Mark Schaefer is one of the most influential marketing gurus around right now, and recently he joined me during my podcast to talk about a topic that he’s made famous.

Our topic was centered around content shock, a term coined by Mark over three years ago. People thought he was crazy when he first started talking about it, but they’re running en masse to buy up his books on the topic these days.

Why?

It’s because not only did Mark see that a shift was about to occur with content marketing. He figured out how to overcome it.

Content Shock: A Three-Year-Old Concept Comes to Life

Back in 2014, Mark tried to tell people that content marketing, as we all knew it back then, would not be the be-all-end-all of marketing. Like the other constants in life (AKA death and taxes), we can be assured that marketing is always going to evolve.

It is therefore important that we don’t get closed minded when it comes to our favorite form of marketing these days – content marketing.

Now, Mark isn’t saying that content marketing is dead – far from it, actually. No, what Mark has been trying to tell people for the past three years is that the internet is going to get bogged down with content.

Whether it’s in written or video form, content can easily get lost in the vast sea that is the internet. Even if we write the most amazing, inspired blog of our entire life, it’s a waste of time if nobody reads it.

How Can You Make People See Your Content?

And this is what Mark has been trying to get across to people. Yes, content marketing is important and it is a more affordable way to market your business when compared to traditional advertising mechanisms.

However, it can turn into a big waste of time and money if it is never seen by people within your market.

Mark has seen a lot of business owners get very frustrated because they spend time writing their blogs or spend money paying someone to do that for them. Then, they don’t see the results they want.

Part of the problem is that a lot of business owners aren’t patient. They expect to see results right away from their content marketing efforts. According to Mark, though, it can take 12-18 months before a business can start seeing results. Many of them, though, give up before this period of time.

Another issue is that they aren’t providing content that shocks the system. In other words, they aren’t creating content that makes them unique from their competitors.

The result: the content gets lost in between all the other blogs and videos with the same content.

The Most Important Step Most Businesses Forget to Take

What’s involved in creating this phenomenon of content shock?

Mark says that businesses need to analyze the market before they do anything else. This pivotal first step is one that is often ignored by most businesses and marketers.

Instead of putting in some time for analysis, they jump ahead to create content they think will be interesting to their ideal client.

While creating this type of content is important, it’s also important to know what is going to give us the edge over our competitors.

Think about it this way. You create a stellar piece of content. You make sure you pay attention to SEO rules and recommendations. You check for typos and make sure this is the best piece of writing you’ve ever done. Then, you push the publish button on your website.

And – crickets.

Analyze Your Competitors

Had you taken a little bit of time to analyze the content your competitors are putting out, you would have noticed that a very similar blog has been published multiple times by other companies.

Instead of dealing with this type of disappointment – start with the analysis.

Mark recommends going over to your competitors’ websites and looking for the following.

Do they have a blog?
How often do they publish blog posts?
What topics do they write about?
Who are they targeting – millenials, middle-aged, seniors?
Are they posting content to social media?
If they’re posting to social media, which platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, or Instagram?
How often do they post to social media?
What’s the tone of their content?
Do they respond to comments from their followers?

Make a spreadsheet so you can keep track of your findings. Then, review them and see if you can find your niche.

You might find that you need to address a different audience. Or, you might need to get active on social media. When on social media, make sure you not only post content but that you reply to potential customers and to your advocates – those who love you and tag you in their comments/reviews about your products/services.

Start Planning for the Future Right Now

One of the best things you can do for your business and marketing efforts is check out Mark’s best-selling books and blog.

The Tao of Twitter is the #1 best-selling book about Twitter in the world.

The book Mark’s most famous for is The Content Code. This book is a must for every business – whether you’re a solopreneur or have hundreds of employees. According to Mark, this book (which sells for $16-$18 on Amazon) is like working one-on-one with Mark for 14 months. That’s definitely a bargain!

And finally, don’t forget to check out his latest book KNOWN: The Handbook for Building and Unleashing Your Personal Brand in the Digital Age. This is a follow-up to The Content Code and will help take your marketing efforts to the next level.

With just a little bit of an investment, you can anticipate the marketing needs of your company and create a concrete plan that will meet those needs without getting lost in the sea of online content.

Would you like to learn more about content shock? Check out Mark’s books on the topic: The Content Code and KNOWN: The Handbook for Building and Unleashing Your Personal Brand in the Digital Age.

ABOUT MARK SCHAEFER

Mark W. Schaefer is a globally-recognized keynote speaker, educator, business consultant, and author who blogs at {grow} — one of the top marketing blogs of the world. Mark has worked in global sales, PR, and marketing positions for 30 years and now provides consulting services as Executive Director of U.S.-based Schaefer Marketing Solutions. He specializes in marketing strategy and social media workshops and clients include both start-ups and global brands such as Adidas, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, Pfizer, The U.S. Air Force, and the UK government.

Mark has advanced degrees in marketing and organizational development and holds seven patents. He is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University and is the author of five best-selling marketing books: Social Media Explained, Return On Influence, Born to Blog, The Content Code, and The Tao of Twitter, the best-selling book on Twitter in the world. Return On Influencewas named to the elite “Top Academic Titles” of the year by the American Library Association, which declared it an “essential” and “pathfinding” book. Content Code was named one of the top five marketing books of 2015 by INC magazine. His books are used as textbooks at more than 50 universities, have been translated into 12 languages, and can be found in more than 750 libraries worldwide.

He is the co-host of The Marketing Companion, one of the top 10 marketing podcasts on iTunes.