Recent studies indicate that more than 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every single day. As more and more brands, personal and corporate, have embraced content marketing tactics, a world of content oversaturation has been created. This isn’t a new concept for those who work in marketing, but it is increasingly becoming a problem everyone faces. With AI, content farms, and your competitors fighting for every keyword, topic, or phrase, getting your content in front of the people who will benefit from it can be incredibly difficult.
Which brings up the question: As more content floods the market, how do you get your content in front of the people who need to see it?
Inbound is struggling
The idea of Inbound Marketing, or more modernly, just Inbound, is that your audience will naturally find your content as long as it benefits them. In practice, you need to market the living daylights out of even a basic blog post to get decent readership figures, let alone conversions.
You’ll likely be getting a mediocre output if you are not running Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaigns to bolster your content marketing efforts. That’s not to say that organic marketing is dead; it’s just become increasingly more difficult. Organic is not a quick win, often what companies want, but a tactic that requires long-term investment. Even then, boosting your performance with SEM can usually lead to better results. Yes, you will find people online talking about how they’re getting boatloads of impressions on their content organically. But often, these are people targeting a specific niche or gap in the market they have identified through extensive research, which is useless for most of us in the marketing world – unless you’re fortunate enough to create a new business or product for every niche you can find. However, these niche use cases are something to look at and learn from.
So, what can we do? Well, the fundamentals of Inbound marketing still stand and are still powerful strategic pieces to undertake. That isn’t the real issue. In many cases, inbound and content marketing are introduced into companies with little forethought regarding the go-to-market strategy.
Less equals more:
Many companies are finding more success in focusing on a single social media platform before trying to publish content across all of them.
The main reason for its success is that it allows you to focus on building a true engagement-based relationship with your audience on one platform before you move on to the next.
If your marketing team is small, it’s nigh impossible for you to respond to every comment across 5 different social platforms.
The other element to this is that just publishing content is not an effective method for engagement. You need to be proactive about commenting, liking other people’s posts, and engaging with your audience via groups. This is how you truly build a social media following that will eventually become one of your foundational marketing audiences.
Focus on evergreen content.
Firstly, what is Evergreen content? Simply put, it’s content that stands the test of time and will remain relevant to your audience. You don’t need to update it every year or revise it every time the weather changes.
Evergreen content should be the foundation of your content marketing strategy. The strategy I’ve often used with companies when creating a content marketing strategy is to define what evergreen pieces will be produced within a 12-month timeframe. Evergreen content is usually larger and requires a lot more work, so you usually only need to make 1 to 2 times a year or possibly once a quarter. Once you’ve ideated your evergreen pieces for the year, it’s worth then looking at supporting content that will sit around.
Hubspot calls this approach the content tree. Essentially, your evergreen content will be the tree trunk, and from it, you’ll be able to create multiple branches of content. For example, you might take an infographic or whitepaper from a larger brochure piece. The question becomes, what are the roots of the tree.
Well, the roots of the content tree, in most cases, stem from social media. Best practices tell us we need to publish regularly and frequently on social media if we want to grow an audience. As you post on various topics, analyse what your audience engages with and what they don’t. That intelligence, in combination with things like keyword and customer research, will allow you to make an informed decision regarding what evergreen content pieces to produce.
Once you’ve started to build your evergreen content, you’ll naturally start to grow your organic following and readership. The challenge becomes, how can you make your evergreen pieces stand out from the competition.
How to cut through the noise and make a lasting impression with your content:
Competition for attention is fierce. The struggle to generate content that breaks through the noise is forever getting more difficult. By focusing on creativity, authenticity, and value-driven strategies, you can create content that feels more personal with your audience and rises above the clutter. Here are some effective strategies:
Know your audience and personas inside and out
The foundation of great content is understanding your audience—who they are, what they care about, and what problems they need solving. In a world where countless creators are vying for attention, knowing precisely who you’re speaking to will give you a distinct edge.
To create standout content, ask yourself:
- What are the pain points or desires of my audience?
- What are the most pressing challenges they face in their lives or businesses?
- How do they consume content, and where do they spend their time online?
- What emotions or aspirations drive their decision-making?
The better you understand your audience, the more precisely you can tailor your message. A personal, relevant touch will enhance your content’s value and engagement, setting you apart from generic material that fails to connect.
Offer real value—not just noise.
In a content-saturated world, it’s easy to fall into the trap of creating content just for the sake of it. However, if your content doesn’t provide real value—such as new insights, practical solutions, or a fresh perspective—it will likely get lost in the noise.
