Why Customers Are Bored With Your Cybersecurity Content

Here's the cold, hard truth about writing cybersecurity content: It ain't all that sexy. It's a complex topic full of jargon and tech speak. When you start droning on and on about cloud-based and on-premises deployment flexibility or SIEM for AI-native SOC, your readers' eyes start to glaze over.

I see this type of yawn-worthy content constantly. I get it. You want to sound like you know what you're talking about, and you do (know what you're talking about), but pulling every buzzword and acronym out of your bag of content tricks likely won't help with conversions and sales. Plus, you start to sound like everyone else.

In today’s digital landscape, keeping your audience engaged is more challenging than ever. It's a constant barrage of content that creates information overload. There's a lot out there that's competing for your customers' attention. They quickly become bored if the content is stale, repetitive, and too complex.

You want to make the buying decision easy for your readers, and that starts with your content- from your website and landing pages to your blogs, newsletters, and social media posts.

If you're noticing dwindling engagement or conversion metrics, it's time to reassess and rejuvenate your content strategy. Here’s why your customers might be bored with your content and what you can do about it.

1. It lacks originality

Anyone can publish content full of jargon, speeds, and feeds, but no one wants to read it.

The Solution: Differentiate your content by offering unique insights, opinions, or solutions that your competitors aren't providing. Conduct original research, publish original studies, share personal anecdotes, or develop a distinct brand voice. Simplify the language so your readers can easily digest it and pick up what you're putting down.

2. It's overly promotional

Have you ever been at a party or dinner when the person to whom you are talking only talks about themselves ad nauseam? Boring and annoying, right? That's how your customers feel when they read your content and it's all "me, me me, and some more about me." You're great. Your products are best-of-breed solutions, and they practically walk on water. Wonderful, but it's not always about you.

The Solution: Focus on creating value for your audience. Publish insightful and educational content that addresses common pain points, offers actionable tips, and provides genuine value. This will keep your readers coming back for more and wanting to buy from you.

3. Publishing repetitive content

If you cover the same topics repeatedly as everyone else in the industry, your content can begin to feel stale. If your audience feels like they've read it all before, they’ll disengage and move on. NEXT!

The Solution: Expand your content horizons. Use tools like Google Trends or AnswerThePublic to discover new topics that are gaining interest. Diversify your content formats as well—incorporate infographics, videos, podcasts, and interactive content to keep things fresh.

4. Poor quality content

My eyes bleed when I read sloppy content that clearly wasn't proofed and or thoroughly researched. Content that is poorly written, visually unappealing, or difficult to read can turn off your audience and make them call your competition ASAP. Spelling and grammar errors, not citing resources, and unattractive layouts can all contribute to a negative reader experience and company perception.

The Solution: Invest in high-quality copywriting and design. Use professional editing tools and services to polish your content. Ensure your website and content are visually appealing and easy to navigate. The best solution: Hire an experienced copywriter, proofreader, and editor to ensure you publish high-quality content and give your readers a positive engagement experience.

5. Ignoring trends and analytics

If you’re not using data to guide your content strategy, you’re likely missing out on key insights into the latest trends and what your audience wants. Guesswork can lead to irrelevant content that fails to resonate, engage, and convert.

The Solution: Use analytics to track content performance. Tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and social media insights can provide valuable data on what types of content perform best. Also, stay current with industry trends and be ready to pivot your strategy accordingly. Follow industry leaders, subscribe to relevant newsletters, and participate in professional forums. Timely and insightful content that addresses the latest trends and content performance will keep your audience engaged and informed.

Keeping your audience engaged requires a proactive and dynamic content strategy. By focusing on originality, providing genuine value, diversifying your content, ensuring quality, leveraging data, and staying current with trends, you can create content that captivates your audience almost as much as the final scene in "The Unusual Suspects."

Remember, the key to avoiding content fatigue and boring your audience to death is continuous innovation and a deep understanding of it's evolving interests and needs.