Content marketing has become my enemy

Paralyzed is the best word to describe how I am feeling. Not in the sense that I literally can not move, but that I am unable to move into action. All I have to do is start typing, but at this point, the keyboard is starting to taunt me. Three sentences in and I have gone through no less than ten edits.

Content marketing has become my enemy.

The problem is, that in order to leverage a content marketing strategy, you have to actually less content. I understand the basics and then some. Be consistent in your content release schedule. Make it about them. Talk about problems you solve. In fact, if I were coaching someone else on their content marketing strategy I’d be just fine. But, something happens lately when it means producing content for myself.

Maybe it’s the fault of the fine folks over at the Content Marketing Academy. I joined their community a few months ago and really enjoy the people. Not to mention, the sheer amount of valuable information I have gleaned along the way. If your goal is to never be the smartest person in the room then just join CMA and you can consider that goal checked off.

The only issue I have with CMA is that they all produce tons of quality content and for someone who is in my state (paralyzed when trying to keep up with them) that can be deflating.

Not only am I struggling to come up with content to produce, but I am not even sure I want the responsibility hanging over my head of constantly coming up with new ideas. Besides, who is going to read it anyway? Have you looked at the sheer amount of content that the collective world of marketers is producing these days? It feels almost impossible to break through that amount of noise.

Take my SouthFound podcast for example. I created this content for all the right reasons. That being to give back to the entrepreneurs and startups in my area that could use some public attention. But almost twenty episodes later the podcast is lucky to get ten downloads per episode. That is ten per week! Didn’t I do the right thing? I mean, I niched down pretty deep. I am releasing content consistently. I’d like to think the episodes are of good quality and provide value to listeners. I even avoided any appearance of doing this for a profit. So, what the heck!

Having been a former professional fighter, I don’t give up easily. So, I kept learning. I re-read Mark Schaefer’s book “Known”. I even worked through the accompanying workbook. Did that help me become “known”? It sure did. In fact, my mother loves my latest blog post. The same blog post that went on to be my most read post yet. You know, the one I published after months of no content. Explain that one.

So, here is the truth about content marketing. Having a process in place matters. Being consistent matters. Putting out the right type of content for your audience matters. And if you want to learn how to do all that join CMA and read Mark’s book. Because they are the real experts.

For now, I will stick to a lack of schedule and feeling paralyzed. Because, for some reason, that is when lightning strikes.