#173 - Seven Lies About Content You Should Know (If You Want to Share Great Stories)
#173 - Seven Lies About Content You Should Know (If You Want to Share Great Stories)
My issue with "content"
This is Adventures in Storytelling your bi-weekly note with resources, insights, and actionable tools for better communication through storytelling. A bit of a rant slash lesson today. Enjoy✨
I sort of hate the word “content” it sounds so manufactured and false. And most of the stories and products produced under the title is just that. It lacks humanity and its flooded the internet with nonsense and everyone’s sometimes uniformed opinions. A commoditization of something really important for any brand or business.
I don’t think you should make content just because it’s what all the other brands do and you definitely shouldn’t make it so “everyone” will engage with you or your brand. I do think you should create value for your audience aka customers. And that’s not about finding key words and writing essays for google bots, it’s about understanding where your audience is struggling and giving them insightful (and potentially entertaining) guidance or perspective to show them how you can be helpful as a part of their world.
So not manufactured and false, but thoughtful and considered. To do that you have to be aware of seven lies repeated far too often by internet content farms.
1. If You Make it, They Will Come. This is not the field of dreams. Just because you’ve created something beautiful and magical and certain to help, doesn’t mean it’ll get to the right people simply because you hit publish. Making content does not automatically mean the right people will find it and fall in love with you. You also have to get it to them—be connected with them or connect with them so when you create they’re set up to receive.
2. You HAVE TO Create Content if You Want a Successful Brand. Not true. Not every product or offering demands “content” in the traditional sense (email or videos or social posts). Don’t get me wrong, content is a valuable element of a solid marketing strategy. But, what you want to create is free value for your customers. And that can show up in the in-person or in-store experience. That can be a unique approach to customer service. Aren’t you sick of all the brand emails clogging your inbox? Only add to that overwhelm in your customers’ inboxes if you have something truly valuable for them. That they can apply in their lives in some way related to your brand.
3. Any Content is Good for Your Brand. No. If your content sucks it is bad for your brand. Content can be a powerful marketing tool when developed thoughtfully for a clear audience. And of course it has to be useful to them, otherwise, what’s the point.? Which means you have to do more than keyword searches and optimized content. You have to understand them and speak to them in a way (and with a medium) that will resonate.
4. Content Can Only Be a Newsletter or Blog. See above, but essentially content comes in many forms. Your free value can be anything from weekly or daily (phew if you have the time and your customer wants it… god speed 🙃) youtube videos, a tiktok page of daily posts, podcasts, even snail mail. It can be one line, essays, or animation. As long as it adds value.
5. Content is for sales and selling. I am happy to be a broken record if it means you hear me on this point: content is for adding value. More specifically, it is actually for engagement and loyalty. You share it to be of service and create engagement. It should be helpful not about sales. IF you do it right though, when the time comes to sell something to your audience you will have built up so much trust and given them so much free value that they’ll be eager to engage with you even more and pay you money to do it.
6. Any Content is Good Content. In fact, most content if you’ve skimmed the internet lately is bad content. Good content is strategic and developed based on a thoughtful content strategy. And it is developed with your unique audience in mind. Good content does three things well: tells a story (which creates engagement), helps your audience (which creates trust), adds value, whether it’s informative or entertaining (which keeps them coming back).
7. Good Content Goes Viral. Going viral does not necessarily mean value for your brand. Some people go viral because they messed up or just did something really funny that appeals to the masses. But your brand isn’t for the masses, it’s for your unique audience and going viral with everyone is way less value than being shared and shared again by your core audience to to new members of your core audience. Which brings new people in to your brand and keeps them coming back.
I think content has a bad rep and I think it’s for good reason. BUT great content combined with great storytelling can do something magical for your brand—connect it to the people that matter most to you in the most meaningful ways. I hope you consider these lies as you develop considered, valuable content that connects. Do you have examples of great content from brands you love?
A Story Well Told
Here are a few creators who make content I truly value and look forward to. These are all storytellers creating true valuable for me in my life and work. In no particular order…
Marie Forleo (Business coach and badass who I have mentioned here before)
Trevor Noah (comedien and host…?—I’m really loving his podcast lately)
Saeed Jones (poet—with instagram stories that won’t quit and a podcast I adore)
Tiffany Aliche (personal finance teacher who when she sends content it is HIGH value)
CHANI (astrology app and astrologer that I love getting notes from)
The Daily Good Newsletter (daily newsletter from the good trade that I never miss)
Headspace (meditation app—that link I THINK gives you some sort of free access)
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