I bet you didn’t think content and candy had anything in common. Well, you would be wrong my friend! Content is actually weirdly similar to those yummy sugary treats that we all love, and I’ll prove it!
It’s Best When It’s Bite-Sized
Full-sized candy bars are great, but bite-sized candy bars always get eaten way faster. It’s just a simple fact that you feel less guilty when you eat the smaller candy bars. You can even eat a whole bunch of bite-sized candy bars and not feel as bad as if you sat down with a full-sized candy bar. Think about it, when was the last time you saw a co-worker, admin or receptionist with a bowl full of full-sized or king-sized candy bars at their desk? Never. But those little ones? All the time! And I bet you take one or two as you pass.
Just like those cute little candy minis, content is best when it’s “bite-sized.” Everything you read about digital marketing says that content should be made bite-sized in order to be effective across audiences. Bite-sized content uses numbered lists and bullet points, headers and sub-headers and even images to break it up so that people are more likely to read it and share it will their teams and contacts. People don’t sit down like they used to and read long full-length articles. Instead they skim and pass things along. The more skim-able you make your content, the wider of a reach it’ll have.
Everyone Likes the “Good Stuff”
You know those mixed bags of candy that always have the premium selections and then the filler junk that no one wants. (Seriously, why do they even make banana laffy taffy anymore? No one likes it! I have empirical evidence from last Halloween.) When you put out a bowl of candy at work all of the “good stuff” gets scooped up right away and then you’re left with some cruddy filler candy that no one wants.
Content is the same way! You can post new content every day or every week to your heart’s content, but only the really good, helpful, informative, interesting content will get picked up. The content that people can really sink their teeth into (see what I did there?) is what will get you noticed.
You’ll Always Splurge for It
Even if you’re on a diet, you’ll still indulge in a little candy from time to time. One minute you’re eating a salad for lunch and the next minute your co-worker is offering you a rolo or a handful of m&m’s and you’re accepting. We can’t help ourselves!
In this way, content is much like candy. One minute you’re emailing a co-worker saying that you’re too busy to discuss the project you’re working on together and the next minute you’re reading an article that had a catchy title because you have to know which important tips you can’t live without. Good content can’t help but be read and be shared by your target audience.
It Makes You Want to Share
Eating a mini Snickers bar alone? Good. Eating mini Snickers bars with your friends while chatting? Better! Candy makes us want to share and be social in the process. How many times have you been eating some dessert in front of a friend and offered them some? Women are notorious for this bonding over sugar!
Just like candy, when you enjoy some great content, you want to post a link to it on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn or peek over your cube to tell your co-worker about it. Simply finding great content doesn’t stimulate our brains enough, we want to take it a step further and spread the word about it.
What else is great content like? I’m willing to entertain other analogies. Share your suggestions!
By Kate Pierce. Kate Pierce is the owner of LionShark Digital Marketing LLC, a West Michigan internet marketing company. Her areas of expertise include Paid Search, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Web Consulting for small businesses, Copywriting and Local Online Marketing. She lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband and enjoys cooking, watching sports and spending time outdoors. Like a true digital marketing expert (i.e. geek), she loves talking about marketing theory and SEM trends… so don’t say you weren’t warned!
It’s Best When It’s Bite-Sized
Full-sized candy bars are great, but bite-sized candy bars always get eaten way faster. It’s just a simple fact that you feel less guilty when you eat the smaller candy bars. You can even eat a whole bunch of bite-sized candy bars and not feel as bad as if you sat down with a full-sized candy bar. Think about it, when was the last time you saw a co-worker, admin or receptionist with a bowl full of full-sized or king-sized candy bars at their desk? Never. But those little ones? All the time! And I bet you take one or two as you pass.
Just like those cute little candy minis, content is best when it’s “bite-sized.” Everything you read about digital marketing says that content should be made bite-sized in order to be effective across audiences. Bite-sized content uses numbered lists and bullet points, headers and sub-headers and even images to break it up so that people are more likely to read it and share it will their teams and contacts. People don’t sit down like they used to and read long full-length articles. Instead they skim and pass things along. The more skim-able you make your content, the wider of a reach it’ll have.
Everyone Likes the “Good Stuff”
You know those mixed bags of candy that always have the premium selections and then the filler junk that no one wants. (Seriously, why do they even make banana laffy taffy anymore? No one likes it! I have empirical evidence from last Halloween.) When you put out a bowl of candy at work all of the “good stuff” gets scooped up right away and then you’re left with some cruddy filler candy that no one wants.
Content is the same way! You can post new content every day or every week to your heart’s content, but only the really good, helpful, informative, interesting content will get picked up. The content that people can really sink their teeth into (see what I did there?) is what will get you noticed.
You’ll Always Splurge for It
Even if you’re on a diet, you’ll still indulge in a little candy from time to time. One minute you’re eating a salad for lunch and the next minute your co-worker is offering you a rolo or a handful of m&m’s and you’re accepting. We can’t help ourselves!
In this way, content is much like candy. One minute you’re emailing a co-worker saying that you’re too busy to discuss the project you’re working on together and the next minute you’re reading an article that had a catchy title because you have to know which important tips you can’t live without. Good content can’t help but be read and be shared by your target audience.
It Makes You Want to Share
Eating a mini Snickers bar alone? Good. Eating mini Snickers bars with your friends while chatting? Better! Candy makes us want to share and be social in the process. How many times have you been eating some dessert in front of a friend and offered them some? Women are notorious for this bonding over sugar!
Just like candy, when you enjoy some great content, you want to post a link to it on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn or peek over your cube to tell your co-worker about it. Simply finding great content doesn’t stimulate our brains enough, we want to take it a step further and spread the word about it.
What else is great content like? I’m willing to entertain other analogies. Share your suggestions!
By Kate Pierce. Kate Pierce is the owner of LionShark Digital Marketing LLC, a West Michigan internet marketing company. Her areas of expertise include Paid Search, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Web Consulting for small businesses, Copywriting and Local Online Marketing. She lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband and enjoys cooking, watching sports and spending time outdoors. Like a true digital marketing expert (i.e. geek), she loves talking about marketing theory and SEM trends… so don’t say you weren’t warned!
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