Content strategy is about more than just blogging once a week. I recognise that not all companies have the same budget as Coca-Cola for their content strategy. But there is still so much you can do on a shoestring budget.

In an ideal world, every company would take the time to figure out what their customers want and then take the time to figure out how they’re going to deliver that. Sadly, this is rarely the case.

Content marketing isn’t like PPC. It isn’t something you can turn on and then it will instantly start driving traffic to your website. It isn’t free, but it doesn’t charge you per click. Put the work in now, and over time you should see a steady stream of traffic to your website.

If you’re not seeing the results you want to see from your content strategy, this might be why…

1. You think content marketing is only blogging

Content marketing is about more than just blogging once a week. It’s about finding a way to reach your ideal customers online, answer their questions, capture their attention and convert them into customers. The content you use to do this will vary depending on your industry and what your customers need from you. Think beyond the blog and figure out what your customers need and how you can deliver it to them. Be helpful!

2. You’re using the wrong social media platforms

Wasting time on the wrong platforms is just, well, a waste of time. Don’t be afraid to stay away from some platforms if they don’t work for your business.

How do you know if they work for your business?

Because your customers are there. If your customers aren’t there then you don’t need to be either. Stop wasting time and resources screaming into the void.

3. You refuse to pay for marketing

I am all for taking a lean approach to marketing – some might even call it a cheap approach to marketing. But organic engagement on social media is only going to get you so far.

Think of organic marketing as the thing that you do to make your paid marketing look better. Through paid campaigns, you can target niche groups of people who might be interested in your products or services.

4. You don’t bother with keyword research

Keyword research should be the cornerstone of all organic SEO campaigns. Keyword research not only helps to shape your content marketing campaigns but it also offers insight into what people are actually searching.

You’d be surprised how often business owners think they know what their customers are searching for and in reality, they’re nowhere near it.

On the flip side of this, getting too obsessed with the keyword research can be just as damaging. Publishing nonsense blogs just for the sake of working a keyword into your website content is a great way to get your website ignored by Google.

5. You’re obsessed with the latest fad

When it comes to content marketing, consistency is key. There is no secret sauce. There is no secret ranking signal. There is no shortcut. Getting bogged down in the latest fad to hit the content marketing industry is one way to waste your time doing something that ultimately won’t have any impact on your website traffic.

So what can you do instead?

Focus on being relevant.

The only thing Google cares about when it comes to content marketing is relevance. If you are consistently publishing content which is relevant to the audience and this relevance is reflected in your website traffic you’re on the right track.