Is the Content Marketing World Driving You Crazy?

The content marketing world is frustrating, isn't it? Tell me about it. If you are one of my clients or a small business owner or entrepreneur yourself, you probably know what I am talking about. But before you get a good grasp of what content marketing truly is and what it involves, and you think you've nailed down your content marketing strategy, just like the waves of technology, content marketing shifts again.

The last quarter of 2013 took a huge jump into the content marketing world. Then, 2013 ended on a strong note for content marketing, and promised that the beginning of 2014 would be the same. This forced many small businesses to take the giant leap with it, unsure of what was on the other side. They were taking a leap of faith that they'd hopefully come out on top.

Now the we have finished the first quarter of 2014 and are well into the second, the content marketing landscape is shifting again. So what is on tap for content marketing this summer?

Over the last six to nine months I've had the privilege of working with a lot of great clients, providing them more content marketing services and assisting them with their copy writing, web content writing, and blogging. Then, a few months ago, everyone all at the same time came to a grueling halt. It was then I realized that the content marketing sphere must be shifting again, and we are all sitting waiting to see what takes shape, and, yet again, revise our content strategies accordingly and reach customers and our target audiences in new, fresh, unique ways.

Each week I spend several hours doing research on content marketing, carefully studying the trends, the news, and brainstorm and create interesting, compelling topics to write for my clients. In many cases, because I spend so much time watching web trends and content trends, I am able to consult them whenever they are stuck or are experiencing "writer's block". The thing I have found in my research is that there seems to be many inconsistencies in content generation and marketing. Or...it depends on your industry, your target audience, product, service, niche market, etc. 

Here are just a few examples of inconsistencies I've found:

• Blog on a regular basis...but only when you have time.
• Long-form content writing is IN...but we read less than 600 words and retain only about 28% of the content we read.
• Short posts are highly effective...but deep data is crucial.
• Keywords and meta tags are still really important...but SEO is supposedly dead.

How does anyone have the time or patience to keep up with it all? How does one find what strategy works for them? A HUGE piece of content marketing, however, is creating buyer personas, knowing your audience, and reaching and hitting your target in the most creative and compelling ways. It's tough...I'm not going to lie.

The best way I can describe it is waiting for that new Smartphone to come out. You spend months and months researching, diligently doing your homework and watching for reviews on the new technology, planning financially, and maybe even investing a large amount of resources into purchasing several Smartphones for your small business team. Finally, the release date comes out, you're pumped and maybe you are even one of those crazed customers waiting outside in line in the hot sun or bitter cold for forty-six hours waiting for the doors to open to be one of the first to grab the latest and greatest phone. Then, after several months of really learning and adapting to your new phone's functionalities and usage, and maybe even training your team on how to use it for your business, you then find out there's a newer, better one coming out in another six months. Yes, content marketing is THAT kind of frustrating.

So what does he future really hold for us small businesses and content marketers? Some believe that content marketing will eventually replace public relations. Content marketing is a form of "self-publishing". Instead of hiring a publicist to write marketing materials or publish press releases or white papers, a content marketer can take this over instead. A content marketer can also handle the media end of it, posting releases, announcements, and any other publication via social media in order to effectively get the word out.

What is on the horizon for content marketing this summer? A focus on big data to increase and boost sell-through, and really marrying your brand. Getting your brand into customers' faces, making them remember it, react to it, and become dedicated to it. So while content marketing is and can be incredibly frustrating (trust me, I'm frustrated too!), embrace it and make it happen for your business.



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Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2012 J. H. Language Solutions