Content marketing plays an important role in today’s online world. There are, however, several mistakes a small business can make when it comes to content marketing. In today’s blog, we’re going to cover 5 of the most common content marketing mistakes, and why you should avoid them when you market your small business.
1. Having poorly defined (or no) goals
One of the most important aspects of marketing is having a defined goal. While you can throw proverbial spaghetti at the wall, it’s much better to strategize before starting any marketing efforts. Define your target audience and determine what that audience cares about. Once you understand who you’re trying to reach, you can show them that your small business is the solution they’ve been looking for.
2. Creating too much sales-focused content
The overall goal of most marketing is to raise awareness so customers will think of you when they’re ready to make a purchase. Not all of your content, however, needs to directly push a sale. While it’s a good idea to include some kind of call to action, you may need to help your customers through the “funnel” before they’re ready to make a purchase. This may look like more entertaining or educational content on your social media that directs them to your website. Your website can then be more sales-focused. If you go for a hard sell every time, you’re liable to shrink your audience. If, instead, you provide different levels of content, you’ll have an easier time converting audience members into customers.
3. Failing to optimize your content
Optimizing your content is important for all online spaces, but it is essential for your website. If your content is not set up in a way that search engines can easily see it and interpret it, you risk losing loads of potential traffic. If people can’t be find your business, they can’t take advantage of your products or services. If, however, you follow SEO best practices, you can earn better rankings on search results’ pages and can attract more visitors to your small business’s website.
4. Ignoring certain types of content
It can be easy to pick one or two mediums and stick with it, but you may be missing a portion of your audience by boxing yourself in. While goals and a defined audience are important, making your content accessible and attractive is also important. If you stick to long-winded blog posts or giant chunks of text on social media, your content may only appeal to part of your audience. If, however, you include visual content—photographs, videos, illustrations, etc.—you can open the door to a wider audience.
5. Failing to provide value to your audience
Chances are if people are following your business, they want to engage with the content you share. By ignoring the types of content that engage your audience, you risk losing them or being forgotten by them. Instead of sharing low-value content, create things that entertain, inspire, or educate the people who follow your small business. Package that content in a branded, easily-understood way, and you’re more likely to keep that audience coming back for more.
In Conclusion
If you’ve committed one (or more) of these small business marketing mistakes, or if you’re just starting out with marketing, Bold River Marketing can help. Give us a call today to schedule a website and social media audit or to start your small business’s marketing strategy today. Don’t make these marketing mistakes—contact us today!