If I’m going to tell companies that content marketing is important, I should probably give my thoughts on how to make it useful. I’m thinking about blogging, podcasting, shooting photos, making video, and all the other tools social media allows us to use to tell stories (not market). In my ideas, I give you nuggets of what matters to me in media making, and what I believe will matter to your prospective audience. Not your customers, per se. Maybe this is for internal audiences. Instead of thinking B2B vs B2C, just think “human.” These are elements I feel humans want.

What do you think?

Elements of Good Online Content

Be Brief – No matter how short the video or blog piece or podcast is, make it shorter. No matter how many pictures you took, choose only the few that make your point.

– No matter how short the video or blog piece or podcast is, make it shorter. No matter how many pictures you took, choose only the few that make your point. Make it Portable – If you’re going to bother making media, make it easy for people to share it, use it, shift it around. Think embeds in YouTube. Think RSS and email delivery, etc.

– If you’re going to bother making media, make it easy for people to share it, use it, shift it around. Think embeds in YouTube. Think RSS and email delivery, etc. Make it Useful – No one wants to read about your product. They want to read something that empowers them. That’s why books sell. We read them to improve ourselves. We buy cars to feel better or to move our families around.

– No one wants to read about your product. They want to read something that empowers them. That’s why books sell. We read them to improve ourselves. We buy cars to feel better or to move our families around. Make it Personal – Repurposing your TV commercial for YouTube isn’t enough. That’s okay to do, as well, but why stop there? Video is free and cheap. So is blog content. So are photos. Do something memorable by making stories about your customers, your employees, whoever matters.

– Repurposing your TV commercial for YouTube isn’t enough. That’s okay to do, as well, but why stop there? Video is free and cheap. So is blog content. So are photos. Do something memorable by making stories about your customers, your employees, whoever matters. Make it Fresh – Wow, there is a lot of redundant content out there. I’m going to say it before you do: some of mine is redundant. One reason you don’t often ding me for that is because I try to find a fresh angle. It doesn’t always work. But if you don’t try…

– Wow, there is a lot of redundant content out there. I’m going to say it before you do: some of mine is redundant. One reason you don’t often ding me for that is because I try to find a fresh angle. It doesn’t always work. But if you don’t try… Make it Relate to Your Business – Let’s not be too noble here. If you’re looking to sell blenders, You can’t do better than BlendTec. If you’re looking to sell computers, you might be the next Digital Nomads. It doesn’t have to be pure and noble. Just be clear when you’re helping versus when you’re selling.

Does this help? What questions do you have? Tell us about your experiences?

Photo credit Bill Jacobus1