content marketing means creating more content!
In their zeal to milk content marketing for all it’s worth, many marketers and business owners fall into the trap of emphasizing quantity over quality. They think that posting a new blog entry every other day, and updating Facebook every hour on the hour, will ultimately win the day.
This thinking is flawed for a couple of reasons. For one, this level of content inundation can actually be counterproductive; would you follow a Facebook account that hammers you with content around the clock? Probably not; strategy and discretion are key. Moreover, quality is what gains search engine traction and social media shares. If you’re sacrificing uniqueness and intrigue for sheer volume, you’re doing content marketing all wrong.
MYTH #2: There’s just no way I’ll be able to sustain a content marketing initiative.
The temptation, for some business owners, is to think that there just aren’t enough topics to write about, not enough real content fodder for a content marketing campaign to thrive. This is simply wrong-headed: As long as you have customers who are asking questions and requiring assistance with your products or services—and as long as there are new trends shaping your industry—there will be stuff to write about.
Don’t let writer’s block get the best of you. Keep a file of all customer inquiries that you receive, and use them to guide your content creation. Use Google Alerts to stay abreast of industry trends. Remember that tutorials and FAQ pages never go out of style.
MYTH #3: I’ve got to follow all the agreed-upon rules of blogging and social media.
Here’s a secret: In reality, there are no agreed-upon rules of social media or blogging. There are general principles and tried-and-true practices, but at the end of the day, your content marketing initiatives need to make sense for your business, for your target audience, and for your resources. Find what works for you. Don’t let anyone convince you that X Facebook posts a day and X press releases per month are mandatory if you’ve been generating success differently.
And speaking of success…
MYTH #4: If people aren’t reading my content and then making purchases, my content marketing isn’t working!
It’s wrong to think that content marketing always needs to directly lead to a hard sell. It’s wrong to think that content marketing will offer measurable results during the first week, or even the first month. Content marketing is all about establishing your brand’s integrity—getting your name out there, yes, but also building consumer trust and confidence. This leads to sales increases and higher rates of customer retention in the long run, but you’re unlikely to discern a direct correlation right off the bat.
The long and short of it is this: Not all of the information you’ll read about content marketing can be trusted. Make sure you’re getting the best advice, from content marketing professionals.
The team at Grammar Chic specializes in a variety of professional writing and editing services. For more information about how we can help you, visit www.grammarchic.net or call 803-831-7444. We also invite you to follow us on Twitter @GrammarChicInc for the latest in writing and editing tips and to give a “like” to our Facebook page. Text GRAMMARCHIC to 22828 for a special offer.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.