Stop Cramming So Much into Your Marketing
Overcrowded blog posts, infographics and websites may have onlookers choking on what could otherwise be a memorable message.
No matter the medium, content needs a clear message and goal. Marketing teams may not realize it, but future customers may be overwhelmed by a busy email, cluttering artwork and the company blog’s ever-growing listicle. Here are five ways to break down your own branding and start laser focusing your marketing strategies:
Keep blog posts and listicles in check
Listicles are reaching the triple digits and it’s time to break the cycle. Remember the phrase, “above the fold”? Blog posts should be engaging, palatable and free of endless scrolling — even pagination.
Don’t turn infographics into a brain teaser
This isn’t Highlights for Children magazine. Infographics — though colorful and eye-catching, yes — shouldn’t turn into a maze of choices or a Hidden Pictures puzzle. Visuals aides should be well designed and tell a short story — not a novel. You can keep infographics clean yet bold with a couple of tricks.
Keep emails short and sweet
With email communication, it starts with the subject line, but can quickly go down the digital drain. Readers are already hovering over the trash icon before the message fully loads. Avoid the unsubscribe by keeping copy simple and prominently displaying the call to action.
Web pages can look lived in, but not messy
Obviously, a website skimping on content isn’t effective for conversion, but the pendulum can easily swing in the other direction. A cluttered web page of copy flanked by ads, navigation and more copy — plus a steady stream of opt-in pop-up windows — can quickly look like you’ve walked into that casino outside of town. According to Forbes and apparently science in general, “ensuring your site is easy to navigate and user-friendly may increase sales.
Keyword cramming is still a no-go
Keyword stuffing — whether relevant or not — is an evergreen no-no in the online content world, and now that this web rule has been around a few years, visitors are spotting it more easily. The law still holds true: Write for humans, not just for search engines, and you’ll see more organic traffic and better engagement.
Remember less can be so much more when approaching readers, site visitors and customers. Keep your content consumable, and watch your consumers grow.