{"id":10925,"date":"2022-02-08T11:30:06","date_gmt":"2022-02-08T11:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/02\/08\/15-digital-content-mistakes-that-can-hurt-your-brand\/"},"modified":"2022-02-08T11:30:06","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T11:30:06","slug":"15-digital-content-mistakes-that-can-hurt-your-brand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/02\/08\/15-digital-content-mistakes-that-can-hurt-your-brand\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Digital Content Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Brand"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"Just as content can help your brand, it can hurt it, too.<\/p>\n

Publishing the wrong content can take many forms, but the end results are similar. At worst, it could seriously damage your brand. At best, your content will be ignored.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve rounded up most of the biggest suspects when it comes to content that does more harm than good, so you can avoid them and only create content that really helps your brand.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Too much promotional content<\/h2>\n

Ever been stuck in a conversation with a serial bragger? Yawn.<\/p>\n

People who go on about how great they are get boring fast \u2013 the same goes for brands. After all, your relationship with your customers should be about them, not you. If you ignore their needs, they\u2019ll assume you\u2019ve got nothing for them and head elsewhere.<\/p>\n

The 80\/20 rule has been cited as the effective social media content ratio<\/a>.<\/u> Focus 80% of your posts on informing and entertaining your followers, while just 20% should be about your business. Similarly, the five-three-two rule says for every 10 posts published, five should be curated from others\u2019 content, three should be original to your brand, and two should be personal and fun to humanize your brand<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But do these rules still hold true? In general, yes. While the ratio may vary, always put your audience first when choosing what to publish.<\/p>\n

Always put your audience first when choosing what to publish, says @IrwinHau via @CMIContent. #ContentMarketing <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

TIP:<\/strong> Not sure if your brand is dominating the conversation? Review<\/a> your past month of posts and identify how many are related to what\u2019s important to your brand and how many are related to what\u2019s important to your audience. (Some may address both audiences.) If the number for your brand is higher than for your audience, you\u2019re talking too much about the brand.<\/p>\n

2. Email inundation<\/h2>\n

Consider these two eye-opening statistics<\/a>: 76% of customers expect consistent interaction with a brand regardless of department. Yet only 54% say it seems sales, service, and marketing teams are siloed and don\u2019t share information.<\/p>\n

That disconnect often shows up in the customers\u2019 inboxes. For example, a promotional email is sent. Within minutes, a newsletter shows up in an inbox, followed two hours later with a feedback request from customer service.<\/p>\n

That lack of cohesive distribution can prompt your audience to be frustrated with the quantity and disparate connection of your brand\u2019s communication. They are likely to unsubscribe<\/a> from all your brand\u2019s emails \u2013 even the ones they found some value.<\/p>\n

Work across silos to coordinate your email outreach with your audience. If that\u2019s not feasible, update your \u201cunsubscribe\u201d form to give them choices on what content they would like to receive (and not receive.)<\/p>\n

Word across silos to coordinate #email outreach with your audience so you don\u2019t inundate them, says @IrwinHau via @CMIContent. #ContentMarketing <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

3. Overly negative content<\/h2>\n

Doomscrolling<\/a> is a thing, but it shouldn\u2019t be something your brand leans into. Though negative content<\/a> is shared more than positive content, the publisher of that negative content is not necessarily regarded more highly.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t see talking about a customer\u2019s pain points as the same as negative content. If you offer a solution, that\u2019s good marketing. But if you start and end on a negative note, your brand is just being a downer.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Discover the Secrets to Successful Content Creation<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

4. Talk about potentially controversial topics<\/h2>\n

Since the 1800s, some form of the saying, \u201cNever discuss politics or religion in polite company<\/a>,\u201d has been around. And the same holds true for brands when talking to their audiences.<\/p>\n

Bring up highly polarizing and emotional topics only if they are part of your brand\u2019s mission<\/a> and approach to business. If they are, do so in a measured and well-researched way.<\/p>\n

5. Bad writing and design<\/h2>\n

If your words are riddled with poor grammar, your message won\u2019t sit right and may not even be understood. The same goes for poor design of your content. Good writing and design have the power to build your brand\u2019s personality, weave stories, and inspire.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: The Best Proofreading and Editing Tips (Spoiler: Don\u2019t Do Them at the Same Time)<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

6. Inconsistent voice<\/h2>\n

Along with bad copy and bad design, content that seems to have a personality<\/a> crisis is another major turnoff.<\/p>\n

#Content that seems to have a personality crisis is another major turnoff, says @IrwinHau via @CMIContent. #ContentMarketing <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

One minute, your brand posts cat memes related to your topic. The next post is a deep think piece. You end up with a puzzled audience who don\u2019t have a clue as to what your brand\u2019s voice is.<\/p>\n

Always keep your brand voice and style<\/a> in mind as you create and publish content.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 5 Steps to Find Your Brand Voice<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

7. Boring subject lines<\/h2>\n

Sixty-four percent say they decide to open emails based on subject lines, according to a 2021 Barilliance survey<\/a>. And still, subject lines like \u201cread me\u201d or \u201ccheck this out\u201d are a dime a dozen. While they may directly invite someone to open the email, they don\u2019t really speak to the recipient. They also don\u2019t help the readers understand what they might get if they open it.<\/p>\n

