avoid these common content pitfalls & build a strategy that works.
Content marketing is one of the most powerful tools in digital strategy, but simply creating content isn’t enough – it needs to be strategic, consistent, and optimized for results. Many businesses invest in content marketing yet fail to see real returns because they unknowingly fall into common content strategy traps.
If your content isn’t driving traffic, engagement, or conversions, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Here are the top five content strategy mistakes businesses make (and how to fix them in 2025).
inconsistent messaging across platforms.
Your website says one thing, your social media posts say another, and your emails sound completely different. This inconsistency confuses your audience and weakens your brand identity.
the fix
Develop brand voice guidelines to ensure a consistent tone, style, and messaging across all platforms.
Align your website, blogs, emails, and social content to tell a cohesive story about your brand.
Ensure visual consistency by using the same logos, fonts, and color schemes throughout your content.
Example: A brand with a fun and casual tone shouldn’t have dry, corporate-sounding website copy. Keep your brand voice uniform, whether you’re posting on LinkedIn or sending a promotional email.
ignoring keyword research & SEO.
Many businesses write content without considering SEO, which means they’re not targeting the right audience or ranking in search engines. Without keyword research, your content may never reach the people searching for it.
the fix
Use SEO tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify high-ranking, relevant keywords.
Focus on long-tail keywords that match user intent (e.g., “best social media strategy for small businesses” instead of just “social media strategy”).
Naturally incorporate keywords into titles, meta descriptions, headers, and body content to improve search visibility.
Example: If you’re a marketing agency, writing about “content marketing strategies” is too broad. Instead, target “content marketing strategies for real estate” to capture a more specific audience.
creating content without a clear goal.
Many businesses produce blogs, social media posts, and videos just for the sake of posting without a clear goal. Without purpose, your content lacks direction and measurable success.
the fix
Set a clear objective for every piece of content: Is it meant to educate, generate leads, or convert?
Use analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like traffic, engagement, and conversions.
Align your content strategy with the buyer’s journey, ensuring you have content for awareness, consideration, and decision-making stages.
Example: A blog post should be optimized for SEO and drive organic traffic, while an email campaign should nurture leads toward a purchase.
not repurposing & maximizing content.
Many businesses publish content once and forget about it instead of repurposing it across multiple platforms for maximum reach.
the fix
Turn a single blog post into:
A LinkedIn article
A Twitter thread
A short-form video for Instagram Reels or TikTok
A lead magnet in an email campaign
Refresh and update older content with new data, keywords, and insights instead of creating everything from scratch.
Example: If you publish a blog about “Top Marketing Trends for 2025,” create an infographic summarizing key takeaways and share it across LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest.
forgetting to optimize for user experience (UX).
A great piece of content won’t perform well if it’s hard to read, poorly structured, or slow to load.
the fix
Use short paragraphs, headers, bullet points, and bold text to improve readability.
Optimize images and compress files to improve site speed (Google prioritizes fast-loading pages).
Ensure content is mobile-friendly, as over 58% of web traffic comes from mobile users.
Example: If your blog is a wall of text, visitors will bounce quickly. Break up content with engaging subheadings, graphics, and clear CTAs (Calls-to-Action).
to wrap things up.
Content marketing isn’t just about producing content – it’s about producing the right content with a clear strategy.
By fixing these five common mistakes, you can create consistent, engaging, and SEO-friendly content that drives real business results.
In today’s dynamic marketplace, where consumers are bombarded with choices, establishing a distinct brand voice is paramount for standing out and building meaningful connections with your audience. Whether you’re a real estate property, a credit union, or a boutique hotel, a compelling brand identity weaves together words and emotions to convey a coherent and resonant message.
Let’s explore the art of developing a voice that aligns with your brand’s identity and strikes a chord with your target audience.
understanding your brand’s identity.
Back up, back up, back up. Before you even begin to explore your brand’s voice, you first need to ensure you’ve established your brand’s identity.
What values does your brand stand for?
What sets it apart from competitors?
What emotions do you want to evoke in your audience?
By delving into these questions, you can uncover the essence of your brand and lay the foundation for developing a distinct voice that encapsulates its personality.
Take Threshold’s brand voice for instance. One of our corporate values is that we’re both professional and playful. That value is woven throughout our voice. We like to get the job done and do an amazing job at that, and we like to have a laugh or two along the way. A witty joke or pun is welcome – and oftentimes encouraged – in these parts.
Go so far as crafting personas for your brand so you can better tailor your voice and messaging to your audience. Having this distinct persona will also allow you to quality-check your brand’s messaging as it gets put into use, ensuring what you’re saying is relevant to your target audience.
maintaining your voice across touchpoints.
Remember that thing we said above, about quality-checking your brand voice? Yeah – it’s important.
Consistency is the bedrock of a strong brand voice. Maintaining a unified voice across all marketing touchpoints reinforces your brand’s identity and fosters trust with your audience. Whether it’s your website copy, social media posts, or customer support interactions, ensure that your brand voice remains consistent in tone, style, and messaging to deepen relationships with your audience.
it’s ok to be flexible.
Yeah, ok, the odd rule is meant to be broken, is it not? While consistency is essential, it’s also important to recognize that the marketplace is constantly evolving, and consumer preferences may change over time.
Your brand voice should be flexible enough to resonate with changing trends and audience dynamics. Continuously monitor feedback, stay attuned to cultural shifts, and be willing to adjust your brand voice accordingly to maintain relevance and resonance.
Threshold did just that! We underwent a brand refresh in 2023 to better align our creative direction, messaging, and services to our clients and their needs.
be yourself.
Above all, authenticity is the core of a compelling brand voice. Consumers are attracted to brands that authentically express their values and beliefs. Be genuine, transparent, and true to your brand’s identity in every communication. Authenticity not only fosters deeper connections with your audience, but also builds loyalty and advocacy over time.
to sum it all up.
By understanding your brand’s identity, listening attentively to your audience, maintaining consistency, embracing flexibility, and embodying authenticity, you can elevate your brand above the noise and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Remember, the marriage of words and brand identity is not just about what you say, but how you say it. Let your brand voice be what captivates, inspires, and connects with your audience.
Now that you know how essential a brand voice is, let Threshold help you craft one! We use carefully curated data to deliver positioning and messaging full of strategic potential. Our experienced team weeds out stale approaches to deliver fresh perspectives and brand guidelines that empower future asset creation. And we’ll make you go wow in the process. Promise.
Laura is the brand strategist here at Threshold (so when it comes to all things branding – take her word for it). She embodies all of the best part of what creative marketing is all about, bringing life to brands across the spectrum, and highlighting all of the best aspects that a company, property, business, or any other brand has to offer its consumers.
When she’s not bringing brands to life at Threshold, Laura loves spending time with her husband, son, friends, and family – and she’s even got a little one on the way! Whether it’s spending quality time with loved ones, traveling, trying new restaurants, or working on her novel (yep – she does it all), Laura is the definition of someone who lives to get all of the best things out of life, and we love her for it.
Ava Page-Arnold
Ava Page-Arnold
Laura Robbins