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Here are five common mistakes inexperienced founders make when experimenting with content. … [+]
Content marketing is one of the most important promotional strategies for early stage startups. The reason for this is that it can be done without capital and, if done well, can provide a significant return on the time and effort invested.
However, without adjusting content marketing strategy Depending on your abilities and needs, you could very well be wasting your time.
Here are some common mistakes inexperienced founders make when trying content marketing for the first time.
1. Too little investment of time and resources
Content marketing can be done without money, but it takes time and resources to be effective. You need to be able to consistently produce high-quality content, and on top of that you need to put extra effort into promoting your content.
This is not something every early stage startup can do. If you have little time, we recommend investing in developing, testing, and selling your product, and deferring content marketing until you can do it right.
2. Focus on quantity over quality
Given limited time and resources, we often have to choose between quality and quantity. In that case, you have to choose quality. Quantity is great, but content quality is non-negotiable.
We live in the age of user-generated content. There is an ocean of things to read, see and hear. This means that in order to stand out, you have to create content that is really great for your target audience.
3. Have unrealistic expectations of quality
That said, as an early-stage startup, you need to put your expectations of quality in the right context. High quality content does not necessarily require high production value. A high product value is usually too high for an early-stage startup, so you need to provide enough value in other ways. Usually to say something original, useful, or interesting about the subject.
A high level of sophistication and high production value are two of the many factors that make content successful, but by and large they don’t matter. Given the cost, it’s not worth the investment during the early stages of a startup when resources are scarce.
4. Don’t define your target audience
One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to cater to a general audience. Instead, during the early startup stages, you should focus on niches that are hungry for great content and add your own twist.
You need to know who your ideal customers are, what their weaknesses are, and how your product or service can help them. It will resonate with users.
Clear targeting makes promoting your content much easier, and the feedback and communication you receive is much more productive for your product development efforts.
Last but not least, choosing a niche avoids direct competition with professionals who have access to more resources.
5. Create content that is too promotional
Your audience doesn’t want to be sold every time. They want valuable, educational content that helps them solve problems or learn something new. Content marketing usually happens at the beginning of the sales funnel. You need to provide value to your audience and earn their trust first. Only as a result can leads be acquired and converted.
In summary:
- Keep in mind that doing content marketing well requires a significant investment of time and effort.
- Focus on quality over quantity, but learn how to deliver quality without consuming too many resources
- Promoting targeted and intentional content
- Don’t oversell most content