Has Content Lost Its Shiny Crown?

Content is KING.

How many times have you seen this phrase over the last few years? As Google makes change after change after change to its search algorithms, one thing has remained the same: Content is king. Now that you’ve finally been convinced to keep up with your blog and offer occasional ebooks, is it possible that content has actually lost its luster?

Think for just a moment about the millions of blogs out there. Some brands update their content multiple times per day, especially when you consider the stories posted to social media accounts, company blogs, and syndication sites. With so much information readily available, is your content even worth the time it takes to write it?

This, then, begs the question: has content lost its shiny crown? How can content be king if it no longer gets results? We say YES. Content is, indeed, still king. But you have to do it right. Just posting a regular blog and sending out a flurry of LinkedIn updates will no longer do the trick. How can you keep your content on the throne? Here are a few tips.

Relevant to Buyer Personas

You should be pretty familiar with your buyer personas by now. They should feel like old friends that you can reach out and chat with any time. If your buyer personas are still strangers, it’s time to get to know them better. If not, you’ll miss the mark every time with your content.

Keep in mind that your buyer personas don’t change from platform to platform. Sure, Twitter and Facebook might be a little more relaxed than your blog or LinkedIn, but that doesn’t mean you should abandon the voice and language your buyer personas react to.

Solves the Buyers’ Pain Points

Every piece of content you publish, no matter the platform, should have one goal: to soothe your buyers’ pain points. If you’re publishing content for the benefit of SEO, to fill out the empty spaces on your site, or just because you think you have to, then you’re not reaching that goal.

And guess what. If you aren’t solving your buyers’ problems, they have no reason to read your content. That’s exactly how content might slip from king to pauper in a matter of minutes.

Meets the Buyers in the Buying Cycle

If you are writing for your buyer personas and actively working to soothe their pain points, then your content is still in line for the crown. Your next step is to make sure that content meets the buyers where they are in the buying cycle. Without some specific information, you’ll have trouble making this work. After all, how do you know where a complete stranger is in his decision to buy?

Tracking your metrics, following up with prospects, and actively engaging in social listening will all help you determine where your buyers are in the buying cycle. Those who have interacted with your company for any reason are no longer strangers. You can provide those leads with the information they need to make a decision.

Maintains Your Brand Voice and Message

So, your content meets the specifications above but still isn’t sticking with your target audience. Why? What’s keeping your contributions from ascending to the throne?

To answer this, you may need to go back to the beginning. Have you maintained a consistent brand voice throughout, regardless of where the content was published? If not, your potential customers might just be a little confused. If you’re happy and funny one day but serious the next, which should they believe is more indicative of your brand?

Maintaining your brand voice is the final step. If you can get your voice and message under control, start prepping for a coronation service, because your content is king once more.

If you aren’t sure where to turn, we’re always here to help. From a brand audit to determine your best voice and message to an examination of your current content to identify potential problems, we can get you back on track.