Everyone probably has a solid idea of what information overload means. The threshold for our ability to absorb, retain, and recall information is not infinite. Content shock takes this idea to a whole new level, and marketplace.
Our capacity to absorb information is still limited, but our ability to produce online content is not. The intersection of these two things produces content shock. What caused it and how did we get to this point? Look at the war on content from behind-the-scenes and the origins of the outcome are decipherable.
Why Is Content So Important To Your ROI?
Content marketing is king. The budgetary value of online content is hard to deny. You can get three times the lead generation by spending 62 percent less than the cost of traditional marketing. Who wouldn’t take that deal?
The fact of the matter is it’s the No. 1 strategy to achieve optimization. The thing about a top-rated strategy is that sooner or later everyone starts using it. That’s exactly the crossroads we’ve hit with content marketing.
At a page count of 27,000,000 new pieces a day, we end up doubling the amount of content available on the Internet every 9 to 12 months. No user can keep up with that much content at any given time, so they have to prioritize the content they choose to look at. This leads to a similar result professionally.
How Can Businesses Fight Content Shock With Their Customers?
As a result, businesses have to discern the best way to implement a social media optimization (SMO) strategy, especially with the introduction of the SMO Hummingbird algorithm introduced by Google last August. This algorithm marries the importance of links and social media endorsements into one integrated ranking system.
The challenge today: to figure out the limits of that ranking system so that businesses can avoid hitting the anti-social ceiling.
Certain businesses are showing a particular knack for ingenuity and facts-finding missions. They use their brand identities to test the limits of these unfamiliar SMO waters.
How do they do it? One strategy is to post one lead generating Tweet at the same time every day for 10 days and gauge user responsiveness to the campaign as a whole. The results are surprising.
First and foremost, day one of the campaign is understandably the most active with a 72 percent response rate. However, days 2 to 5 show the most telling statistical data, with a 58 percent response rating. Not quite the drop-off you were expecting, is it?
Another strategy is to create both comprehensive content and short-form content so that users have access to efficient information more quickly.
While neither strategy has broken the mold or the platform, businesses may see a slight downturn in their short-term brand identity analytics. Experts predict the short-term sacrifice is well worth the long-term SMO knowledge.
Key Takeaways: What You Can Do To Avoid Content Shock
So yes, while content is extremely critical to a business’s success online, it can come back and bite you in the butt.
- Do not suffocate customers and potential leads with content they don’t want or need.
- Focus on your target audience. Don’t waste time worrying about the people who aren’t interested in your service or product. Keep your eyes on the prize.
- Only produce content that is relevant, useful, educational and actually worth someone’s time.
- Be selective in your content distribution, and distribute it to appropriate channels. Tailor your message for different social media platforms. You want to be found, remember?
- Customer loyalty. By earning someone’s trust, you will earn their loyalty.
Questions And Final Thoughts?
Are you overloading your customers or potential leads with content? Have you yourself ever felt overwhelmed by a business’s online content?
One way to avoid content shock is to focus on your target audience. You can do this by finding out who your business's ideal customer is. Download on our free eBook on buyer personas to learn more!
