Traditional Content Marketing Doesn’t Work: Here’s What Does

What Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is the act of a company, business, or organization producing and promoting informative content to engage, interact with, and attract its target audience.

Why traditional content marketing doesn’t work

There are several reasons why traditional content marketing isn’t working for many companies. One of the main reasons, however, is that an endless stream of average content has saturated the audience (and the market), so much so that they cannot single out trusted and credible sources of information. 

According to the Content Marketing Institute, only 5% of B2C marketers consider their content marketing efforts to be “very effective.”

Plus, many companies because they either have the wrong expectations or the wrong creation and promotion strategies. And when content marketing isn’t deployed correctly, it doesn’t work, as we’ve established. The quickest way to kill your content marketing is to do nothing after you create your content.

Try this instead

The whole thing about content marketing is that you want your organic traffic to increase so more people will read it, then convert, and eventually, you’ll get more customers. That’s the ideal journey, at least.

The thing that many companies don’t pay enough attention to, though, is the promotion that makes it so that that whole string of things can happen. That chain reaction is not as easy to trigger as it would seem, especially in the marketing space that is dominated by social media platforms, where countless companies are trying to promote their content as much as you are.

So the key is not (only) in what you promote but how you promote it.

The goal of content promotion is to generate engagement and credibility, and by promoting your content, you want to build authority so that your audience will consider you the top authority in your industry. Enter employee marketing.

What is employee marketing?

Unlike traditional marketing tactics, employee marketing leverages a company's workforce as brand ambassadors, utilizing their networks and voices to promote the brand's message, culture, and values. This approach, closely related to employee advocacy, harnesses the power of personal endorsement and social proof to enhance brand visibility and reputation. 

At its core, this strategy recognizes employees as the most authentic and trusted source of information in and about a company. When employees share company content, it significantly boosts its appeal to potential customers and employees alike, generating a renewed sense of brand credibility.

Why employee marketing works

Employees as a distribution channel are:

• Efficient. Aside from an initial investment in tools, it’s basically free — and it actually lets you save money.
• Effective. Every single employee is, on average, connected with 1,000 people outside your company and is on social media (including 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections)
• Authentic. And that’s because they’re people, which is who your audience actually wants to connect with (not a band logo)

Plus, employee-posted content is exactly what the social networks want: individuals’ content is always favored against company page content. For them, there’s no higher value action a user can take than to contribute original, engaging content. That’s why when your employees share company content on social media, the algorithm will prioritize it, enabling that content to reach the broadest possible audience.  

How to maximize the impact of employee marketing

1. Tailor your content to each platform

To truly maximize the impact of employee marketing, you need to tailor the content and make it as engaging and shareable as possible on social media platforms. Each platform has its unique algorithm and content preferences, and understanding these can significantly enhance the reach and effectiveness of your employees' posts. 

For instance, platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook tend to prioritize content that keeps users engaged without clicking away, meaning "zero-click content," like videos, photos, and polls, is highly favored. Interactive content, such as live streams or Q&A sessions, can also spark conversations and keep your audience engaged directly on the platform.

2. Facilitate content sharing

Equally important is the ease with which your employees can share content. Simplify the process by providing pre-approved, tailored content that aligns with both your brand’s messaging and your employees' personal style. 

This way, employees feel confident sharing content that resonates with their networks and aligns with their personal voice, which adds an authentic touch to the posts. Tools and platforms like Ambassify can further streamline this process by providing content libraries and personalized tracking links, ensuring that the right content reaches the right audience.

3. Educate employees

In addition to providing engaging content, it's also crucial to educate and empower your employees. Train them on how to effectively engage with their social networks, offer tips on personal branding, and encourage them to be proactive in sharing their thoughts and insights along with company content. This not only strengthens the authenticity of the message but also transforms employees into thought leaders within their respective networks.

By equipping employees with compelling content, the right tools, and a clear understanding of social media best practices, you can turn employee marketing into a powerful tool that consistently amplifies your company’s voice, boosts credibility, and drives engagement.

Traditional content marketing doesn’t work because people need more connection, trust, credibility, and authenticity. That’s why employee marketing is what works instead. 

It’s a powerful, cost-effective way to extend your brand’s reach and amplify your message with authenticity and credibility. By leveraging the personal networks and voices of your workforce, you can cut through the noise of traditional marketing and build deeper, more meaningful connections with your audience. With the right strategy in place, employee marketing can transform your content promotion efforts, building both brand authority and trust in a way that traditional methods often fall short.