9 mistakes that ruin your content plan and how to fix them

There are as many ways to ruin a content plan as there are to create one. Most mishaps aren’t the fault of the planners or writers but of our human need for novelty. 

When we chase trends or lose sight of the ultimate goal, we end up reacting to one-off ideas that don’t fit. Below are nine common mistakes content marketing teams make and how to fix them before they hurt your KPIs.

Pre-planning

The easiest way to ruin your content plan is to show up to the planning Zoom without a clear goal. Not just “make more money” or “attract quality leads” — but a goal with defined outcomes tied to your business initiatives. That focus will guide your planning.

Mistake 1: Not focusing your content plan on your audience

We should be aware of context, but how much does Cinco de Mayo really have to do with SaaS or selling widgets? We fall into this trap because sometimes we just want to spice it up. Save the jalapeños for your salsa and stick to the plan.

How to fix it

Build your plan around topics that matter to your audience. It sounds simple, but it isn’t. It takes work to understand your core audience and identify the information they’re missing. Once you do, hold onto it as your guide.

Mistake 2: Ignoring relevant holidays

Backtracking on mistake 1? Not quite. The key is to focus on holidays and seasonal moments that truly matter to your audience. Vacation rentals may thrive in summer but need more support in winter.

How to fix it 

Pull sales and funnel data for the whole year. Combine those insights with what you know about your audience — plus input from sales and product teams. And no, that doesn’t mean writing a Flag Day post unless you actually sell flags.

Mistake 3: Failing to define your story

Your story isn’t the CEO’s three-hour kickoff speech about mowing lawns as a kid. It’s about your product or service and how it serves your customer. It’s the collective expertise of your company — and how that outperforms the competition.

How to fix it 

Define your story by asking:

• Who is your ideal audience?
• What do they already know?
• What do they need help with?
• What can you uniquely provide?

Defining your story is hard because you live it every day — your strengths can feel like second nature. When in doubt, ask customers what you do best, then examine why it works. That outside perspective often highlights the differentiators you overlook.

Dig deeper: Beyond the funnel: A new approach to content marketing

Assembling the plan

Enough talking — let’s get some topics on paper. Your brainstorming should be messy, pulling ideas from as many sources as possible: competitors, SERPs, keyword tools, customer feedback and even what your sales team hears every day.

Once you’ve collected it all, assemble your content plan in a spreadsheet using whatever framework you like — pillar, skyscraper, cluster. Then pressure-test it. These mistakes can derail your performance before you even begin.

Mistake 4: Only looking at keyword volume, not intent

I’ve written (and probably assigned) plenty of well-intentioned articles that made no sense for the audience because we chased high-volume, low-competition keywords. Those unicorn keywords do exist — but if you don’t check search intent, you risk pouring time into content that doesn’t attract the right people.

How to fix it

Run a quick search for every keyword on your list to see what the SERPs actually show. That small step tells you what search engines believe people want when they type a phrase. It can feel tedious, but it’s far better to find out a keyword is a mismatch while planning than after you’ve assigned it.

Mistake 5: Prioritization without context

Should you delve deeply into a single topic or cover a broad range of many? Frameworks like pillar/cluster/skyscraper suggest saturating one topic before moving on. But if you jump in without considering outside factors, you can stall growth — and wear out your writers.

How to fix it 

Think about context before setting priorities:

• Do newsletters, social channels or other engagement tools need variety?
• What KPIs are you chasing? If it’s conversions, lead-focused content should be the priority.
• How will people actually find and browse your content? If through search, lean into SEO-forward topics. If through your homepage or navigation, replicate those journeys.

Mistake 6: Letting AI do all the work

Use AI to help you set goals, brainstorm and research. But allowing a generative AI tool to build your plan is a bad idea. These models predict the correct answer based on existing content found on the web. That means at best they’ll tell you what everyone else is doing. At worst, you may end up generating the exact plan as everyone else in the space.

How to fix it 

Do some thinking that combines your institutional knowledge with the possibilities. Then make sure to add the thoughts, angles and insights that make your brand stand out.

Dig deeper: Content atomization: Maximize ROI by repurposing your best ideas

Executing the plan

Time to write — but don’t let your guard down. Even the best content plan can go off-course in execution. Most of the issues that happen at this point stem from basic human needs for novelty or fear of speaking up. But once you know better, you can do better.

Mistake 7: Deviating from the plan 

Oh no! It’s Flag Day! Shouldn’t we do a promotion? No. Step away from the block editor. Unless your company makes flags, you probably don’t need to make a big deal of the holiday by diverting resources from your content plan to writing a blog post about the storied history of this most hallowed of holidays. 

How to fix it 

Stick to the plan. If you followed my advice during the pre-planning stage, you should have identified key holidays for your business and already planned content to accompany them. 

Mistake 8: Writing bad-fit topics

Bad-fit topics happen. What you thought was a really good keyword six months ago has changed intent in the SERPs, and now you have a hole in your plan. Or your freelancer has already received their outline. Or your writer can’t quite put their finger on why the article won’t flow. 

How to fix it 

Confirm that your keyword is a poor fit, document it and move on. Consider picking up an article you wanted to cover from later in the plan or writing some thought leadership about a recent industry development. Whatever you do, don’t just keep on keeping on for the sake of the plan. 

Mistake 9: Forgetting to interlink

Your plan is perfect. Your writers are the best in the business. But why aren’t customers moving through your funnel or sticking around to read more? Why do the SERPs continue to ignore your content? Verify that your pages link consistently to one another within the topic and across your entire site.

How to fix it 

Plan your linking strategy with your content. If you were to line up your articles in a funnel, what articles would come next? Link back to articles higher in the funnel and those downstream. Always link out to on-site pages that expand upon things you mention in passing.

Driving success through careful content planning

With content plans — as with most things — stay flexible without losing focus. A plan should guide creation over the year without running your life. The most successful content balances industry expertise with audience needs to serve your readers, your goals and the company.

Dig deeper: What makes content go viral, backed by research