Craft engaging subject lines and personalize them whenever possible.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 10 Best Practices to Write the Perfect Email Subject Line<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

8. Same content on every platform<\/h2>\n

A lot of brands cross-distribute the same content on all their social media channels. But that possible time-saving technique could have a negative effect because the platforms are not interchangeable.<\/p>\n

Each social platform has a distinct style, tone, and format. They also attract different demographics. LinkedIn<\/a> is professional, text heavy, and formal. Instagram<\/a> is visual and image heavy, whereas Twitter<\/a> is good for bite-sized bits of information and images.<\/p>\n

As you create the content, think about your platform and your audience on that platform, and tailor your content accordingly. If you don\u2019t, it\u2019ll feel out of place, and your audience won\u2019t respond as readily.<\/p>\n

Think about your platform and your audience and tailor your #content accordingly, says @IrwinHau via @CMIContent. #SocialMedia <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How to Match Your Content to the Best Distribution Channel<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

9. Unaccredited content<\/h2>\n

Using someone else\u2019s content and passing it off as your own is not a good look. The same is true for incorporating images, quotes, videos, survey results and not giving proper credit to the original source.<\/p>\n

If you want to republish or excerpt content significantly, get permission and credit accordingly. If you don\u2019t get the OK, look for an alternative source. If you use information from another source<\/a> in your content, cite and link to the original source.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Get an A for Accuracy With This Fact-Checking Content Checklist<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

10. Hashtag-stuffed content<\/h2>\n

Hashtags have a place: They help people find your content and join the conversation. But add too many, and you just look a bit desperate. Too many hashtags can also make the content difficult to read and dilute the impact of the most relevant ones.<\/p>\n

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but it recommends using only three to five for the best results<\/a>. While Twitter allows as many hashtags that fit in its 280 characters, it recommends no more than two<\/a> as a best practice. That\u2019s another reason to tailor your content for each platform, not automatically cross-publishing.<\/p>\n

11. Unreviewed user-generated content<\/h2>\n

When you share user-generated content indiscriminately, you could end up in trouble. It could include incorrect assertions, images or content that weren\u2019t theirs to share, or come from someone who publicly doesn\u2019t align with your brand\u2019s voice and mission.<\/p>\n

To minimize the risk, make sure your brand does a little research before they share the content on your channels. Review the creator\u2019s profile, double-check any facts cited in the content, etc.<\/p>\n

12. Writing that doesn\u2019t reflect your audience<\/h2>\n

You can create content about topics<\/a> relevant to your audience, but you won\u2019t attract your target audience if you don\u2019t write with that audience in mind.<\/p>\n

For example, writing on a topic so the general public would understand wouldn\u2019t be appropriate if your target audience are already well-informed on the topic. As you create, ask: Is this content appropriate for my readership? Will they find value in the information? What reading level should I target?<\/p>\n

13. Outdated or unsubstantiated material<\/h2>\n

You publish factually correct content, but what happens if the facts change over time? What if new information is learned that makes your older content out of date? When in doubt? Take down the potentially outdated content. Delete<\/a> the page. Or, if the page has a good search ranking, update the page<\/a> to reflect the most accurate or recently available information.<\/p>\n

Whether old or new, avoid claiming something to be true unless you have proof. If you don\u2019t, you could face legal complications, or at least your audience will see your content as less trustworthy.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 4 SEO Factors to Consider Before Removing Outdated Website Content<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

14. Non-EAT content<\/h2>\n

Gaming your content to attract search rankings in Google doesn\u2019t bode well. Gone are the days of keyword stuffing and content published only in hopes of ranking higher. Google is focused on content that its users find valuable.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why Google adopted the E-A-T guidelines \u2013 expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. While you can keep up to date on the latest SEO rules, tips, and tricks<\/a>, the most important thing to keep in mind for search, your brand, and your audience is EAT content.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How To Find SEO and Keyword Ranking Success on Google in 2022<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

15. Jumping on trends that aren\u2019t on-brand<\/h2>\n

Hopping on viral content can be a great way to generate traffic. But, if what you\u2019re posting isn\u2019t on-brand with the rest of your content, it\u2019s confusing to your audience and builds little brand equity.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re unsure about whether something is on-brand for your company, ask a non-marketing person in the organization for a second opinion. They\u2019ll have both an outside and inside perspective, so they can point out inconsistencies or confusion between departments.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 3 Questions To See If You Should Tackle Trending Topics<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Help your brand<\/h2>\n

As much as we\u2019d all love for this to be true, everyone has seen examples of each kind of bad content mentioned above at least once in their internet life. Now that you know what types of content hurt brands, make sure you steer clear of these common mistakes when creating pieces for your own company\u2019s blog or social media page.<\/p>\n

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 26 Eye-Opening Ideas for Putting an End to Digital Content Fatigue<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n
Want more content marketing tips, insights, and examples? <\/em>Subscribe<\/em><\/a>\u00a0to workday or weekly emails from CMI.<\/em><\/em><\/div>\n

Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski\/Content Marketing Institute<\/em><\/p>\n

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