5 Reasons Why Your Content Isn’t Performing

Given the digital age we’re in, content marketing has become a staple in marketing activities. 

It has helped myriad businesses scale their operations, maintain a healthy rapport with the audience, and reinvigorated branding.

Yet, there are many entrepreneurs that struggle to harness the true potential of content. 

They’ve got the resources to generate content and to publish it. But when it comes to making real money based off content, they often get stuck in the process like a deer in the headlights. 

And this leads to missed opportunities. Miscommunication. Failed branding. The examples don’t end. 

You may find yourself in the same boat. But not to worry, we’ll breakdown everything you need to know for your content. 

In this blog, we’ve provided things you should lookout for in your content and solve major content problems. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• The Problem with Stale Content
• Getting It Wrong
• Trust Issues
• SEO Snags
• Opportunity Knocks (But You Missed It)
• Engagement Drop
• Legal Oopsies
• 5 Problems With Solutions to Deal With Underperforming Content
• Focusing too much on quantity
• Poor Readability
• Content that doesn’t add Value
• Getting it wrong about Target Audience
• Not Analysing Impact of Your Content
• It Isn’t Too Late

The Problem with Stale Content

Any content marketing agency in Auckland, freelancers and full-time professionals would charge a fat-check for their services.

But to the misfortune, not every output is able to avenge the costs and the time for the content produced.

This is why stale content exists. It’s like the information that becomes outdated or no longer relevant over time. 

There are several problems associated with stale content, and addressing these issues is crucial for maintaining the credibility and usefulness of online resources. Here are some common problems with stale content:

Getting It Wrong

Imagine relying on a guidebook that’s stuck in the past. Stale content can lead you down the wrong path because what was true back then might not be the case now.

Trust Issues

The web holds more authority than anything. This is why people turn to Google to find the solutions to their problems. If they come across your website and think you’re not providing them with what they need, they’ll bounce off. This could lead to users losing trust in your online presence over time. 

SEO Snags

Search engines love the new stuff, and SEO thrives on fresh, updated and user-oriented information. If your content is irrelevant, search engine algorithms will not take time to find this, and your website might get buried in the search results. This means you’ll get less visibility, which further means fewer visitors.

Opportunity Knocks (But You Missed It)

New things are happening all the time. If your content is stuck in the past, you might miss out on exciting opportunities or fail to address the latest trends.

Engagement Drop 

Fresh, current content gets more attention. Stale content? It’s like bringing a cardboard sign to a rock concert. Fewer clicks, shares, and comments.

Legal Oopsies

Some industries need to stay on top of laws and regulations. Stale content that doesn’t keep up could lead to legal headaches.

5 Problems With Solutions to Deal With Underperforming Content

1. Focusing too much on quantity

Many are under the impression that the more they post, the higher their engagement or traffic will be. 

Some businesses also think that they can tie their sales or leads with “bulk content” through AI-generation tools. Umm.  

If you’re in the gym doing 50 squats, you can expect results to some extent. If you take a walk in the park and keep it going for 2 hours, you’ll be grossly overworked.

Thus, the more the merrier doesn’t apply here. What you’re doing needs to create an impact in the first instance so you can increase the intensity.

Another reason is when you publish content that doesn’t adhere to the E.E.A.T guidelines. This means the content isn’t establishing trust and authoritativeness, or vouching for your expertise and experience. This means your content exists in a void.

Even if you find your content valuable, it may not be reaching a wide audience due to these reasons.

Solution: Use social media platforms and explore paid advertising options. Additionally, try email newsletters, direct messages or broadcasts. You can use tools or surveys to gain deeper insights into your audience, ensuring your content doesn’t sound too “robotic”.

2. Poor Readability 

Creativity is a virtue, but a few polishes can make any piece of content shine apart. Just like every diamond needs chiselling, proper proofreading and editing are just the right touchup you need to bring the best out of your content.

