The three "can nots" of successful content marketing

Sometimes success is knowing what not to do

We talk a lot about the keys, pillars, principles, secrets, and lessons of successful content marketing. But rarely do we discuss the “cannots” of success.

Until today.

There are many paths one can take to the top of a mountain but only a few pitfalls that have to be avoided. This also holds true for business, leadership, life, and content marketing.

Content creation comes in many forms. You can record audio for a podcast, shoot video, or write long or short-form content like blog posts or white papers. There are numerous media channel strategies to get your message spread to the right audience.

There are also things you absolutely cannot do if you want to be successful. Here are three:

1. You Cannot be Lame

There has never been a successful content marketer that published weak or crappy stuff. This holds especially true as more and more people publish blogs, articles, and other offline and online content. Make sure you make great stuff that stands out from the crowd. David Ogilvy said  “What really decides consumers to buy or not to buy is the content of your advertising, not its form.”

2. You Cannot be Fake 

Charlatans, Decoys, and Counterfeits do not succeed in the content game. Sooner or later the truth comes out. Commit to the long-term and produce content that is honest. There is no need to pull the wool over your audience’s eyes. Win them over by being real. Trust is more important than ever to being successful in today’s marketplace.

3. You Cannot be Lazy

Successful content marketing takes work. It requires consistent and persistent effort. Lazy marketers end up doing #1 and #2 (see above), and try to shortcut the process. Launching content that hits the mark is tough. The more you launch the better you get. Discipline is the price laziness will not pay. Therefore you cannot be lazy and successful. Don’t believe me? Ask Brian.

This is just the start. What are your cannots?