5 Content Marketing Myths That Are Taking You Down

A content marketing strategy is what makes the difference between a successful business and a mediocre one.

There is no denying that.

But what if certain beliefs you hold about content marketing are hurting your marketing efforts AND your business?

Content is king and queen and everything in between.

What does this mean for a business?

If you are not doing it right, you will pay the price.

That’s why you need to clear any misconceptions you have that may be causing all your efforts to go to waste.

Here are some of the most common content marketing myths that are taking you down.

Let’s begin!

My business may not need content marketing.

Technology, as well as access to any kind of information instantaneously, has changed the world as we know it.

Today’s customers are informed. They are smart, knowledgeable, and used to making well-informed decisions.

We have the internet and its easy accessibility to anyone with a smartphone to thank for that.

But what does this mean for businesses?

Well, business owners can no longer expect to provide average products or services and expect customers to stick around.

They can also not expect consumers to remain loyal without reason. These individuals are, at any given time, being targeted by multiple competitors to just give them a try. And if your consumer finds better service elsewhere or a brand that matches their ideology, they will definitely switch.

So what can YOU do to remedy the situation?

Remember how the internet and single-tap access to all the knowledge in the world can lead your customers away from you?

Well, what if you started using it to your own advantage?

By investing in a content marketing strategy and making sure your message reaches your consumers through the web, you can remain current, relevant, and known.

It is not just e-commerce businesses or those selling services that need a content marketing strategy. We discussed this above – content marketing involves getting your message across through storytelling.

And EVERY business needs to do that to remain in touch with their consumers.

To be more clear, a content marketing strategy can:

• Increase your sales
• Bring in leads and eventually encourage conversion
• Improve your brand image
• Vastly enhance your brand recognition and recall
• Increase traffic to your site
• Enhance a user’s experience with your brand
• Establish you as an authority in the niche
• Help you leave your competitors behind

There is no business in the world that does not need to achieve at least ONE of these aims. Most need to achieve multiple.

And content marketing is the answer to all your needs in that regard.

I should be promoting my business at every turn.

Around 68% of people spend time researching the brands they care about.

This stresses the need for you to put content out.

But many content marketers go about doing that the wrong way.

With the intention of giving people the information they are looking for, they create and distribute content that is way too promotional. In other words, it comes off as highly sale-sy and pushes people away from the brand as opposed to bringing them closer to it.

That is not what you want to be doing.

Instead, your content should be focused on the CONSUMER.

How can it do that?

Well, that’s simple.

First, you need to identify what your goals are. In most cases, you need to:

• Inform people through educational content
• Keep people engaged through interactive content
• Ensure people have a good time through entertaining content
• Make people aware of new products and services through discreet promotional content

There are many ways in which you can do all of this. Let’s look at some examples.

Suppose you are a company that sells leather products. Here are some ways you can use content marketing to your advantage.

Educational content

You put up a step-by-step tutorial of what to do if the leather gets caught in the zipper of your bag. This is something that has happened to all of us at some point.

People will get the answer they badly need and you will show off the quality of your own bag in the tutorial, while also establishing yourself as an expert in the field.

Interactive content

You make a video about your customers’ favorite incidents involving your products. This will encourage others to share their stories in the comments section.

Entertaining content

You create a satirical list of how a leather attire is perfect for any weather.

Discreetly promotional content

You talk about different types of leather finishes in a video, giving the viewer an example of each from your very own range.

To sum up:

You can promote your products or services while primarily focusing on your consumers and fulfilling their content needs – it works WAY better than hardcore promotional content.

I can take care of my content marketing needs on my own.

This, or the belief that any Tom Dick or Harry can take over your content marketing operations and achieve your goals, is one of the biggest misconceptions you can have.

It may seem easy, at first glance – the business of creating and putting out content.

But it is a lot more complex than you think.

Here is a breakdown of the major steps that need to be taken when implementing a content marketing strategy:

• Finding out where you stand

This step consists of analyzing your current content marketing efforts, studying your competitors, and determining where you are currently so that you can make improvements.

• Strategizing

This is perhaps the most important part of the process.

You need to create a plan that reflects your goals and allows you to achieve them.

• Choosing your Platforms/Content Types

You need to figure out which platforms your target audience spends the most time on and what kind of content appeals to them the most.

• Indulging in SEO

Fancy words and creative big ideas are not enough to achieve your aims – you need to research and employ the right keywords, indulge in on- and off-page SEO, and make sure your content ranks on the top of the SERPs.

• Actually Creating the Content

Blogging is an art. Shooting and editing videos is a talent. Creating infographics and posters with catchy slogans is a skill.

Creating good content worthy of being shared is a lot more difficult than you may think.

• Sharing the content

Deciding when to post what kind of content on what channel in order for it to go viral is a talent that comes with experience. You need to be an expert to get it right.

Now go through this list again. How many of these tasks can you manage immaculately, along with all your other responsibilities?

One?

Two?

Four?

That is highly unlikely and yet still not enough. This is why letting the experts handle it is for the best.

This is why you need a team dedicated to your content marketing strategy. And a GOOD team, at that.

Here is a guide that will help you decide whether you want an in-house team for the job or you want to outsource it to a content marketing agency:

Content Marketing Agency vs. In-House Team – Factors to Consider

I won’t have to invest much (money) into content marketing.

It’s true.

You won’t HAVE to spend a lot of money into your content marketing efforts.

But that also means that you won’t see much of a return if you are stingy about the whole thing.

As an old saying goes, ‘The more sugar you add, the sweeter it gets.’

Think about it like this:

Why do you spend money on your Nike trainers when you can just go to the local shoe store and buy a pair for a fraction of the price?

Because the Nike trainer gives you something the others don’t.

Comfort.

Style.

Better performance.

The list can go on but it comes down to this:

You pay more for the quality of the results!

Content marketing is no different.

You will need to hire content marketing professionals who know the game inside out and can get you the results you desire.

If you are outsourcing, you will need to choose a good (and, hence, more expensive) agency.

You can’t just write blog posts – you will eventually have to invest in videos and podcasts, for example.

At some point, you will have to invest in Facebook or Google ads so that you can reach the right audience effectively.

All these things cost money and that is just something you will have to come to terms with.

I should see results instantly, or else I’m doing something wrong.

I’ve created a great team or outsourced to an even better one.

I have invested a lot of money.

I am utilizing all the tools and platforms at my disposal.

I’m doing everything I can.

It’s been a month and I am STILL not getting results.

Something is wrong.

Sound familiar? We wouldn’t be surprised if it does.

Most business owners and even digital marketers, especially those who are just starting out, have questioned their content marketing efforts way too early in the process.

In the worst-case scenario, they have abandoned efforts that were eventually going to have fruitful results.

What you need to understand is that it takes time for people to discover your content, consume it, and start seeing you as an authority.

Even before that, it takes time for search engines to find it and display it to your consumers.

It is a process and it is a lengthy one.

And there is nothing you can do except be patient and keep at it.

Finishing Thoughts

The first step in fixing a problem is acknowledging there is one.

And we hope we have helped you pinpoint any content marketing myths that are taking you down, but you just didn’t know what you were doing something wrong.

Are there any other misconceptions you want us to address?

Let us know in the comments.

In the meantime, beat the myths, get your game face on, and rock that content marketing strategy!