If you want confirmation that content marketing works, just do a search online for any product or service, no matter how obscure. I guarantee you’ll find content… lots and lots of content. Marketers have invested time and money in creating those materials because they know that their audience is hungry for them. That said, the sheer volume of content that has been created in recent years has led to what many are referring to as “content fatigue.”
Does that mean content marketing is a strategy and a concept that has run its course? Absolutely not! Your target market will always want and need great marketing content. The key is to find ways to prevent content fatigue and keep your materials interesting, engaging, and relevant.
More Content, Please!
Here are four proven strategies for snapping your readers out of their content coma so that they are eagerly anticipating your next release:
- Modulate your voice. Have you ever listened to a speaker who had a bland, monotone delivery? They had you ready to nod off within minutes, right? The same thing can happen if your content, no matter how information packed, always has the same “sound.” While it’s important that your brand has a recognizable voice, that doesn’t mean you can’t alter the pitch. For example, if one piece is more serious and factual try making the next one lighter and maybe even a little irreverent. Today’s blog post is 500 words? Try making tomorrow’s a quick-hit 100.
- Create pieces with actual utility. All of your content should be engaging and informative. But ideally some of the pieces will go beyond that to become resources that the reader returns to again and again. For example, if you provide a checklist that makes some process easier for them, they’ll think of your company every time they pull it up and start checking boxes.
- Go deeper. You’re pressed for time, we get it. You’re trying to provide great content while also keeping up with the deadlines on your content calendar, and the result is lots of pieces that just scratch the surface of topics. Every now and again, carve out some time to explore an idea in great depth. Not only is it a nice change of pace for your content consumers, it confirms your place as an expert and thought leader in your field.
- Express strong opinions. We tend too often to try to appease all of our readers, and therefore put out content that is fairly generic. While we would never advocate creating controversy where none exists, if you feel strongly about an issue in your industry, say so! No, you don’t want to go overboard or be offensive, but people respect companies that stand for something. For example, I will tell you that Oklahoma State University is the greatest institution of higher learning anywhere in the world, bar none.
These are just some of the ways to invigorate your content and revive your audience. In a future post I’ll share more tips. (And that, my friend, is my way of creating a sense of anticipation… another tactic for overcoming content fatigue!)
Helping You Keep Eyes on Your Content
The 30dps inbound marketing teams in Springfield, MO, Olympia, WA, and Colorado Springs, CO, specialize in helping companies in a wide range of markets—from manufacturing to nonprofits to B2C—develop strategies for creating and promoting content in ways that get it noticed. We’d love to talk with you about your next inbound marketing initiative. Give us a call!
