Content marketing: Common content fears, and how to squash them

Used effectively, content marketing can be the medium that connects you to your current and prospective customers, providing great brand and business-building opportunities. Unfortunately, many companies waste time and money because they don’t know how to create content that engages with and influences their target audiences. This points to the fundamental issue that some brands struggle to overcome a number of key content marketing fears.

Based on our 15 years of experience partnering with businesses big and small, these are the five biggest content marketing challenges faced by companies today. Plus our simple suggestions on how to conquer them!

😱 The fear: Unoriginality

Your competitor produces a fantastic piece of content that garners them a lot of views, a lot of engagement, and a (perceived) huge ROI. Naturally you want a piece of the pie, but don’t want to be hit with accusations of plagiarism. 

How to squash it: Realistically speaking, there are no original ideas, even in marketing. Every idea and headline has been hashed, rehashed, and rehashed. Therefore it’s more about presenting similar content in a new and appealing way: 

• Look for ideas everywhere. Even other industries.
• Ask your audience what they want.
• Look for gaps to fill.
• Share your company's perspective.
• Tell compelling stories.

😱 The fear: Justifying costs

So, you have to justify the huge content marketing campaign you have planned to the number crunchers on your team—eek!

How to squash it: Remember that you have hard data on your side, and use sales, web traffic, and social engagement metrics to convince any critics that your content marketing is paying off. Especially when you’re writing about things your customers love, content marketing works. It may be a slow game, but when every piece of content that you produce builds on the last, your library becomes a powerhouse at attracting leads. 

😱 The fear: Failure

A thought leader in your niche has already covered your next blog topic and (in your eyes) did it so well that you believe adding your voice will bring nothing new to the conversation. 

How to squash it: Every company has to start somewhere, and when it comes to new ideas, don’t feel bad if someone gets to one first. At the end of the day, your contribution keeps the conversation going and gives you an opportunity to reach out to other leaders in your industry.

😱The fear: Being boring

You work in a “boring” industry and making interesting content that attracts new people feels like a slog. 

How to squash it: Whether it’s the industry you work in, or just a particular topic that lacks the excitement your potential customer’s need to feel engaged, it’s up to you to think in unexpected ways. Take a step back from the obvious topics and hit it from a new angle. For instance: 

• Embrace controversy
• Tell stories
• Focus on practical topics
• Include images and video
• Write in a casual, personal voice
• Accept and emphasize your sense of humor

😱 The fear: Poor engagement 

You’re about to put a lot of resources into a piece of content but you’re worried that it might not have enough effect to really move the needle.

How to squash it: If you’ve got a truly excellent piece of content that simply isn’t doing its job, it’s time to consider both sides—the writing and the marketing. Ask yourself:

• Are we taking full advantage of every channel that might bring our work to the forefront? 
• Are we marketing to the wrong audience? 

Working with a marketing agency

At Prism Digital, we’re immersed in content marketing on a daily basis. We write about it, we execute it on behalf of clients and we even do it for our ourselves. Hello, we’re doing it now! 

If your business could benefit from a partner agency that recognizes the value of quality content—distributed at the right time, in the right places, to the right people—we’d be more than happy to help.