3 Reasons Your Content is Wack.
Attention spans are so short memes and reels are considered effective content. A
common client phrase is, “I’m not reading all of that!” Companies are spending millions of
dollars to undergoing massive content updates to meet the changing needs of clients,
but some continue to miss the mark. Here are three reasons your content is wack.
- You are not honest with your SMEs
In many companies – especially financial institutions, subject matter experts (SMEs) are
“untouchable”. They often have a reputation for being difficult partners because they
always get their way, and they can be oblivious to clients’ changing content needs. How
do you tell the chief strategist or other leaders they are terrible writers…and keep your
job? In the world of business, numbers are superior to words. Marketing and
communications teams that invest in metrics have an easier time getting SMEs to
undergo communications training, or at the very least open themselves up to feedback. If
the SMEs see the long-winded, boring video received four clicks in six months and not
one person watched it entirely, then they may be more open to updating their
communications style. If you don’t have access to metrics, you may need to invest in
outside consultants, copywriters or agencies that can provide honest assessments. - Your teams are not diverse
You may get away with diversity of thought internally, but we are talking about diversity in
race and ethnicity. Too many marketing and communications writers and SMEs are all
white and it shows in the words, metaphors, examples and references used in content. As
demographics change, clients want to hear and see relatable content that resonates with
their lifestyles, experiences and goals. Sometimes, we come across content that has
already been vetted and approved and we find racially offensive language. If your
company is hierarchical and all the content producers are white, then you may want to
look at that, but in the meantime, tap into talent at other levels, empower them, give them
credit and exposure that can benefit the company and clients. - You are not checking out your competition
It is a costly mistake to overlook the progress of your competition. We are surprised at
how many marketing and communications executives and SMEs don’t conduct
competitive analysis on a regular basis. When we meet with new clients and reference
competitors’ marketing, they are often oblivious. Even when planning to update an entire
website, a team will overlook perusing other sites to compare direction. When they do,
they sometimes find their update is already outdated. Clients are constantly conducting
competitive analysis and looking at websites, email communication, mailers and social
media to assess whether you’re meeting their needs. How can you show your value if you
don’t know what others are offering?
In fragmented industries where clients have an overwhelming number of options for
information, it is important to create content that is engaging and has an interesting
perspective. Our approach to content strategy includes communications training for
marketing and communication executives and SMEs, ideation and content creation with
diverse perspectives and competitive analysis to help you reach your goals.