No matter how much some would hate to admit it, content is still king. It means that if you're seriously thinking about developing your brand, you can't do without it. What does it take? An effective content marketing strategy, of course. However, it's not that simple. In 2024, there are a lot of content marketing myths that can misinform even experienced marketers, let alone newbies.Today, I want to tell you about things you should have stopped believing long ago. These are myths about content marketing that you've definitely encountered. I'm not going to look at them through the lens of a copywriter who believes that the more articles, the better (yeah, it is one of the misconceptions we'll talk about), but from a business development perspective. So, here we go!
What Is Content Marketing?
The goal of any marketing strategy is to increase brand awareness. As interest in it grows, the number of customers who want to order the product or services will also grow. As a result, the income of the business will also increase.
Clearly, content marketing strategy has the same objective. However, you should clearly understand that the goal is not to get people to buy your product or order a service. You should present them in such a way as to interest a potential client. If you focus only on the end goal — sales — this narrow vision will discourage the user from exploring your product. Of course, business growth is out of the question in such a case.
Properly organized content marketing has the potential to be the starting point for your terrific results. This way, you will get loyal customers and new interested users. It will not only increase trust in your brand but will also have a positive impact on sales. In addition, quality and unique content (articles, videos, podcasts) becomes an argument that you are worth trusting.
5 Content Marketing Myths That Are Hurting Your Brand
I found 5 surprisingly common content marketing myths that are hurting your business. These are the ones that prevent you from connecting with your audience and getting closer to your goal. Let's talk about them in detail.
Myth 1. AI-Generated Content Can Fully Replace Human Creativity
AI has really taken a huge step forward in the last year and a half. However, it still can't replace humans (spoiler: and won't). Some business owners, especially those recently started, believe the opposite. They utilize the generated Chat GPT articles and pictures that Midjourney creates. And that's a big mistake that can destroy everything you've accomplished with content marketing.
While AI can perfectly complement human ideas in creating videos, it remains feeble in article writing. Google's August 2024 core update has already shown that blogs created by experts in their field will be at the top of the search engines. Only they can create something new and share stories of practice when it comes to textual content. AI is only able to find existing information and rephrase it if necessary.
I'm not saying that AI should be abandoned entirely. That would be silly of me because I used it to create the avatar for the home page of my website :) AI can be a great assistant in social media marketing, creating previews and videos and giving ideas for new posts. However, it cannot replace human charisma, narrative style, and empathy.
Myth 2. The More Content, the Better
It is one of the most shared content marketing myths you need to stop believing. Those who start blogging are especially eager to fall into this trap. These people think that the more content they provide to their audience in a short period, the better. For them, however, quality takes a back seat to quality. The same story often happens with link-building experts who believe that the quantity of backlinks is much more important than their quality, and the website suffers as a result.
Put yourself in the shoes of a user who is looking for information. What will he choose: a lot of useless content or a small amount of beneficial content? The answer is clear.
Only high-quality content can bring more customers and take your brand to the next level. You will have to work hard and spend a lot of time to create a good article or video. However, the effort is worth it because Google rewards quality content creators.
There is only a tiny amount of truth in this myth. You must create content regularly. Otherwise, you run the risk that users will simply lose interest in your brand.
Myth 3. Content Marketing Brings Rapid Results
It is one of the standard content marketing myths. The belief leads to negative results. Gradual growth is a result worth striving for. All marketing specialists and experts from related fields talk about it. However, impatient business owners don't always realize it. They believe that in a couple of weeks, the number of visits to the website will grow by leaps and bounds and are disappointed when it doesn't happen.
Content marketing is about building trust with your audience. Since we don't exist in a vacuum, we must compete for users' attention. In addition, search engines also need time to analyze the content on your website and assess whether it is of high quality.
If you promote your content for pay, you can expect faster results. You will have to wait if you only count on its quality and value. To evaluate the effectiveness of your content marketing strategy, you can use online tools, which are plentiful on the Internet. For example, you can track the growth in the number of visitors to your website in Google Analytics.
Myth 4. SEO Is No Longer Relevant in Content Marketing
Remember: SEO will remain relevant for a long time to come. Anyone who claims otherwise simply doesn't know what they're talking about. SEO enables the target audience to get the content they are interested in, which is what many experts base their content marketing strategy on.
Generally, such myths about content came about when AI tools caught the audience's interest. As I said before, they cannot replace humans. Only a human can understand what motivates users and what content interests them. It is the human factor that makes all the difference. Conversely, AI can help you find keywords or provide new ideas that can be used.
Myth 5. Not All Businesses Need Content Marketing
It is one of the content marketing myths that gives experts a heart attack. Some business owners believe that they don't need articles, videos, podcasts, and social media posts to succeed. In reality, however, the opposite is strictly true. Content marketing helps companies create long-term relationships with customers that drive results. Regardless of what niche you are working in, it makes sense.
However, there is a nuance to consider here. When building a content marketing strategy, remember that users subconsciously resist anything encouraging them to buy a product or order a service. You need to INVITE them with your content. There are many ways you can do this, for example:
- provide case studies;
- post funny pictures and memes;
- back up your words with links to research and much more!
Ways to Improve Your Content Marketing
We discovered what content marketing myths could prevent your brand from growing in 2024. But how can you improve your strategy to get the results you want? I've prepared some tips that are sure to be helpful:
- Learn content marketing trends. That way, you can quickly adapt to the changing world of marketing and be on the same page with your target audience.
- Focus less on sales. Remember that your goal is to interest potential customers. If you can do that, you won't have a problem with sales.
- Be relevant and valuable to the audience. Take a portrait of the people you are creating content for. For example, include memes and funny stories in your content marketing strategy to appeal to Generation Z. They will definitely appreciate it.
Closing Thoughts
Content marketing best practice myths are just myths. There are plenty of them in 2024, but they are not to be believed. If you discard them, you can effectively implement your chosen strategy, gain the trust of new customers, and strengthen relationships with old ones. Remember that content marketing is a long-term investment, so spare no time for it.
FAQ
What Content Marketing Myths Are the Most Common in 2024?
Lately, a common myth has been that AI will be able to replace humans in terms of content marketing. This is false because it cannot be as creative and empathic as a human being.
Why Is Content Marketing Important?
With content marketing, you can engage your audience and increase the trust of your existing customers. All this will allow you to expand your business and increase sales in the long run.
Why is it Important to Follow Content Marketing Trends?
Content marketing trends provide valuable guidance and a great way to grasp your brand's present and future path. It is essential for remaining relevant and valuable to the audience.