Consistent content development and distribution are essential to staying in touch with target audiences. Of course, when every brand has this goal, there’s a lot of content vying for the attention of prospects, clients, and other stakeholders. Between business and industry news during the workday and entertainment, media, and consumer content during their personal time, it’s easy for audiences to fall prey to content overload. This overkill means that it’s vital to identify the topics and themes that resonate with your audiences.
Five Ways to Avoid Content Fatigue
“Content fatigue” is a phenomenon in which audiences are faced with too much content on the channels they frequent, including social media, video, email, podcasts, and more. When they are overwhelmed with content, they stop engaging with it.
Research shows that 66 percent of buyers want fewer marketing messages and 27 percent feel they are “bombarded” by marketing messages. That said, simply posting less content will only hurt your outreach efforts. It’s important to take steps to diagnose when and why your audience is experiencing fatigue and then take action. To accomplish this, consider the following recommendations:
1. Communicate directly with audiences to understand their pain points.
This step ensures that the content you create and share directly relates to the challenges and needs of those who can benefit most from your services. These issues can be different depending on the industry, demographics, or stage in the buyer’s journey. From there, tailor articles, blogs, emails, social media posts, and other content with the solutions that resonate directly with buyers. Then share it through the channels they use.
2. Segment and target audiences based on industry and needs.
A guaranteed way to fatigue prospects and clients is to offer irrelevant insights. While overcoming this common mistake starts by understanding audience pain points, it’s equally important to segment communications so audiences receive only the most relevant content. Share content through relevant channels such as industry-specific publications, social media groups, professional networking groups, and other outlets. A well-targeted email list can also be one of the most valuable tools in your arsenal. Cory Sekine-Pettite, President of ASBPE, describes this value: “It’s a direct line to that individual and contributes to that valuable first-party data. It’s also a way to convert. Social shares and followers don’t always mean a direct line to your audience.”
3. Leverage metrics that illustrate the audience experience.
There are many different marketing metrics that measure the success of marketing content. Knowing which ones to use requires time and ongoing analysis. To identify the topics that resonate with audiences, consider key content-specific figures such as page traffic, click-through rate, bounce rate, and conversion rate. Third-party and first-party data offer different insights into audience behaviors, so it’s important to draw from a variety of sources for a full picture.
4. Respond quickly and respectfully to individuals who unsubscribe.
Research shows that 81 percent of consumers unsubscribe from brands that inundate them with excessive marketing messages. When someone asks to be removed from a list, do so quickly. Most email distribution platforms have an opt-out message built-in. While unsubscribes are disappointing, they can offer valuable information about your audiences. Use a brief form to gather feedback about why that person is unsubscribing. Analyze this information to evaluate and modify communication frequency, audience interests, and target market needs.
5. Be a reader and keep a pulse on the market.
Whether a long-standing organization or new startup, it’s essential to understand what’s going on in your industry to engage in conversation. This means staying on top of industry news, discoveries, best practices, and trends through relevant channels. Consider what competitors are doing. It’s important to balance trending topics with the unique, niche expertise only your organization can offer. By doing so, companies can engage directly with other experts in the field by referencing or responding to their work, then create content that offers something new to the conversation. This positions you and your company as valuable contributors in the field.
Diversification Adds Depth
Audiences will actively disengage with a publication or a brand if it goes on about repetitive topics. Individuals will also burn out on long-term trending topics, even if the information is valuable. When a brand simply follows trends rather than bringing a unique angle and perspective from their experiences, they’ll lose audiences. By addressing content fatigue, brands not only keep their audiences, but connect them with the topics and solutions that resonate most.
