Content Marketing: It's a Mess
Mar 24, 2016
Content marketing – it’s a mess. And it needs to be cleaned up for better performance.
Only 19% of marketing leaders feel they have clear objectives established when creating new content assets.
While 53% say they spend more time on the operational details of managing content than on strategically aligning their daily marketing efforts to a bigger picture.
That first little factoid darn near knocked me out of my chair this morning. The second one brought back a flood of memories – all of the “marketing directors” and “vice president of marketing” that I have met and worked with over the years, micromanaging projects because they are writers, designers and project managers rather than real marketing directors and vice presidents of marketing.
What’s the difference?
The first group are more comfortable and at ease creating content – the second group is more comfortable and at ease at understanding their audience which allows them to focus on more effective ways to deliver the right message and offer at the right time via the right channel in order to produce the right action step.
And these factoids tell me that the first group is out there because marketers are searching for ways to reduce the cost of a sale.
92% say the volume of the content their organizations are producing is higher than it was two years ago, and 83% expect the volume to continue to increase in the next two years.
Half of all marketing leaders surveyed say they currently have more content than they can effectively manage.
How to stop the madness and enjoy greater content marketing success
As Dudley Stevenson, and I mapped out in our new eBook, Content Marketing: Doing it Right, you need to have a very clear plan so that you are creating what you need for specific audiences at specific times in their decision making process.
Unfortunately, too many are focused on “…what do we need to create now…” rather than “…what do we need to communicate with this audience at this point in the relationship…” followed by “…and do we already have something that fits that need or does this require something new…”
The goal isn’t to turn “marketing” into a “publishing or media” function – it’s to make sure that your business or organization or institution is effectively communicating your unique value to them in the proper, most effective way at that specific stage in their decision making process.
This requires an intimate level of insight into your target audience – an audience that is changing from Boomers and GenX to Millennials and Generation Z. And remember that there are unique segments within these generations – some Millennials are married with kids and some are just finishing college.
The other key requirement is to test and track so you can see what effort is bringing you closer to the goals and objectives of the business – which are typically sales, profits, market share and not ‘Likes’ and ‘Retweets’ and ‘Followers’.
To find out more about doing content marketing (or as we used to say marketing communications and marketing collateral) the right way, download our free eBook that goes into far more detail about how to develop a content marketing strategy, plan and program that works, meaning is cost effective and produces the desired results, which for those of us in the business of selling, meaning generating increased revenues and profits.
Patrick McGraw is VP of Higher Educaton Marketing Services and has more than 25 years experience in market research, competitive intelligence, business intelligence including database marketing and CRM, strategic planning, brand development and management as well as operations/campaign management. His work has consistently helped his clients and employers develop and implement more efficient ways to attract and retain profitable customers, enter new markets and launch new products. His areas of focus include the education, hospitality, travel and tourism, hi-tech, telecommunications, financial services, and retail industries on both the agency and customer sides.
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