What Are the Top Mistakes When it Comes to Content Marketing?

Sharing content is one of the best ways to expand your network, increase your sales pipeline, and strengthen your brand, but it’s not as simple as just typing up a blog post every now and then. If you want to create effective content, you need to commit to working strategically. Naturally, knowing what not to do is a great jumping-off point. Here are a few of the common mistakes loan officers make when it comes to content marketing:

Inconsistency

Content marketing isn’t just about keeping up appearances. It’s about strengthening your overall brand and positioning yourself as an expert in the field. This means you need to view your content as a collection of work, not just as individual pieces. Everything you post needs to be readable and needs to stand alone, but it also needs to contribute to your greater branding message. The best way to do this is by being consistent in your writing. Use a tone that reflects your personality and a style that’s recognizable. Write about the issues that are most important to you and pay attention to what people are responding to. Keeping your content consistent ensures that it all works together to bolster your brand.

Long-Windedness

To make great content, you don’t need 1,000 words or a 5-minute video. In reality, you’ll get the best response by making your content succinct and easily consumed by your audience — something that can be read or watched in 2-3 minutes. If you’re writing, consider how your formatting can help make your post easier for audiences to read. While an occasional lengthy post is fine, keeping your content concise and to the point is important.

Posting Infrequently

Content works to establish your online presence. Sporadic posting will not help you achieve the best results. Instead, create (and follow) a content schedule. Putting it on the calendar will help you share content consistently. Once a week is a fine place to start, adding more if and when you see the benefit. Frequent posting familiarizes your audience with your brand and increases recognition and trust.

Being Slow to Reply to Comments (Or not Replying at All)

One of the top goals of content marketing is engagement. We’re sharing ideas with the aim of connecting with our audience. If someone comments on a post or asks a question, it’s important to respond promptly to continue the dialogue. Consistent, high-quality content is a sign to your audience that there’s a real person behind the brand. If they don’t get a reply to their comment or the reply comes a week later, it defeats the purpose.

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Content marketing is a terrific way to share ideas, engage with your network, and build your brand. You’ll have an easier time getting traction if you avoid these mistakes.

If you’d like to talk more about creating effective content, or if there’s another issue I can be of assistance with, don’t hesitate to reach out — I’m always happy to set aside some time to connect.