It’s the Chinese New Year and according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, this year is the year of the monkey. One of the strengths of the monkey is being innovative. And if we are to be zealous about the direction to which this belief is founded on, then people born in this year has some good innovations in store for us.
But I am no fortune teller, and if I could, I would just guess what would be the next viral topic and write about it. But something I can write now in the light of the festive season, (I am based in Singapore, and believe me, this is one of the most awesome places to be in during CNY) is about how most brands still think that content marketing is something that is not worth investing in.
Their reasons are good and valid, and most of these are amplified whenever a “content marketer” is not doing it the right way. But how do you know that this is being done the wrong way?
Content marketing is a serious business; it requires a strategy that would include creating the right content, setting the right expectation and investing in paid distribution.
Keep this in mind, when you are:
1.Not having a strategy
Running a business requires strategic thinking, and if you plan to get your hands dirty on content marketing, you should be prepared to have a specific strategy before you even create your first content.
2. Not spending enough time creating content
Once you have decided that you are going to do this, you should start creating content consistently. The problem is, you start good but you don’t spend time doing enough content, and even if you do, you are creating the wrong content.
3. Not having the right expectations
The key phrase here is, be realistic. Forbes wrote an extensive article on the ROI of content marketing, and it probably is the best place for you to start so you can understand this clearly.
4. Not doing anything after content is created
Spending time in creating content is just a fraction of the work, once you have done your content, work still needs to be done. You need to invest in paid distribution so that people get to read your content. You need to have an engaging e-newsletter. And you need to get busy in your social media. You still in for the ride?
5. Not enjoying the process
Lastly, in everything you will do, if you do not enjoy the process, then you should not expect to see any positive results. It’s a basic rule of life.
When you are doing everything this way, then you are doing content marketing the wrong way!
Content marketing is a serious business; it requires a strategy that would include creating the right content, setting the right expectation and investing in paid distribution.
It’s no monkey business, once you are in, then you need to work hard, and if it is not working, you just need to work harder.