One study reveals that ”The average user’s attention span is less than 2 seconds for social media and 2.5 seconds for a website.” 

So, do you do need a fancy graphic illustration to catch their attention? Try words that connect with them instantly.

Poor formatting, clunky paragraphs and long sentences can put off many users. If they’re not staying, they won’t read your blog. As for SEO, keyword misalignment can be the reason why your content struggles to rank well for relevant keywords.

Solution: Break down the content into bite-sized info. Write smart, short and witty headlines. Pepper your content with bullet points, and images. Additionally, ensuring a mobile-friendly design is crucial for providing a seamless user experience. 

For keyword misplacement, don’t randomly sprinkle the keywords in the content. Optimise it by naturally incorporating these keywords into the title, headers, and body, while also into meta tags and descriptions for better results. Take help from a Content Marketing agency in New Zealand and get your content optimised. 

3. Content that doesn’t add Value

With the content you’re publishing, you need to make sure of respecting the viewers’ time. They’re always in a hurry and want instant results. If your content fails to provide them with a solution on a silver platter, it’s time you rethink your strategy.

Not to mention that’s a second stage if it all your blog or website manages to get crawled by Google’s search engine bots. Most websites with inferior quality content get overshadowed by those that are well-researched, SEO friendly websites with user-oriented content. 

Solution: Encourage engagement by sparking conversations; ask questions, seek opinions, or even run contests to get your audience involved. And don’t forget to be the life of the party by responding promptly to comments, creating a sense of community. 

On another note, it’s possible that your users may find your content to be yesterday’s news, with outdated or inaccurate content. Make it a point to regularly audit your content. Weed out any old or incorrect details, and update it with the latest and greatest info. 

4. Getting it wrong about Target Audience

Not everyone wants to buy your product. Not everyone is interested in your service. 

But the people who’re already searching for you are the ones who you need to focus on. 

Yet, you may be forced to approve poorly researched, half-assed content for the sake of tight deadlines.

This may be the reason your content isn’t hitting the mark with your intended audience.This is the time to fine-tune your approach. Take a closer look at who your audience is, what they prefer, and what challenges they face. 

On the other hand, if you’re grappling with high bounce rates—visitors fleeing your site after a quick glance at a single page—it’s crucial to enhance the overall user experience. 

Solution: Do away with boring content completely. Spice things up with compelling visuals (user generated or through Canva) and DON’T FORGET to use internal links. This helps visitors to explore additional pages on your website while helping with the SEO. 

It’ll help you reduce bounce rates but also establish a meaningful connection with your online visitors. You can also delegate your content woes to the Top Content marketing agency in new Zealand.

5. Not Analysing Impact of Your Content

One common issue many websites face is the misuse of Call-to-Action (CTAs). Although it may seem like a small problem, CTAs do a lot to hook your potential customers. 

Content that doesn’t overlap with CTAs fails to guide users on the desired actions, leaving them unsure of what to do next. 

Additionally, most of us miss out on analysing how the existing content is performing. Not leveraging analytics tools for tracking user behavior, identifying trends, and understanding content efficacy is the cost of missed opportunities, big time.

Solution: Having a compelling CTA game is non-negotiable, especially on landing pages. You need to encourage users to subscribe, share content, or make a purchase. 

You can tweak your content strategies with By making data-driven decisions. Additionally, conducting periodic content audits will help you craft relevant, accurate, and crisp content for your website.

It Isn’t Too Late

Content faux-pas is everywhere. Maybe your self-written content doesn’t seem to look spectacular the way it did a few days ago. Or you’re having a hard time trusting your writer’s expertise.

If you doubt the content you already have is now a waste, you don’t have to scrap it for good. A team of seasoned content marketing experts can audit your content and tell you if it can be improvised or replaced with better words. 

Want a content-diagnostic expert for peace of mind? Contact our Content marketing agency in Auckland and we’ll take it from there.