In a previous post, I talked about “content fatigue” as a condition we’re all experiencing as more companies come to understand the power of content marketing and begin creating bushels of content. But, I expressed my opinion (which is shared by some of the wisest marketing gurus out there) that the idea that inbound marketing has run its course is nonsense. No marketer worth their salt is going to turn back the clock and start bombarding their target audience with old school flyers full of nothing more than product features and benefits.
But, it’s true… there is a LOT of content out there for your prospects to wade through. And, it’s critical that they stay hungry for yours. So, what can you do?
Keep ‘Em Coming Back for More
How do companies ensure that prospects stay interested in their material and remain willing to devote some of their valuable time to consuming it? Below are a few things you can do to keep the content going out to an eager audience and the leads coming in to your happy sales team:
- Go multimedia. Yes, a well-written white paper with minimal graphics can still be an effective item in your content library. But when that same information is communicated in an interesting and entertaining video, it’s going to generate even more buzz.
- Use a little mystery. Want to create powerful interest in your audience? Before you roll out your new or updated product, do something that teases them. For example, pick some key features and post to social media with nothing more than pictures that represent them. The software is significantly faster? Tweet an image of a cheetah. No words, just the photo. Your new device is waterproof? A submarine, maybe. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’ll bring your audience to life!
- Be human. Your company has surely made mistakes. While you don’t want to put the focus on those errors too often, acknowledging every now and again that you goofed can elicit empathy from your prospects and let them see that you’re always striving to do better.
- Get your customers involved. Everybody wants to have their “15 minutes of fame.” Find ways to give it to your fans. For example, have a contest where people submit photos of themselves using your product and then select a few winners to be featured prominently on your website.
Between the previous post and this one, we’ve shared eight ways to stay top-of-mind with your prospects. And there are surely many, many more. No matter how many millions of pieces of content are ultimately floating around the web, there will always be new tactics you can use to set your materials and your company apart.
Content Fatigue? Oh, Heck No… We’re Just Getting Started!
Oftentimes, the key to success in content marketing is working with an agency that has both the technical skill for creating a content marketing strategy and the creativity to keep it supplied with fresh ideas. Our inbound marketing experts in Colorado Springs, CO, Olympia, WA, and Springfield, MO, deliver both to successful clients nationwide. We’d love to help launch, refine, or support your content marketing program. Give us a shout!
