Creating content is not the same as engaging your readers; similarly, communicating does not always lead to connecting. This is one of the potential frustrations of content marketing: That you might pool a lot of resources into content development and, on a technical level, do everything right—yet still fail to really engage or resonate with your audience in a meaningful way.
The good news is, this problem is not insurmountable. It’s just a matter of locating the blockage in the pipe, so to speak: Where are your efforts to connect breaking down? Where are you going too far, not going far enough, or simply going in the wrong direction?
There are some common sources of failed connection in content marketing. Some of the major ones:
You think everyone wants to hear your life story. Or, rather, the story of your business. A lot of online content is heavily “about”-centric, and the thinking is that this provides some context for trust, or perhaps that it humanizes the business. There is some truth to this, but it is also possible to take it too far. In the end, your users want to hear about the value you can offer them—not every last detail of your 30 years in business.
Your content is too “inside baseball.” Explaining how you do what you do, in great technical detail and with a lot of industry jargon, may convey a certain level of authority, but it may also keep your users at a distance. Remember: What they ultimately want to hear about is the benefits you can offer.
Your content doesn’t solve real problems. Your users don’t need you to create new problems and then solve them. They want you to meet them where they are and speak to issues they’re actually having. That’s where using buyer personas is essential!
You’re not respectful of your reader’s time. You can disrespect your readers’ time by prattling on for 1,200 words when you don’t need to, but you can also disrespect it by offering 300 words of fluff. Every word should convey value!
Remember that the point of content is to connect—and that takes some work! For assistance, contact the Grammar Chic, Inc. team today: 803-831-7444, or www.grammarchic.net.
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.