How to prevent content fatigue
Count to 60. In the last minute, 3.5 million searches were performed on Google; 40,000 hours worth of songs were listened to on Spotify; 156 emails were sent; and 300,000 apps were downloaded. There are 1,440 new posts on WordPress; over 400,000 new tweets on Twitter; 46,000 new posts on Instagram; and 1.8 million fresh snaps on Snapchat. The internet is flooded with new content every day—so much so that it gives totally new meaning to “cutting through the noise.”
Even the savviest content marketing expert can get tired of trying to come up with new ways to create compelling pieces that catch their audience’s attention. It can often feel like everything’s been done. This, of course, is a dangerous mentality to fall into. Valuable content earns people’s trust, gains authority and traction, and drives conversions—and there are many ways to shake off your fatigue.
Refresh old content
In order to refresh your blog, you don’t have to start from scratch. In fact, refreshing old content can be an effective way to attract new traffic. If you’re wondering which pieces may be in need of an update, consider the following:
- Can a topical blog post be adapted into an evergreen article? Or, is the inverse possible—can you turn an evergreen article into a topical piece by connecting it to current events and conversations?
- Does the data back it up? Is this post already popular with readers, or attracting attention from other sites? What’s the bounce rate of a story or page? You want people to click through to your website and services after viewing your content—but too often, users exit (“bounce”) if nothing else grabs their attention.
Asking yourself these questions can help you know whether to add these posts back into your editorial calendar. Just because you are reusing, doesn’t mean you can’t revise or expand.
Shift your focus
If you’re feeling burned out from your current content, you have a great opportunity to shift the focus off your brand—for instance, by sharing the spotlight with your customers.
Case studies are a great way to raise awareness and attract attention. By highlighting how your company can solve problems using real-life examples, you’ll make a strong impression—while highlighting your loyal clients or customers. Considering 88 percent of customers read reviews to determine the quality of a business’ services, including testimonials from customers in your case studies is an intelligent way to use your owned channels to convince your audience of the value you can bring to the table.
You can also consider doing a roundup of timely events in your industry. Not only is it a fun and relatively easy post to publish, but by adding commentary on industry ongoings, you can demonstrate your own in-depth knowledge.
Master classes and webinars are another good way to flex on your expertise while giving your audience valuable content. Take a look at your internal materials—can any of them be repurposed as external-facing marketing resources?
Interviews with your clients—particularly if they’re the end users of your B2B product—can add credibility to your brand, while helping to share the spotlight with your valued clients (who, typically, will share the article with their network and extend its reach).
Think beyond blog posts
When it comes to “content,” the sky is truly the limit—but too often brands only think of content in terms of weekly or daily blog posts on their industry, services, or product. If you’re feeling fatigued on this format, ask yourself: how could this post work as an infographic? Would it be more impactful as a video?
Once you try to relay information to your consumers through new media formats, you can shake off your fatigue and resonate with your audience in different ways. After all, the human brain is hardwired to process images faster than text (it takes 250 milliseconds, in total, for us to process an image and attach meaning to it—half the amount of time that it takes the brain to process and attach meaning to words). We’re also better at remembering visuals—so integrating color, movement, and images into your content is a surefire way to relay information to your audience that will stick.
For instance, infographics are one of the most effective design formats to combat content fatigue. They’re also highly shareable, helping you to gain organic traffic and traction across the web.
One of the biggest trends of 2017 was the rise of video in content marketing; it’s predicted that 80 percent of online content will be video by 2019. Considering that the average online user spends nearly two hours per day watching content, it’s important that you think about how video can play into your content strategy. Instead of a piece of thought leadership, could you feature a video interview with your CEO instead? What about a “how-to” guide that shows your audience how to use your product or service, rather than telling them? Words aren’t always the most effective way to relay a concept, whether that’s how to tie your shoes, or make the most of a new software reporting functionality.
Larger trends in marketing point to the fact that brands are not only becoming publishers of content, but creators of storytelling and sharing environments. In 2018, Disney plans to launch an ESPN-branded service that will stream live sporting events directly to users’ phones, and a number of companies have started using Facebook Live to run Q&As and live stream events. Brands are finding creative ways to use video to drive engagement and connect with their audiences. If you’re wanting to mix up your content types, consider using video to stream special events, conferences, or Q&A sessions.
Turn to the data
Your content ideas shouldn’t be a shot-in-the-dark. Instead, it should be informed by a number of data points, including what has performed well for you historically, what topics are currently trending, what your competitors are posting, and what users are searching for and sharing across the web. Our CEO Dario Meli always says that if you’re not using data, you’re either lucky or you’re wrong. Data and content marketing should be inextricable from one another. Google Analytics can give you a wealth of insights into where you should direct your efforts, but you shouldn’t stop there. There are a number of other tools that can help you track your efforts depending on your specific goals and KPIs.
Not sure where to start? We’re here to help. At Quietly, we know that content fatigue may seem insurmountable—but with a combination of data, research, and creativity, you can make content that will keep your readers coming back for more.