Common marketing mistakes that are costing you money

10 to 20 seconds.

That's it...

10 to 20 seconds is all the time that you have to convince someone to stay on your blog.

This narrow window of time may seem cruel and merciless. But within 10 to 20 seconds of clicking on your blog post, your reader will make a judgment call.

And if you are making these common content marketing mistakes, chances are within 10 to 20 seconds...

Click.

Your post just got bounced.

Businesses big and small use blogs and content marketing to drive traffic to their sites, generate leads, and boost sales for their business. Every click away within that narrow window of time means you could be losing money.The term "content is king" is just as true today.

Businesses who use blogs for lead generation get 67% more leads than companies who don't. And for marketing, it doesn't get much better than delivering addicting content.

When you look at all of the top marketing blogs today, it's easy to feel intimidated if you're a newbie. Even if you've been blogging for a while, you could be making some crucial mistakes that are driving people away from your content without even realizing it.

You can have the best grammar, perfect sentences, and well-formed paragraphs that would make your English teacher proud. But the rules for online content are a little different.

If you were to pick any bestseller off the shelf and compare it to some of the most popular blog posts out there, you might notice that the two don't look alike at all. Content marketing is a completely different ballgame than traditional printed books and articles. And if you can fix these common mistakes, you can create a visually appealing piece of content that keeps eyes on your blog longer, gives you an SEO boost, and creates a connection with your readers.

So I want to go into detail about these common content marketing mistakes.

Watch our coverage of the 2021 Knowledge Creator Marketing Study. Catch up on benchmarks and popular marketing strategies so you can avoid mistakes:

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Then I'll show you how to create content that is so visually appealing; you will get more leads, reduce your bounce rate, and make your blog posts so irresistible that your readers can't help but stay on your site for more.

Big blocks of clunky text.

This is one of the biggest problems with content today.

While a big meaty paragraph may look good on paper... when it comes to digital marketing the more white space you have on your page, the better.

Your readers are looking at a lit screen, either on a computer or on a phone. That alone is enough to strain the eyes!

Throw in big blocks of clunky text, and your reader will have a hard time stomaching it.

Another thing: 43% of people admit that they skim blog posts. (If you're one of the 43% right now... No worries, I forgive you. We all do it.)

So everything you learned in school at about paragraph structure: you can pretty much throw that out the window. Because it's not going to make for a skimmable, easy to read piece of content

More white space in your content is a good thing. It's easier to read, and it's easier to write.

5 Tips To Create Visually Appealing Content

1. Break up those paragraphs.

Ever noticed how the dialogue in novels is so easy-to-read?

I bet you're saying to yourself, "Yeah now that you mention it... It is easier to read the dialogue in novels."

"Why is that?"

Think about it.

One line.

Short sentences.

Small paragraphs.

All working together to move the story along.

See all that refreshing whitespace?

It's easier to follow clear, to the point sections of text. Why use bulky paragraphs when you can move your content along even better with shorter ones?  

• Shorten your paragraphs: 3-5 sentences max.
• Sentence Fragments. Use em.
• White space is your friend
• Use lists to break up your text even more. (See what I did there? Lists increase readability, even more, when combined with all of the above.)

Your font size doesn’t measure up.

A few things will irritate your readers more, than tiny font they have to strain to read.

Even if you have a lot of white space and short paragraphs, using a small font will make your content too hard for people to read. So chances are, they won't read it at all.

Two-thirds of voters in this study from 2005, put small font size as their biggest content pet peeve.

You think by now the internet would catch up.

Not so much.

Even the elite of the web designs today, have a standard 10-12 pixels. 14 if you’re lucky.

Which would you rather read?

Thousands of words that range anywhere from 10 pixels, 12 pixesl, or 14 pixels perhaps?

Or nice, crisp, text that invites your readers into a no-squint zone optimized for web browsing?

A-ha! Makes sense doesn't it?

2. Use the pixel made for the digital world.

16 pixels is the absolute standard for your main content text.

Why is that?

12-pt text is the gold standard for printed text across the board because it is the easiest to read. But 12-pt and 12 pixels are not the same.

16 pixels is the font specifically intended for online text because it is the equivalent to 12 pt text in books and magazines. Side by side, 16 pixels delivers the same easy to read text size as a book.

Your images (or lack thereof) fall flat. Statistics show that you only retain 10% of information that you hear three days after you hear it. But when you've group information with images your brain retains 63% more than it would normally.

Not only that, images are more easily shared across social media channels than written content alone.

