5 Signs Content Overwhelm is Destroying Your Online Impact

Content Overwhelm: That feeling of frustrated confusion where you're drowning in all the conflicting advice and guidance about posting online, and nothing you try seems to be working.

In today’s market, people do the majority of their research online before reaching out to a business to enquire about a product or service. This applies whether they are consumers purchasing for themselves or business owners and employees purchasing for their businesses.

As a result, there is an incredible amount of pressure for business owners to post content that helps buyers find them, despite the vast amount of online content competing for their target audience’s attention.

So it’s only natural that we all feel some degree of content overwhelm from time to time.

After all, we tend to be our own worst critic and often have unrealistic expectations that business success should happen overnight. This means we can forget to recognize the small wins and appreciate the slow but steady progress we’re achieving. Progress, regardless of the speed at which it occurs, is a clear sign you’re on the right track.

However, when a feeling of content overwhelm is sustained over a period of time, it can be a warning sign that your messaging is off and you need to take immediate action to remain competitive in the market.

So how do you tell if the content overwhelm you’re feeling today is negatively affecting your online impact?

Here are five telltale signs that content overwhelm is a serious problem for your business.

5 Signs Content Overwhelm is Destroying Your Online Impact

1. You’re posting more, but your followers and engagement (likes comments, shares) are dropping. This could be a sign that you’re feeling pressured to prioritize quantity over quality, resulting in superficial posts that no one is interested in.

2. Your content isn’t generating quality leads. You may have an audience, but if none of your followers want to buy from you, then your content may not be attracting the right audience for your business.

3. Your followers are confused about what you’re selling. It’s possible that you’re posting about too many diverse topics instead of focusing on providing a clear, cohesive message about how you can help people.

4. What’s working for others isn’t working for you. Every business is different and so it can be problematic to copy what others are doing and expect to achieve the same results they did.

5. You don’t feel authentically you. If you’re not 100% convinced that what you’re sharing matters to your audience, you may not feel comfortable speaking from the heart. Alternatively, if you’re trying to attract as wide an audience as possible, you may feel pressure to post what’s politically correct instead of what you really think.

If any of the above applies to your situation, here’s what you can do about it.

What You Can Do About Content Overwhelm

The best way to overcome the negative effects of content overwhelm and get your messaging back on track is to develop a focused messaging strategy that speaks directly to your target audience and explains how your product or service will help them better than any of the available alternatives.

A great place to start is to think carefully about the problem(s) you solve, who you solve the problem(s) for and what makes your solution unique. My recent blog, Focused Messaging Wins More Hearts and Followers, will help guide you through the process.

Next, think about what content your potential buyers will be searching for during each of their five stages of buyer awareness.

Once you are clear on these points, it will be easier to develop a messaging strategy that speaks directly to your target audience’s needs so they can find you through the sea of competitive noise as they’re searching online for solutions to their problems and questions.

While these steps may not banish the feeling of content overwhelm completely, they will go a long way toward building confidence for what you need to be posting, as well as sustaining you through the initial waiting period before the results of your new strategy are measurable.

The Bottom Line…

Experiencing content overwhelm over a sustained period can be a sign that something is wrong with your posting strategy. The 5 signs outlined in this blog can provide clues to what the underlying problem(s) could be.

For additional help, review for my post titled 7 Ways to Reduce Content Overwhelm and Expand Your Marketing Impact.