Anyone considering a content marketing campaign should appreciate it’s about playing the long game rather than looking for short-term gains, but it can still be discouraging when the metrics are not meeting your expectations.
What you need to appreciate is that creating content that resonates with people is actually an art form, and creating a work of art is no simple matter. Look at the big-budget Hollywood blockbusters that flop at the box office, simply because they fail to engage people.
What’s more, traditional artists are generally used to having the freedom to pursue their artistic whims, but as part of content marketing, art is an essential business activity. This means your “artists” need to produce content that consistently delivers, so it may take a little time to fine-tune your approach.
You’ll naturally want some talented “artists” on your team to start with of course. Maybe you’ll take the time to hand pick a group of freelance website content writers, or maybe you’ll prefer to entrust the task to a content marketing agency. Whichever path you take, it may take time for your campaign to mature, so don’t lose heart too early.
Learn to walk before you run
Being overly ambitious in the early stages often leads to failure, so start with the simpler things like website news feeds and informative articles. This will help you to learn more about your audience and shape your editorial approach. Once you’ve mastered the easier content, you can consider dedicating the time and resources needed to produce more advanced content like instructional videos and audio podcasts.
The metrics will of course be the ultimate measure of your success, but don’t pay too much heed to them early on. Focus instead on getting your art right, and consider the metrics only once you have a coherent mass of content in place.
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