Value doesn’t just mean information; it can also include entertainment, inspiration, or emotional connection. For example:
- Solve a specific problem in a way no one else has.
- Provide an actionable takeaways that your audience can apply immediately.
- Share something personal or vulnerable that fosters an emotional connection.
When you create content that genuinely adds value, your audience is more likely to share it, engage with it, and return for more. This leads to organic growth, which is far more sustainable than merely pushing out a high volume of content.
Be genuine. Be authentic.
In a world where polished corporate language is the norm, people desire authentic, human content. They want to see the real you—whether through personal stories, behind-the-scenes processes, or even your failures and lessons learned. Genuine connections build trust and are essential for standing out online. People seek relationships with individuals, not anonymous brands or generic influencers.
Here are some ways to inject authenticity into your content:
- Share personal anecdotes or challenges that your audience can relate to.
- Speak in your own voice instead of a formal or overly scripted tone.
- Engage in genuine conversations with your followers, responding to comments and messages sincerely.
- Be transparent about your intentions, mistakes, and growth.
Even in the B2B world, owning your mistakes and wins, is a powerful way to showcase your companies brands and values. Remember, every company is run by people. It’s people who make the decisions. It’s people who by from you, even if the check if paid by a large coporate bank account.
The more real and relatable you are, the more likely your target audience is to trust you. And when they trust you, they’ll be more incline to work with you, read your content and listen to your voice.
Leverage visual storytelling
In a content-saturated world, people have shorter attention spans than ever. To grab their attention quickly, one of the most effective methods is through visual storytelling.
Visual content—whether it consists of eye-catching graphics, immersive videos, or interactive infographics—communicates messages more quickly and effectively than text alone.
Consider these tactics to enhance your visual content:
- Use high-quality images and videos: Invest in professional or well-produced visuals that enhance your message.
- Tell a story through visuals: A well-designed infographic or a series of Instagram stories can engage audiences by guiding them through a narrative step by step.
- Be consistent with branding: Establish a visual identity (colours, fonts, logos) that makes your content instantly recognisable.
Strong visuals help convey your message impactfully, making it easier for your audience to remember and engage with your content.
Create content with a unique angle.
With so much content produced daily, it’s essential to find a way to differentiate yourself. It is best if you approached your topics from a unique perspective that makes your content stand out. Instead of simply rehashing what others say, bring fresh ideas or new viewpoints to the discussion.
Ask yourself:
- What is missing in the current conversation on this topic?
- Can I offer a different perspective or counter-argument to what others are saying?
- Is there a unique format or delivery method I can use to present my content?
By focusing on these aspects, you can create content that truly sets itself apart in a saturated market.
Embrace the power of storytelling.
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in a content creator’s arsenal. People are naturally drawn to stories—they evoke emotions, spark curiosity, and make ideas more relatable. Studies show that individuals remember stories up to 22 times more than facts alone.
To harness the power of storytelling:
- Share your own story: Discuss your journey, including both your successes and struggles. Authenticity and vulnerability foster trust and connection.
- Use narrative arcs: Structure your content like a story, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Introduce a conflict (e.g., a problem), build tension (e.g., a solution or resolution), and provide closure.
- Incorporate characters: Whether telling the story of a customer’s journey or sharing a personal anecdote, including characters makes your content more human and compelling.
Great stories are memorable, and memorable content is what stands out.
Be consistent but evolve.
Consistency is crucial when building an audience. Your audience needs to know what to expect and when to expect it. However, in a fast-changing digital landscape, it’s also essential to evolve and experiment with new formats, ideas, and strategies.
- Maintain a consistent posting schedule to build trust and anticipation.
- Don’t hesitate to adapt to new trends, tools, or platforms.
- Regularly evaluate what works and refine your approach.
By staying consistent while also being open to trying new things, you can keep your content fresh and continue to build a loyal audience.
Conclusion: create timeless, stimulating content
In a world overflowing with content, standing out requires a blend of insight, strategy, and creativity. By understanding your audience, offering real value, being authentic, and using visual and storytelling techniques, you can create content that cuts through the noise and resonates on a deeper level. In the B2B world, the bulk of your content will need to be evergreen, as this will make up a critical foundational pillar in your modern marketing strategy.
It’s not just about being seen—it’s about being remembered. When you produce content that is valuable, unique, and human, you’ll cultivate the kind of audience loyalty that will produce you prospects, leads and customers in the long run.
So, instead of trying to create more content, focus on building better, more meaningful content that will leave a lasting impact.