Content is the arch nemesis of inertia, and any content that delivers limited value or fails to inspire action should be regarded as pollution to good content.
Are your content-driven results shrouded in smog? Here are 3 ways to better architect your content marketing efforts for 2023 and beyond:
01. Authenticity over Virality
Virality should be an afterthought.
Your product or service is not for everyone, why should your content be?
When ideating, producing, and distributing content, focus on authentically helping and assisting your ideal customer profile.
If you chase vanity metrics and optimize for views and followers — you are trying to please the Algo Gods and placing your content’s true mission on the back burner.
In 2023, resonating with the audience, optimizing content assets and messaging for platforms, while staying true to the brand mission, and values, and addressing audience pain points builds trust and affinity, and boosts conversion.
What does authentic content look like?
Are you delivering expected value in the limited time that a reader devotes to your article?
When focusing on authentic content, respect your audience’s time, offer some unique perspectives, and devote genuine time and effort to help your community out.
02. Creators over Influencers
Content is an agent of impact.
However, your owned media can only go so far, prodding you to seek out partnerships to reach the right audience.
And the creator economy has exploded lately — opening new opportunities for businesses to interact and engage with audiences.
Niche, close-knit communities and spaces have replaced platform-wide broadcasts and paid partnerships. Why? Because creators care; and are deeply passionate about the subject they initiate conversations around.
While ‘there is an app for that’ conveys the deep-reaching impact of digital transformations, ‘there is a creator for that’ highlights the breadth of tailored discussions creators host.
Influencers can still deliver on reach but are at the mercy of the platform algorithms and vulnerable to doom-scrolling and content fatigue.
Would a passionate, highly engaged community of 10 generate more demand, and convert better or 1000 social media visitors? You already know.
03. Thought Leadership over Educational content
Your long-form content piece is not the center of the universe.
Chances are, the searcher has already gone through several other blog posts, and explainer videos on the same topic you are conversing about.
Unless you are carving out a new market niche, or pioneering a novel innovation, leave education to content creators. Granted, having that topic in your owned media delivers SEO benefits, but business utility may be scarce.
In 2023, focus on delivering content that makes the reader stop. Deliver content that inspires the viewer or listener to take notes.
Are you producing and distributing content ideas and insights that your audience cannot find elsewhere?
Conclusion
Hope is not a viable content marketing tactic.
To get more mileage out of your content, re-architect the old ways to include more authenticity, better distribution, and new perspectives that tickle your audiences’ think tanks.
