We often hear people ask – what is the difference between effective content and ineffective content? The answer is what you know about content creation. With varied opinions, advice, and data, there’s a lot of misinformation surrounding content, which leads to unsuccessful content marketing exercises. And that, in turn, affects your brand image, visibility, and of course, conversions.
So, here are a few common myths about content writing and how you can avoid them –
MYTH: Content writing is just writing fancy blogs.
There couldn’t be a bigger misconception than this. Let’s say this right away – content writing is NOT just blogging. There’s more involved in writing a few text-heavy pieces and publishing them. There’s so much more to content creation. You need to research and analyze what kind of content works, which platforms to consider when publishing content, how to write content that will engage your audience, and most importantly, asking yourself – “will this piece of content help me achieve my brand goals?” Each of these metrics will define the content you create.
Think of it as talking to different people in a social setting. Do you talk about yourself to your friends the same way you talk to your boss? Or, better, would you behave the same way at home as you behave at a party? You know the answer. The same logic applies to content writing.
MYTH: The more the better
No, absolutely not! This belief probably only works for partying but not in marketing. In our previous blog, we talked about how quality over quantity is the way to go in content marketing. It essentially means that creating valuable, high-quality content in lesser numbers or frequency will fare better than subpar content in high volumes. Not that lot of brands are not doing it, but we all know that it’s a mistake. Before you put out a lot of content for the sake of doing so, you must think of how it will affect your brand value. Write one blog a month, publish one social post in a couple of days, but ensure that your audience likes it and wants to come back for more. Consider the age-old philosophy – do it once, do it few, but do it right.
MYTH: Content should only focus on my brand/business.
Now, this has become a widespread issue and makes the brand sound very narcissistic, if we can be honest. Of course, it’s important to talk about brand, but it’s more important to listen to your customer’s needs – what they want to hear, what value your content is adding to your life, etc. People across the market – both offline and online, are constantly seeking answers and your brand must be the best answer to their questions.
Creating content for your brand/business is just like your reaction to different people and situations. Think of yourself to be your brand. Place yourself in different scenarios and see how you would act/react in each. Use that understanding for your brand content.
MYTH: Creating content only means long-form content.
We understand why most brand owners might think that way. There have been countless studies that state that longer content is better than shorter pieces. To add to the confusion, search algorithms keep changing constantly and rank longer content higher than shorter from time to time. While this learning is useful in some cases, it cannot become your signature.
Studies also show that the content consumption window is getting shorter by the day. A person will barely spend more than three minutes on an article. There are arguments in favor of both long and short content formats. It depends on why you creating that content. For instance, for backlinking, or search optimization, longer content is better. On the other hand, for social conversations, short and crisp is the way to go. You also have to consider what your audience prefers and give them the content they want to consume.
The key is to test different styles and formats and use long or short content wherever applicable.
MYTH: Content means creating only for digital
It’s true that the concept of “content writing” became more popular with digital channels, it would be wrong to say that content is only what we create for the online landscape. In offline platforms, content is just more diverse and termed differently. But at the end of the day, everything that we create is actually content – video scripts, ad copies, brand slogans, magazine articles, brochures, print newsletters, and even the copy on product packaging is nothing but brand content. So, when you are planning content creation, consider all these assets.
MYTH: Anybody can write content
Only if fishes could climb a tree! We see most brand owners making this mistake (yes, we said it) and think that anybody can write and can create content for their brands, including themselves. Content is an essential part of your brand and brand marketing, and a service that calls for an expert service provider. So, you’ll get what you invest in. It’s that simple. Creating relevant and valuable content that builds and maintains customer relationships and earns you conversions is a specific skill. It requires years of practice, experience, and a creative flair. It will be unfair to assume that everyone will have that. Without the right resources, you are only going to yield ineffective results.
Tips to create great content
What exactly is good content? Studies show that great content pieces have five important features –
· Relevant to your audience.
· Engaging and compelling.
· Consistent with a clear message.
· Triggers an action/response from the audience.
· Supports your other marketing activities.
It all comes down to creating something that your competitors aren’t creating, or at least presenting it in a way that no one else does. Well-crafted, informative, educational, valuable, functional, relevant, diversified, and optimized, the content stands out among the crowd
Before you go…
If you remember, in our previous blog, we talked about how content marketing is changing. That essentially means that content, per se, is also changing. No one expects every brand owner/marketer to know what content creation really means, what it’s for, and how it works, or even navigate the changing trends. That’s why you need experts to guide you, and help you create relevant and consumable content that can cut through the clutter.
Connect with us and find out how we can help you with quality content that sells your brand better.