That's why images are so important for your content marketing strategy.

Across the board:

- Tweets with images get 150% more shares than content without images on Twitter.

- On Facebook, there is a 2.3x engagement increase for shares with images.

So if you aren't using images in your blog posts, then you are missing out on exposure, traffic, and lead generation.

3. Use quality images in every blog post.

Even if you're not a pro photographer, the internet is chock full of some great (free) resources you can use to take your content marketing to the next level.

Here's a quick list of some of the best websites to find free, high-resolution images for your content.

- Negative Space

- Picjumbo

- Stocksnap.io

- Pexels

- Canva is an awesome tool for creating all kinds of images for your content. (plus a lot of the features are free!)

So now you know where to find your high-quality images, you don't want to just throw images at your content without a plan.

• Use plenty of images in your content
• Charts and graphs are also great to throw in your content.
• Don't forget infographics! - Infographics often get more likes and shares than any other type of content

Your word count doesn't add up

So many bloggers sell their audience way too short.

The logic used to be that since people have such short attention spans, it's best to keep your content short so you don't lose anyone with your content.

With the 10-20 second rule it may seem like it makes sense, but don't you think we should give people a little more credit than that?

You're writing for people, not goldfish.

Assuming your reader can only handle short content is an insult to their intelligence. Your readers are smart; they know the difference between good content and bad content. They don't waste time on bad content.  

No one wants to be that blogger who rambles on and on. But short and sweet is not the best route to take.

And get this.

If your content is 1,500 words or less, you could be missing out on social media shares and some good old fashion SEO lovin.

Go heavy on quality content (but please, for the love of God, hold the fluff!)

Turns out, 2,416 words is the average word count for all top ranked searches.

If your content is anything less than 2,000 words, Google will not find your content as valuable, and it could affect your search rankings.

So the new game plan: hit that keyboard like your hands are tap dancing tarantulas, keep one eye on your word count ticker, hit 2,000. Finish line!

Eh. Not so much.

If you stuff words into your content just for the sake of boosting your word count, you will not be any better off. No one will stick around to read 2,000 words of pointless fluff.

4. Load up your content with value.

You want 2,000 words of meaningful, valuable, and addicting content that is written so well; your readers devour every word with enthusiasm.

You want 2,000 words that will lure even the most dedicated skimmer into their irresistible trenches.

So, beef up your content with words that will give people the epic content they crave. Yes, that means more research and work when you write your content, but your readers deserve quality content.

This content does not need to be overly technical and academic. If it's dry or too difficult to read, people will bounce from the page.

If your tone is purely academic you are only speaking to the brain. But it's crucial to remember - emotion, not logic, is crucial to decision making.

5. Talk in a conversational tone.

In a study done by Antonio Damasio, a neuroscientist, he found that it is impossible to make a decision without emotions.

He worked with people who had brain damage to the area of the brain in charge of emotions, and when it came to something as simple as deciding what to eat they could not even decide between two options.

Two options!

If you aren't connecting with your reader on an emotional level, they'll click away in a hurry.

Why do you read content?

Yeah, you want to learn, solve problems, and find value, but deep down you want to feel something.

You want connection. You want words that give you emotional satisfaction.

Talk to your readers like you've been friends for years. Write your content like you are sitting in the same room with them, sharing a piece of your soul.

You can't fake or force a conversational tone, and if you try people will see through your act.

The secret of addicting content: Connection.

Trust, connection, and relationship are what your readers crave from your content. And even if you aren't the smartest expert in your niche, people will be eager for your content because of the connection you have with them.

Why are our Kajabi Heroes' stories are so powerful?

Why do these people like Greg, Bob, and Leah have such a faithful following?

They are building connections with people on an emotional level through their content and courses.

That kind of vulnerability and openness is scary.

But it's is key to creating addictive, valuable content.

Here's the thing.

Kajabi is here to give you the full package - equipping you with all of the tools and knowledge you need to create an online course that change lives.

It's not about the platform. Kajabi is all about helping you. About giving you everything you need to pursue your passions and dreams.

And if you know how to create addicting content, you will connect with people in ways that Kajabi alone never will.

Is that a movement YOU want to be a part of?

Start creating addicting content and courses right now with a free 14-day trial of Kajabi.

P.S. You do not want to miss out on what I have planned for the Kajabi blog next. A killer line up of in-depth blog posts are in the works as we speak. Find more blog posts by category:

Online courses

Memberships

Podcasts

Coaching

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