You’re pouring time and money into content marketing, yet your leads and sales don’t reflect the effort you’re putting in
Sound familiar?
We feel your frustration. The truth is, content marketing is just as much about avoiding pitfalls as it is about adopting best practices.
But are you aware of the pitfalls in the first place?
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the not-so-obvious mistakes that could be sabotaging your content marketing. We’re talking about often overlooked missteps that can chip away at your ROI without you even realising it.
So, grab a coffee, and let’s get into the nitty-gritty of seven huge content marketing mistakes.
Are you making any of them?
Mistake 1: Pressure posting
Have you ever felt like you’re churning out content because it feels like what you’re supposed to do?
This ‘publish or die’ mentality means that when you’re under constant pressure to post, you end up with weak, surface-level content.
And shallow content won’t make a splash with your audience!
Why it’s a problem:
Posting for the sake of posting doesn’t work. You may as well throw darts in the dark – yeah, some might hit the mark, but most will miss!
Warning! The biggest issue with this is that it’s a GIANT time-suck. Spending an hour a day formulating a post on social media (instead of planning in advance and following a strategy) absorbs so much of your time. There are smarter ways to work that deliver better results.
The bigger picture:
You’re missing an opportunity to showcase your expertise, solve your audience’s problems, and build lasting relationships.
More memorable, impactful content will draw in your audience and keep them coming back.
What you can do:
- Plan: Start with a content calendar and plan content that resonates properly with your audience. Each piece should serve a purpose and hit a specific goal.
- Focus on value: Does your content add value? Does it answer a question, solve a problem, or enlighten your audience? If the answer’s no, think again.
- Quality control: Do a quality check before your content goes live and consider borrowing another set of eyes to make sure it resonates. The content we create for clients goes through multiple people (sometimes 6 or 7!) before it gets published.
Do you want a stronger, more trustworthy brand?
Shift your focus firmly from quantity to quality!
Mistake 2: No clearly defined goal
Does content creation feel like just another task on your to-do list?
If your content were an employee, what exactly would you be paying it to do? It should contribute to your bottom line, right?
And just like you wouldn’t hire someone for no reason, you shouldn’t create content without a clearly defined goal.
Why it’s a problem:
You can push out blog posts, videos, and social media content as much as you like. If they’re not aimed towards a specific outcome, they won’t give you the right results.
The bigger picture:
Create content with a role – driving leads, nurturing customer relationships, boosting brand awareness, or directly contributing to sales. For example, take this blog post. Our goal is to get you to take our content marketing assessment – oh and look at that, there it is just below
What you can do:
- Set specific objectives: Are you looking to get email subscribers, drive traffic to a new product page, or educate your customers about a service? Set clear, measurable objectives.
- Align content with business goals: Do your content goals align with your business objectives? Get them in synch so your content actively contributes to your business’s success.
- Review and adjust: How well is your content performing against its goals? Analytics tools will help you understand what’s working and what isn’t and adjust your strategy for better results.
Why do you need clearly defined goals for your content?
If you turn your content marketing efforts into a purpose-driven campaign, every piece of content you produce will work hard for your business.
Mistake 3: Don’t just write content when you’re inspired
There’s a certain romance in inspiration striking and magic flowing from your fingertips, right?
Actually, the harsh reality is that bursts of inspiration are unpredictable and unsustainable.
Why it’s a problem:
Inconsistency confuses your audience, and those inspired ideas that aren’t developed can evaporate as quickly as they arrive, leaving you with half-baked content! What tends to happen is…
- you get an idea
- you start writing it out
- you then realise you are in the middle of task
- you go back to said-task
- your idea gets forgotten
What you want to happen is something like this…
- you get an idea
- you open an ideas doc and write 3-5 bullet points about the idea
- in your scheduled content creation time every week you open your ideas doc
- you create your content based on the bullet points
- you publish
The bigger picture:
Impactful content needs discipline and planning. Inspiration kickstarts the creative process, but structured development delivers results.
What you can do:
- Capture ideas: Use a notepad (digital or otherwise) to capture ideas. These can be a goldmine for times when inspiration is hard to come by.
- Be concise: Keep your notes to a header and five bullet points – any more can be overwhelming, and this is enough to get your brain ticking again.
- Add content creation to your calendar: Have a dedicated time per week in your calendar for content creation (this is where you look at your notes from when inspiration hit!)
Want to make the most of your best and most creative ideas?
By turning your lightbulb moments into consistent content, you’ll keep your audience engaged and enthralled.
Mistake 4: You don’t make time in your diary to create content
Content creation gets bumped down our to-do lists when we’re caught up in the day-to-day of running a business.
We’ve definitely been there!
But you can’t afford to let your content’s quality and consistency slip.
