Insights and Ingenuity

I’m an avid reader of Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett’s blogs covering content marketing topics. They do a fabulous job of framing up why marketers can’t afford to remain oblivious to consumer media habits and issues of trust, authenticity, and the need for creating environments to cultivate customer engagement. I suggest you read their book, “Get Content, Get Customers.”  In fact, I’m trying to encourage clients tune their thoughts to the concept by gifting them with copies when they sign on.

Right now I’m writing a lot of content for a new Web site, and along with trying to be mindful of keywords and writing for the reader, I’m thinking about ways the site can add value to the visitor’s experience. Maybe that’s not entirely a separate goal itself (some aspects support/enable content writing), but it’s important enough that it can’t be tertiary.  Frankly I think trying to ensure a quality experience is a tall task -  one I’ll have to improve with iterations and tweaks.  I am, however, trying to make these 5 points below my editing filter for a ‘first pass.’

C'mon in!

1. Good Content Is Like A Standing Invitation to Visit.  You know you’re wanted. You know they’ve considered you (and others like you) and have arranged their space, their resources, their approach to make your visit seamless.
2. Good Content Is Naturally Comfortable.  The conversation isn’t forced, the exchanges feel genuine, and they’re interested in what you’ve been doing and what your needs are.
3. Good Content Leaves You Feeling Good. It’s reassuring, even informative or instructional. They give you a metaphorical hug by helping you find your way and what you need, even become unburdened.
4. Good Content Has You Looking Forward to the Next Visit.  Like a respite from a storm, good content reassures  your choice to visit and experience and makes you ask yourself ‘Why did I wait so long? They were just what I needed.’
5. Good Content Is Something You Inherently Share.  Strong positive feelings aren’t ever bottled, can’t be contained.  When you’ve had a good visit, learned something new and made some decisions (or reaffirmed old ones), you share it with others that matter to you.  You share something authentic because you wish the same (experience) for them. Chances are, your words will factor into their actions and decision-making.

And that is what content marketing is all about, in my opinion.  What do you say?

Tags: Content Marketing

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 26th, 2009 at 11:59 am and is filed under Content Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.