What To Do When Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working

Content marketing is a phenomenal way to get your website seen by more people. We have all heard that content is king, but what if your content marketing efforts are not working? Today's post will walk you through some of the common reasons that your content marketing strategy is not seeing results yet. We have evidence that content marketing can work when used correctly. I have all the faith that you can step up your content marketing game to make it more effective.

What To Do When Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working | Are your content marketing efforts falling short? Many people expect content marketing to work overnight, but that's not the case. Check out these five tips to help you when your conte…

1. Evaluate Your Promotional Strategy

If your content marketing efforts are not working, you likely need to evaluate your promotional strategy. Are you promoting content at the moment? What does that promotion look like?

I hope that you have added your site to Google Search Console and started a Pinterest account at the very least.  So much traffic comes from a combination of Google and Pinterest, they are both traffic powerhouses!

Other ways to promote your content?

  • Start a Facebook page

  • Get active in Facebook groups

  • Join and answer questions on Quora

  • Step up your Instagram game

  • Use Twitter to your advantage

  • Tell your in-store customers to check out your website

  • Start an email list so you can showcase your new content

  • Send your content to thought leaders to see if they can share it

  • Share your content on your LinkedIn page (with hashtags)

  • Add share buttons to your site to make your content easily shareable

All of these are just the tip of the iceberg as far as a promotional strategy is concerned. It's important to experiment until you find what you are looking for. Even then, keep testing because you don't want to put all your traffic eggs into one promotional basket.

What To Do When Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working

2. Take A Look At The Competition

I am not a fan of comparing yourself to competition all the time, but you can learn from other thought leaders in your industry. If your content marketing efforts are not working, you may need to take a look at what your competition is doing. How are they so successful? Are they digging into a network that you haven't tapped into before?

If your competition has a course, you may want to invest in it. Stop thinking of everyone in the same niche as you as negative competition. More than likely you are targeting a different group of people anyway.

You don't have to worry so much about what other people are doing, but if something works for them, it may work for you.

On the other hand, you have to be willing to experiment. For example, if everyone in your niche seems to focus on creating short blog posts, you may want to go out on a limb and create some longer pieces. Maybe there is a small group of readers in your niche who have always wanted to read longer articles about the industry. Given the right promotional strategy, you could offer those readers just what they wanted.

What To Do When Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working

3. Examine What Your Target Audience Needs

Okay, now it's time to consider the type of content you are creating. When people get into content marketing, they are so focused on how to get everything back to them. In the process, they may create dry content that no one wants to read. If your content marketing efforts are not working, take a look at what you are providing your target audience.

You can use tools like Answer The Public, surveys, and good old-fashioned sleuthing to determine the types of posts your target audience wants to see.

Hang out with your target audience where they are. Likely, members of your target audience are in Facebook and LinkedIn groups, and they are on social media. See what they are talking about, what they are having problems with, and how you can solve those problems.

Yes, you can connect your content to your service offerings throughout the post. You have got to give your potential readers what they want though!

What To Do When Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working

4. Consider Putting Some Money Behind Your Content Marketing Efforts

Okay, I know, money is not something you always want to spend, but it can be extremely beneficial if you do it correctly.

Of all the ways to put money behind your content, I would suggest a Pinterest advertisement. Pinterest users are great because they are active. If you set up your pin correctly, many users are ready to purchase, sign up to email lists, and take their relationship with you past the initial reading stage.

The best part about spending money on Pinterest ads, though, is that they will continue to benefit you even after you stop paying for Pinterest ads. Pinterest is all about rewarding activity, so if your sponsored pin was repinned a bunch, you have the opportunity to go viral with the same pin again and again.

If you still aren't convinced, I encourage you to check out the Pinterest Business page for more information about using Pinterest as an advertising tool.

What To Do When Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working

5. Have Patience

Last, but not least, if your content marketing efforts are not working, wait. This won't be an overnight success story. Sure, some companies and entrepreneurs see results right away, but most people won't.

It's okay if it takes content marketing a little while to stick for your brand.

Continue to put out consistent content that wows your audience. You will eventually see the tables turn!

You have to be willing to be patient with this, though, because it won't be one of those marketing strategies that happens right away. Most marketing strategies take time to develop fully. If a marketing strategy claims take no time at all, it probably isn't the best marketing strategy to invest in.

Making true connections with readers and buyers takes time. You should be wary of any practice that claims you'll be an overnight success!

What To Do When Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working

Conclusion: It's Okay If Your Content Marketing Efforts Are Not Working Yet

If you aren't an overnight thought leader, don't worry! You are not alone in that. Most people will need a while before they can claim to be a popular website or blog. Take your time!

I hope that today's blog has given you some insight into what to do when your content marketing efforts are not working. I know that you will be a successful content marketer, with time.

What are you doing to become a better content marketer?

Need some help with content marketing? Contact me to find out how I can help with your content marketing needs!