If the internet has taught us anything, it’s believing everything you read can be incredibly damaging. For example, lots of people found out the hard way you can’t charge your phone by putting it in the microwave, and there’s [probably] no mysterious Nigerian billionaire who has named you the sole heir to his fortune.
However, while believing the above myths can certainly put you in a bind, believing misinformation about content marketing can cost your company a large chunk of your marketing budget—and plenty of potential leads.
To help ensure you’re making the most of your company’s marketing dollars, and using the right tactics to advance your brand, we’ve debunked a few of the most common content marketing myths.
Myth 1: Anyone can write content
Fact: While everyone may have valid and important knowledge to share, not everyone is successful in expressing those points in writing. Additionally, content marketing requires a specific skill set. Great content writers not only fully immerse themselves in the subject matter with exhaustive research and extensive investigation, they also need journalistic style and a knack for making complex subjects simple. A sense of humor doesn’t hurt, either.
However, that’s not to say everyone shouldn’t be involved in the content development process. In order to tell the right stories, and target the right personas with each piece of content, you need to de-silo. From the design and product development teams to the marketing and sales departments, everyone should play a part in helping to shape your content strategy—even if they’re not doing the writing.
Myth 2: Content marketing is only for B2C brands
Fact: Whether your company is B2B, B2C, B2B2C or some other hybrid model, at the end of the day you’re still marketing to people—and people love stories. But, somewhere along the line, it was decided some industries had stories to tell and others didn’t.
Then, companies like Cisco and GE came along and said “nope.” They created such powerful and engaging content, their efforts set a new expectation among technology and manufacturing marketers.
In short: every brand can benefit from properly targeted, well crafted content.
Myth 3: There is no way to measure the ROI of content marketing
Fact: The marketing world has wrestled mightily in determining the best ways to measure the success of content marketing strategies, but, despite naysayers claiming it’s impossible, there are many ways to measure content marketing ROI.
The issue is it’s not as easy to identify as, say, a PPC campaign. Each piece of content makes up a larger strategy. To measure the success of this strategy as a whole, you have to set multiple quantifiable goals (i.e. generate 50 more leads monthly). Then, you have to consider several metrics to determine how often content is consumed and the path prospects take after consuming that content. This is where marketing automation software comes in handy.
Myth 4: It’s easy to find cheap writers
Fact: OK, my mistake. This one is actually true—you can find cheap writers through online content farms and freelance boards. Heck, you could buy a blog post for $5 if you wanted. Here’s the catch: you get what you pay for.
Any writer worth her salt is likely going to charge at least 20 times that much. But, she’s also going to write interesting, high quality content loved by prospects and search engines alike. She’s going to use strategy and industry know-how to develop a piece worth your investment. So, if you want content you’re proud to share, and content that’s going to work for you, you’ll need to seek out experienced professionals.
Myth 5: The only reason to blog is to share news updates
Fact: “I can’t wait to read about the third version update to this software company’s application framework” said no blog reader ever. Of course you’re excited about internal happenings, developments to your services and company events, but those things are better left for your internal employee newsletter. Your customer-facing blog is a place for you to write educational, meaningful, shareable content your prospects actually care to read.
Instead of spewing a bunch of technical tribal knowledge about your latest software update, focus on making it relevant. For example, publish a blog post titled “3 Reasons Every Real Estate Company Needs a Cloud-Based CRM” that ends with a CTA to download a guide about your product’s newest features. By gently guiding your prospects down the funnel, you’ll earn greater interest and customer loyalty.
Conclusion
When it comes to content marketing, it’s not always easy to separate fact from fiction. Don’t fall prey to misconceptions and unfounded assumptions!