What to Do If Your Content Fails

It happens to the best of us. You plan, you organize and you create what you hope will be a stellar content campaign.

And then, despite your best efforts, it falls flat. In moments like these, the most important thing isn’t just what happened to cause the “failure”, but how you respond and move forward.

Now is the time to start brainstorming how you can breathe new life into your content and come back even stronger.

Here’s How to Get Started

1. Get organized.

Get your ducks in a row before you do anything else. Think of it as a digital filing system with different folders for different types of content, i.e. blogs, newsletters, case studies, etc. This will help you get a better idea of the areas where you are strong (have a lot of content) and where you can improve.

Another idea is to partition your content per month or week.

For example, create a folder for May with everything you plan to post or share, a folder for June, July, and so on.

This strategy will help you identify discrepancies in your content strategy. Do you have an email campaign set up for May, but nothing for June? Or, maybe you have 5 blogs ready to go for May, but nothing in the queue for the following months.

Organization is the first and essential key to a content comeback.

2. Evaluate your outreach methods.

Where are you sharing the bulk of your content? Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, email?

The problem may not be with your content, but with where you’re sending it. If your primary market are professionals in their 40s-60s, you should be sharing on LinkedIn, not Instagram.

Timing is also crucial. If you’re sending an email blast out at 5pm on a Friday evening, it’s no wonder you’re getting no traction.

Once you’ve done your research and found the appropriate outlets, it’s time to start queuing up some content.

Check out these helpful articles to get started:

When Should You Post on Social Media?

5 Ways to Boost Your Social Media Campaign

Are You Creating the Best Content for Facebook Engagement?

3. Create free things!

FREE is the way to your audience’s heart. Create a free eBook, download, white paper, manual, webinar, video, etc. on a topic that is truly meaningful and valuable to your audience.

But first, do you know your customers?

Do you know what is important to them and what they want?

Start here: How to Truly Understand Your Customers

Once you know who your customers are and what they want, create content that will compel them to action.

4. Write an email telling about your free offer.

Now, let your audience know what you have for them. An email is the most reliable, respectable way to share information, especially if you’re sharing a download or valuable link.

Before you write your sales email, consider this

• It is NOT an order form.
• Pay attention to the details — add a personal touch.
• Update your calendar, especially if you’re sending a scheduling link.
• Consistency and attractive formatting is everything.
• Keep it brief, but content-rich.

Remember, sending an email is a privilege, not a right!

5. Share your free offer on your blog.

Write a blog about your free thing and get it up on the blog. Better yet, create a simple contact form, where they have to share their email in order to get the download/link or whatever it may be.

Repurposing your content will attract more attention to your content, without adding a ton of extra work to your day.

6. Keep creating content!

Don’t stop now! Keep things fresh and updated. Get into a rhythm of consistent posting on social media and your blog.

However, use posting with care. Here are some examples: for social media, don’t post more than three times a day; for blogging, up to 3 posts per week should be your maximum.

7. Measure performance and adjust accordingly.

Pay attention to site traffic, open rates, social media interactions, comments and so on.

What is performing well?

Where are you getting the least traffic?

Always be alert and attentive to your content, so you can catch a downslope in activity before it hits rock bottom.

Also, be willing to adjust and adapt your website. It should be a living, breathing entity, not something that is set in stone.

Check out these articles for more on performance and metrics:

5 Key Performance Metrics to Track Using Google Analytics

Three Metrics That Don’t Mean as Much as You Think

Your Guide to Online Reputation Management

6 Ways Generate Traffic To a Newsletter

8. Remember, quality is always better than quantity.

Don’t post just for the sake of posting. Don’t email your list just because it’s “been awhile” since you last send an email blast.

Make your words count for something every single time you connect with your audience.

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes, what would you want to read?

How often would you like to get an email, read a blog, see a post?

You know your audience better than anyone, so take the time to get to know them and their habits.

Do you like what you’re reading, but just wish someone would do it all for you?