Adventures In Content Creation: 7 reasons your content isn’t working

Good content and good copy, while extremely important, are not, by themselves, guaranteed to produce a home run result (or any result, for that matter).​

There are a lot of reasons why, but here are seven of the most common reasons your excellent content may not get the result you want.​

(In this case, excellent is defined as a piece of content that’s totally dialed in to what your ideal audience wants and needs to hear.)​

1 — Your ideal audience doesn’t see your content.​

There’s a whole host of reasons your intended audience may not see your content.​

For example, the social media platform algorithm hides it from them. They’re not on the social platform at all, or they weren’t on it that day.

If they’re not on your email list, or they are, but their email provider doesn’t let your stuff through, and so on.

Obviously, for content to work, you’ve got to get it in front of enough of the right people.

How many people are “enough” completely depends on your offer and your target market. If you’re a luxury influencer, for example, your version of enough will be completely different from someone whose audience is mainstream.

2 — Your ideal audience doesn’t want your offer.​

Even the best content in the world won’t sell an offer no one wants. Not at a significant volume, anyway.​

For example, I’m female, and that’s how it’s going to stay, which means I have no need to buy myself something like prostate supplements.

Not even the best prostate supplement copy in the world will make me want prostate supplements for myself.

It’s the same with any offer. “Great content” won’t make people want something they simply don’t want (or need).

3 — You aren’t producing content consistently.​

You don’t HAVE to be “everywhere” to see results, but you do have to be consistent with your content, and publish it frequently enough for people to notice, and connect with, you.​

That’s why one email a month or one YouTube video every six months isn’t going to cut it if those platforms are meant to be a significant source of sales.​

4 — Confusion in the CTA.​

Your content may be amazing, but does it clearly explain how people can take the next step with you?

If it is clear, are there 85 million puzzling hoops people have to jump through, or is the next step clear and frictionless?

In some cases, hoops may help you weed out lookie loos. In that case it’s a strategic choice.​

“Hoops by default,” on the other hand, will backfire, accidentally weeding out people you WANT to work with.​

5 — Global factors outside your control.​

Certain “mainstream” facets of society are less confident spending money these days compared with pre-pandemic society, particularly with offers above a certain price point.

It’s not that they won’t buy, but it’s a harder sell compared with two years ago.

That means it might be time to sharpen your content and copy skills.​

6 — You’re too predictable.​

Consistency is valuable, but predictability can become boring. Don’t be afraid to shake things up.​

For example, you can email daily, but email at different times of the day.

Offer flash sales (not necessarily a discount, just something unannounced).

And beware getting too formulaic with your content.​ Talk about what people want to know, but also give them variety.

7 — Your audience doesn’t trust you.​

This could simply be because they’re new to you, and haven’t yet crossed their personal “I am trusting you enough to purchase” threshold.

It might also be the relationship element isn’t there.​ If all you talk about are “one neat tricks,” and your audience doesn’t get to know you or your business, it absolutely can affect content efficacy.

So what do you do when your content rocks, but your results don’t?​

Reasons one and two need addressed first. Get your offer in front of enough of the right people, and make sure it’s something they actually want to buy.

All these reasons need addressed, but if people aren’t seeing your stuff, or don’t want what you’re offering, fixing the other reasons won’t help you.

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