Content marketers, we’ve got a problem.
Not content shock, quality issues, or the echo chamber.
It’s something that goes a lot deeper than that.
Frankly, it took me by surprise because I’m so comfortable with content marketing, how it works, and why we do it. I didn’t realize how easy it is to misunderstand.
Here’s where I’m coming from…
Last week, Jennifer Mattern wrote a post calling us all out: writers, readers, and “experts.”
READ IT HERE: An Open Letter on Trust, “Experts,” and Blogging
The inspiration, I guess, is politics, which is enough to get anyone fired up. But it really heats up when Jennifer likens politicians to marketers.
Experts, we call ourselves.
Yet too many of us have little to no expertise at all. Head knowledge, maybe. Memorized tidbits from books and courses produced by other “experts.”
Trouble is, that’s not experience, much less expertise.
What these pseudo-experts are good at is pitching the value of their training and courses—which are often just compilations of this book and that, a course here and another one there.
And of course, gullible newbies bite. They don’t know enough to recognize a phony, so they buy the training, learn how to pretend to be an expert, and run off to create their own “authority” product.
Here, here, Jennifer! The point is well taken.
Use Your Gifts for Good, not Evil
We as marketers use tactics of persuasion. We know how to create a connection with our readers, hook them with a strong emotion, and poke their biggest pain point with a stick.
We agitate and prod until they’re begging for relief. Then we make our pitch, add a bit of urgency, and the sale is made.
It’s that easy.
Which is why I talk a lot about trust.
Consumers today are jaded. They know our tricks and resent it when they catch us “selling” them. They don’t mind a pitch, but they want it to be honest.
Tell us what your product does REALLY, without the hype.
To be honest, though, as content marketers we rarely write the hype. We write for the entire customer journey, sure, but most of our energy goes into blog posts, social media, and opt-in offers.
So there’s no danger of us slipping into sleazy marketing, right?
Think again…
The Force vs. The Dark Side
Ironically, it’s not that easy to separate the good from the bad in marketing. Even well-intentioned marketers move to the Dark Side when profits are on the line.
It’s an easy slip.
Because we use the same tactics.
Ethical marketers and hypesters both write blog posts and deliver “value in advance” through webinars, ebooks, and social media.
So it’s no wonder Jennifer got an irate comment from an up-and-coming digital marketer. This is just an excerpt, but see if you can spot the confusion.
I’m not stupid or lazy but I fit the bill for the freelance writer mistakes that you talk about here …. Because I am transforming my livelihood to online and have gone about it ONLY via online channels and it is all new to me over the last few years, I have listened to what pro writers, editors, and writing sites galore have taught me and that’s everything you state in this piece as WRONG! OMG.
I’m at wit’s end …. I’m struggling with following the “rules” as they’ve been laid out to me by the “big time industry leaders and writers alike” of blogging.
Look, I’m pissed that I fit your description and I’m pissed that I’m working so very very hard but not getting great results.
My guess is she feels like she’s been led astray by pseudo-experts. But look at what she’s been doing.
I have been guest blogging to gain notice and I have linked to sources which are sometimes blog sources (because I was told that’s the way it is done in blogging) and I do reach out to “authority” and whomever I link to to build relationships and, again, get some notice and help with social media marketing, etc. and maybe even business leads.
Guest blogging. Mentioning experts. Linking to them. Reaching out to them.
From an inbound marketing perspective, she’s doing everything right! Better than more experienced marketers, in fact.
Here’s the Truth
“The results I get from content marketing are attention, name recognition, and interest.” The only thing she’s a victim of is the distressingly slow time frame of content marketing.
There’s no easy button, and results can take a l-o-n-g time. But let’s qualify what we mean by “results.”
Results from content aren’t limited to sales. Content rarely makes the sale. It gets you noticed. It nurtures relationship. It makes people click through to a sales page. I’ve even had people call me after reading a blog post—they don’t want to wait on an email.
But the sales discussion isn’t done in my content. The results I see from my content are attention, name recognition, and interest.
And those are results. As are social shares, subscribers, and clickthrough.
They’re all early stages of the customer journey. If you aren’t seeing these results, you won’t likely see sales, either.
So let’s get clear about what we’re doing here and why.
It’s Time to Reset Expectations
“Business is business, no matter where you build it. Expect a lot of sweat equity. Years of it, in most cases.” When I coach writers and content marketers, I try to set realistic expectations.
Hiring yourself out as a writer won’t make you rich in most cases. You’ll do better creating your own products—provided, as Jennifer says, you have actual expertise in something.
Plus, content is only part of the equation. You still need other things in place—funnels, landing pages, and product pages that lead to clicks and calls, for instance.
And while content marketing is super-effective for building name recognition and trust, it’s not a quick fix. You have to be prepared for that.
I often walk away from those conversations feeling that only part of my message was heard. They tend to hear the encouraging bits but ignore the warnings.
It’s true. We hear what we want to hear.
So maybe we need to say it more often.
As marketers and trainers and experts, we need to set realistic expectations so people understand just how much work this is.
Digital isn’t quicker or easier. Content isn’t an easy button. Business is business, no matter where you build it. Which means you should expect a lot of sweat equity. Years of it, in most cases.
Six figures in a year? Not likely.
The Bottom Line
If you want to build a business you can be proud of, you’re probably using content marketing. But come to think of it, if you’re a hypester, you’re probably using content marketing too.
What that means is this: The tactics don’t matter.
What matters is the motivation behind them.
The same tactics that are used for good can also be used to manipulate and take advantage of people.
That doesn’t make the tactics bad or wrong. Neither does it mean all coaches and trainers are shysters. You just need to be realistic.
Content takes time. Time to create. Time to promote. And time to get results.
So don’t complain. Make sure you’re learning from a real expert. Identify your best audience and give them real solutions to real problems.
Then rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat.
