The mistakes I made with my marketing when I started my business
In the big wide world of marketing, it can be tricky to find what really works for your business. There is always a lot of trial and error involved especially when you’re first starting out (which is exactly what I experienced).
When I began my Content Queen journey as a young 20-something year old I had little to no idea what I was doing! I was completely new to the business owner game and didn't even know what a content strategy was. With a lack of guidance and knowledge comes some marketing mistakes, which is natural of course, but can be avoided with some help - and that’s why I’m talking about it today!
Marketing is the core of what we as online business owners do, so the quicker you can learn the tricks of the trade, the easier life will be! So, if you need a little extra helping hand with your marketing strategy and want to avoid those common mistakes - let’s get into it!
The strategy
Whether you like it or not, strategy is KEY in marketing and online business - yep, sorry (or not sorry) to break it to you. I know many clients and businesses I’ve worked with are very free-spirited and go-with-the-flow type people, much like myself, but sometimes realism and structure need to have a place in your content routine and that was one of the biggest lessons I’ve had to teach myself.
A content strategy is the BEST way to do this and the one aspect of business I live by the most. A well-articulated content strategy will save your life when planning, researching, creating, and posting content not only in the context of time but also energy and money too.
So if you're looking for ways to structure a content strategy or what areas of your content it should cover, take into consideration these aspects:
Show up but don’t show out. Being on all the platforms is unrealistic, instead, aim for 1-3 and have a core platform that contains the main points of your content message. Keep in mind it DOESN'T have to be the platform you show up on the most, for example, the Content Queen core platform is our podcast!
Say YES to planning. Posting on the day at the last minute isn't a functional plan. Instead, try and plan a week or two ahead and map out what each day and each post will look like and what you want to cover, it’ll save you so much time (and a mini heart-attack when you think you forgot to post)
Outsourcing is your new best friend. You are capable of SO much but that does not mean you have to do it all, yes a minor job might only take “5 minutes” but it isn't just the task, it’s the brainpower and energy you have to use as well. Spending the money on outsourcing will be well worth the stress-relief that comes with it.
New platforms are more scared of you than you are of them. Not knowing how to utilise a new platform before signing up or creating an account is OK! Just like our amazing guest Gill said on the podcast last week, you need to adapt to the platform. But the sooner you can know it, the sooner you can utilise it.
Don’t confuse the people you’re trying to communicate with. Talking about different things on different days and constantly jumping between topics can be confusing to your audience, so try to break up ideas into multiple posts over a week or so, this makes your content a lot easier to absorb.
Repurposing is a BLESSING not a curse. When I first started Content Queen I automatically assumed that repurposing content meant you were lazy - boy was I wrong. Repurposing can be utilised across all of your platforms and can save you so much time!
Promotional posts partner perfectly with education. I’ve learnt through a lot of trial and error that it is best to keep promo away from the rest of your content and instead, blend it into education. Content Queen works under 4 pillars of content which are fun, inform, educate and engage, this helps us (and our target audience) to differentiate between what messaging is within our content. If you want to learn more about the four pillars of content, it’s explained right here.
Keep repeating and repeating and repeating! Whoever tells you to only talk about your offers or deals once or else your audience will get sick of it is LYING, not everyone will see the one time you decide to show up so push your offers and deals as much as you can.
Marketing spans so much further than content marketing. The amount of marketing strategies is huge and stopping at one is wasted potential, explore all of your options and see how different strategies and marketing options can help your content and blend nicely with what you currently do.
The platforms
Navigating and keeping up with the endless updates on all of the platforms can be another challenge that entrepreneurs and business owners face. Especially if you’re using more than 2 platforms, it’s important to make sure you aren't slipping behind on trends, tools, and features that you could be using to push your content.
For example, Instagram has many elements; IG Reels, IGTV, stories, posting, and more. All of these, I’ve found through using them for Content Queen, can help increase engagement, which diverts traffic to your site, which pushes sales - it all works for you, so you just have to make sure you’re USING IT!
BUT, don’t get this content marketing confused. It is important to build up followers, absolutely, but try focusing more attention on building up an email list instead. An email list allows you to learn more about your target audience than you realise, so concentrate on this and the rest will usually fall into place.
The connections
Mistakes with connections were another BIG lesson learned. The entrepreneurial and online business community is all about connection, interaction, and mutuality, building up each other rather than being in fierce competition.
This isn't a superhero movie and we aren't arch nemesis’, so it’s essential to remember that even those who are creating content within your niche do not have to be your enemy. I’ve learnt that building others up and collaborating with different creators as much as possible is not going to detriment your target audience or brand, in fact, it’ll do a lot more good than you think. Collaborations like guest blogging, podcast guests or even going live together help you get in front of a wider audience and give more to your original audience.
Remember that these platforms are called SOCIAL MEDIA for a reason, to be social! So don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, engage and collaborate. You never know who you’ll meet!
The workload and mindset
Being an entrepreneur and being surrounded by entrepreneurs, I’ve found that one of the most common aspects of being in the online business space is overworking (Yes, this is a thing). My mistake when building up my business, which was only really brought to my attention through my health journey, was forcing myself to be constantly working and expecting the creativity to always flow.
This is just impossible and UNHEALTHY.
Trying to cram too much into my day around the creation and never letting myself have a break or a chance to step away from my content was a major downfall. If you’re the same or feel like you’re overworking a little too much, here are my tips for you
Take at least 2 or 3 breaks daily from your work. Creative block is a real thing and forcing ideas will only overwhelm you, allow yourself to step away and occupy your mind with something that relaxes you
Get in that physical activity! Go for walks, go to the gym, visit the beach or even play with your pet - getting fresh air and distance from your computer is a lifesaver and a huge stress reliever
Metrics are not the be-all and end-all. Don’t allow vanity metrics to have too much impact on your mood or your self-worth, everyone struggles with this, and numbers will always rise and fall. It's all a part of the business so don’t let it take over your life.
Final thoughts
I learnt the hard way that putting thought, passion, and love into your content without spending huge amounts of time and energy on creating IS POSSIBLE with the right mindset and strategy!
Strategy saves time - I promise! Sometimes all it takes is a little analysis of what you’re doing and thinking outside the simple box of just posting to really take your content to the next level. Mistakes will always be made, that’s just life, but hopefully, you can now avoid the biggest and most common mistakes through reading about my content journey!
AND if you’re wondering how I managed to turn my content around, the answer is in my strategy!
Thinking about updating your content outlook? Why not have a look at Content Queen's content templates! These content templates saved my life when I didn’t know how to create things like email sequences, structured posts, blogs, and more! So if you feel the same, grab your very own here, these templates are here to help you with guidance around content creation and allows you to add your own creative flair, what more could you want?!
If you find value in this blog, make sure you share it with me on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram! Even better, share it with your audience! You can also listen to the episode below!