Why it’s a problem:
By creating content only in your spare moments, you can develop ‘white-page syndrome’ or rush the process, resulting in substandard content.
You might lose sight of your messaging and your goals, which confuses your audience.
The bigger picture:
Content creation time should be built into your calendar. Consistency builds trust and establishes a rhythm your audience can rely on.
Plus, regular content boosts your SEO and keeps your site fresh and visible to search engines.
What you can do:
- Schedule regular content creation: Block out time each week that’s dedicated to content creation. Treat these blocks as non-negotiable times.
- Create a content workflow: Develop a workflow for your creative process with stages for research, writing, editing, and publishing. This reduces the time it takes to produce content.
- Leverage technology: Manage your content schedule with tools like Trello, ClickUp, or Google Calendar to help you organise tasks and deadlines.
Want to avoid writer’s block and keep your content standards high?
Make content creation a scheduled priority to maintain a steady flow of awesome material!
Mistake 5: No repeatable publishing schedule
Imagine your favourite show aired episodes at random. Some weeks, you get a great new episode, and other weeks, nothing.
That would be frustrating, right?
Without a predictable publishing schedule, your content marketing is a show that won’t keep viewers because no one knows when to watch!
Why it’s a problem:
Inconsistent publishing will make your brand seem unreliable. If your audience can’t engage regularly, you won’t gain a loyal following.
It means missed opportunities to connect with customers, a weaker brand presence, and poorer SEO impact.
The bigger picture:
Consistency helps you retain your audience.
Search engines see your website as a reliable information source, and so your rankings improve. With a regular audience, you build long-term relationships and convert sales.
What you can do:
- Establish rhythm: How often can you publish content without compromising quality? Whether it’s twice a week or twice a month, stick to the plan.
- Automate scheduling: Use tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or WordPress to schedule posts. Automation means content goes live at the right times, no matter what. We personally use Sprout Social which is such a comprehensive tool (but costs £££)
- Monitor: Keep an eye on how your content performs and adjust scheduling as data analytics reveal the best days and times to post.
Do you spend hours creating epic content, but it’s just not making an impact?
Take a look at your publishing schedule and make sure it’s regular, reliable and predictable.
Mistake 6: Not sharing content with your audience
Your content is insightful, well-researched, and beautifully presented.
That’s great, but does your job end when you hit publish?
No!
You’re whispering in a crowded room if you don’t meet your audience head-on by sharing and promoting your content!
Why it’s a problem:
You can’t rely on organic traffic for your audience to find your content. Without promotion, even the best material goes unnoticed and underappreciated.
Lack of visibility will seriously hinder your ability to generate leads, engage viewers, and drive conversions.
The bigger picture:
By actively sharing your content, you increase its visibility, extend its life, and improve ROI.
Effective promotion fosters deeper customer connections.
What you can do:
- Use social media: Share your content on social media platforms that work for you. Share it multiple times and in different formats (like teasers, video clips or infographics).
- Email: Use email marketing to highlight blog posts or create a series of emails that provide additional value related to your content. This drives your audience directly to your work.
- Influencer partnerships: Have you considered collaborating with influencers? Their endorsement can significantly broaden your reach and lend credibility to your content.
What’s the point in creating great content if no one knows it’s there?
Absolutely none.
Meet your audience where they are and shout about it!
Mistake 7: Not revisiting content after it goes live
Once your content reaches its audience, do you just forget about it and move on?
Don’t do this!
By not revisiting old content, you lose its value.
Why it’s a problem:
If your content becomes outdated, its relevance and effectiveness are diminished.
Without updates, you’ll lose your SEO ranking and organic traffic over time.
The bigger picture:
Online information changes very rapidly. Update your content so it stays accurate and relevant. Search engines will see you as a reliable resource, and you’ll gain more visibility and reach.
What you can do:
- Schedule reviews: Mark your calendar for regular content reviews. Depending on the pace of change in your industry, this can be quarterly, bi-annually, or annually.
- Optimise and update: Look for opportunities to update facts, figures, and references. Keep in mind SEO best practices and slot in some new keywords.
- Refresh and repurpose: A popular blog post could be turned into a video or a podcast, which breathes new life into the material and helps it reach a new audience.
- Monitor performance: Use analytics to monitor your content’s performance. Older pieces that still get traction are ripe for updates or refreshes.
Have you got an archive of great content you’ve worked hard to create?
With some TLC, it will keep serving your business goals indefinitely!
And so…
There you have it – seven sneaky saboteurs of content marketing success.
Did any of these hit a bit too close to home?
Just take a moment to reflect and turn insight into action.
Which of these mistakes have you caught yourself making? Maybe you’ve tackled a few already and have some wisdom to share.
Owner at Jammy Digital, Digital Marketing Specialist and Writer of Young-Adult Fiction.
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