How to make sure your content marketing doesn’t suck. A Field Guide, Part One
Consider this multi-part blog to be the content marketing equivalent of a cold shower with Wim Hof. It’s time to wake your content up, friends.
Of course you don’t think your content sucks, otherwise you wouldn’t publish it, would you? Yet a trawl through the wonderful – and not so wonderful – world of digital content shows that a lot of content truly sucks.
Try to avoid these howlers by giving proper attention to the needs of your audience.
- Doh!
Take-out coffee can burn your lips. Being in out in public crowds without wearing a mask is anti-social. Stating the obvious, then explaining it in mind-numbing detail is not cool. Don’t do it
- Dreary intro’s
Is your first or second paragraph just filler that adds little value? Yep, most articles are not enhanced by their intros. Either make the intro’s work harder for you or save your reader’s time by getting straight to the good stuff
- Okay, so what’s new?
People know they need to blog, so they often panic by producing what can easily be found through a Google search. There’s nothing wrong with healthy curation of content, but come on, add some value! People don’t need to read what’s already been published umpteen times
- Another plug for leaky content
The more mentions you make of your brand or its product in your content, the more likely that piece of content will suck. Don’t put your company ahead of the customer. Save self-indulgence for happy-hour
- Listicles suck. Except when they don’t
We’ve all read ‘12 Ways To Improve Your SEO’ ‘and ‘6 Coolest Things to Do in London’ and so on. But if your content is all driven by listicles, it means you are not digging deep enough into your customer’s needs. (Note to self; ease up on the listicles, Richard)
- Don’t underwhelm
Read your content again before you post. Heck, get someone else that’s not your Mum to read it. So much content delivers little of the promises made in the title. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver
Richard Mark Webb is a best-selling author, content writer and brand story-teller. Mostly, his content doesn’t suck and he barely mentioned his brand at all in this blog But you can visit him at www.richardmarkwebb.com Or hit the WhatsApp button or contact him at richard@richardmarkwebb.com or find him on social