Advertising and content marketing used to be nearly interchangeable. Branded content was typically developed as a by-product of a traditional ad unit, creative or original enough to stand out and shine on its own merits. Print, TV, radio or out of home–they all served a single purpose: advertising a product or service. But now that ads and marketing are so easily avoided by consumers, every piece of communication from a brand needs not only to advertise, but also to serve as creative “content,” worthy of talking about and sharing.

Sci-fi writer Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Magic was the prerogative of Hollywood and Madison Avenue. There was always a mystery as to how content was created, with only a few people understanding the technical landscape behind the illusion.





Now with the shift to digital, the world of content has expanded. From tweets and status updates to e-books and transmedia experiences, there are a number of ways for brands to tell their story. But now the implicit magic in creating content is gone. Consumers have seen behind the curtain.

What’s more, consumers also have a role in this digital age. They’re creating more content while also consuming and surfacing more content–serving as both our competitors and our collaborators–and creating opportunities for brands to be a part of this conversation. But the art of creating and joining conversations isn’t easy. Brands need to work for it, infusing a little bit of magic back into content they create, instead of only repurposing their advertising.

Needless to say content marketing is not just another buzzword to ignore. It is evident marketers want to get on board, with 90% acknowledging that content marketing will become even more important in 2013. Nevertheless, only 38% of marketers actually have a content strategy in place. This is a major problem.

And those that have in fact implemented content strategies often fail to effectively deliver on them. Many create or curate content–but don’t understand the value in developing a strategy that accounts for both. Without creation, there would be no curation.





So how should marketers go about creating and curating the best content?