Content marketing is a great thing with virtually limitless potential. The only real limit for content marketing is your imagination. That is to say, you can continue to generate content as long as you have a steady stream of ideas for content topics. Once that well runs dry, you could be in trouble.
Sure, you could scour the Web for online marketing tips, or you could dig through your website’s analytics to find topics that people are searching for. But you may still find yourself grasping at straws. What’s the best solution if you don’t have any new ideas for content?
What’s Old is New
Most website content is created over a series of months and years. Therefore, it stands to reason that the content you created at the start of your campaign might no longer be useful. In this scenario, you can define “useful” in two different ways. If the content no longer applies, or if it’s not frequently visited, it could be a prime candidate for an overhaul.
Understand that rewriting your old content isn’t a lazy way of generating new content. It’s actually one of the smartest things you can do to boost the efficiency of your content marketing. In an ideal content marketing campaign, every piece is all killer, no filler. By weeding out the underperforming pieces and replacing them with more relevant material, you’re helping customers while making your site a more attractive source of information.
What’s in a Name?
You don’t always need to drastically rewrite an article to make it more appealing. Sometimes all you have to do is give it a new name. A name that’s eye-catching and is keyword-friendly can make all the difference in terms of how people will perceive the content. For example, you might not have seen much content from an article titled “The Value of a Good Mechanic,” but if you change the title to “A Good Mechanic Will Save You Thousands,” you might strike the desired chord with readers.
Adding to Existing Content
Regardless of how you feel about list-based articles, nobody can deny that they’re effective in terms of attracting readers. You can get in on this trend in two different ways. First, you can modify an existing article to read like a list. Using the previous example about auto mechanics, you can create an article called “Seven Ways Good Mechanics Save You Money” without doing a great deal of editing.
The other way you can score with list-based articles is to add to what’s already there. Doing this will revive lagging articles without significantly adding to your workload. Add a few bullet points to your list, give the piece a new title, and watch your content gain new life.
Every company goes through droughts where they just can’t think of new ideas for content. But if you’re smart, you can use these periods to your advantage. Replace outdated ideas and concepts with new approaches that attract more viewers and provide a better education, and you’ll better serve the community while reinforcing your brand’s reputation with viewers.
Bryan B is a freelance writer based in Long Island, NY. He can’t wait to see how the New York Mets will let him down this year.
