4 Content Myths Busted

Content is changing the way we look at the world. What once used to be just a tool to communicate has now become the very ground from which marketing executives, influencers and media leaders operate. We debunk some of the myths associated with content management. 

Content is hot! Content is big and its usage is evolving. But what can content really do? It can:

• Sell – products, services, hopes and dreams
• Enable you to learn – about yourself, people and the world
• Arouse your curiosity – get you to think, learn and believe
• Make you feel emotions you never knew existed – happiness, surprise, sadness, fear or anger
• Compel you to think and be the catalyst for change
• Be your stepping stone to achieve your dreams

There is a science, art and craft to content creation, and it would be befitting to call these experts as content scientists, content artisans and content craftsmen. These are the individuals who continuously think, breathe, live and do “content”.

Simply because they love words, and believe in the power of content.

When I broadly look at the content universe and the people who inhabit it, I find there to be three categories of people.

• Those who understand content.
• Two, those who don’t understand content and don’t necessarily value or appreciate its power
• Three, those who don’t care either way.

Among category two and three, several content myths exist. In this post, I am listing the 5 common content myths I’ve heard, and tried to burst some bubbles

Myth 1 : Content Objectives? Don’t need that!

Why will anyone create and publish content if there are no objectives?

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If you are doing content, you need content objectives; and it should be linked to marketing objectives which are in turn linked to business objectives and priorities.

Reality : The only way to be successful in any content initiative is to have clearly defined content objectives which are signed-off by key stakeholders. SMART (Simple Measurable Action-Oriented Realistic and Time-bound) objectives help.

Myth 2: Content strategy/plan. What’s that? Is it required?

How will you be able to continuously create compelling content if there is no plan?

If you are doing content, you need a content strategy, a detailed content plan and an editorial calendar in place. Remember every content piece has a life cycle – starting from an idea to a draft to a completed version to an editorial cycle to approval to publishing to promotion. Every step takes time and effort, so needs to be well thought and well chalked out.

Reality: The only way to be successful in any content initiative is to have clearly defined content strategies and plans. The more detailed and realistic the plan, better the chance to succeed.

Myth 3 : Any marketer can effectively do content marketing

If every marketer was a pro at content, why have they not done it effectively by now?

Success in end-to-end creating winning content strategies requires an understanding of the customer / reader persona, a love for the written word and an understanding of the power / reach / impact / influence of digital content

Reality: Anyone who loves “content” has a fair chance of being successful in content marketing. Being a marketer is incidental.

Myth 4 : The most effective content strategy involves continuously creating new content

Do you think the whole world will read your content when it is published? NO!

The success of any content piece is if it is consumed by the “right content audience”. So it is an evolving scale, that is, your reader of today and tomorrow may actually be two different people because of the life stage / phase of life they are in. It is precisely for this reason that continuous content promotion along with a targeted reach is as important as creating new content. Some of the best content on the internet is actually several years old, but may still have value for a reader based on what he / she is looking for

Reality : The most effective content strategy is one which is based on an understanding of who your reader is, what kind of content they value and finding the most effective way to connect, converse and engage with them.

Myth 5 : We create content to publish, so there’s need to measure it

If you can’t measure, report and show the impact of your content – then is there any merit in publishing it?

In case you didn’t know, creating compelling content takes time, efforts and money. So it would be prudent to measure impact and outcome from content, right?

Reality: The only way to know where you stand and get better at something is to measure it. Content is no different

Those are some of the content myths I’ve come across. And you? Leave a comment to bust the myths!

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