What is “Content” Anyways?

As a content marketer, it’s easy to forget that not everyone knows what content is exactly. Many people have a general idea of what content is but, often times, business owners have trouble wrapping their heads around what counts as content and why it matters. And who can blame them really!? Even marketers disagree about what “content” actually means.

So, if you’ve ever nodded along while hearing a marketer talk about the importance of content without really knowing what they’re talking about, read on!

Content is Stuff
What is content? I’ve heard people describe content as “anything you produce” or “anything and everything coming from a business.” Helpful, right? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

The reason there’s so much confusion around content is because it’s such a broad definition. Content is all the stuff that a business creates for people to consume – blog posts, articles, press releases, infographics, videos, webinars, podcasts, social media updates, newsletters, transactional emails, and so forth.

Content is Useful
But to simply say that content is just a collection of things would be an incomplete definition because content has a specific purpose. Each piece of content is useful in its own way. Content tells a story, educates consumers, answers questions, just to name a few. Simply put, content adds value.

Content is Engaging
Successful content engages searchers and followers to create a conversation. This can be a one-way conversation like in the case of a help manual or a two-way conversation like in the case of a blog post with comments from readers and responses by the author. 

Content is Compelling
Content of all types has one primary purpose – to deliver on a brand promise. Regardless of what that promise is, content is the vehicle that delivers it to consumers. Using a brand voice, content achieves your brand’s objective both publicly and privately. 

Content isn’t Sales
Now that we’ve covered what content is, let’s just briefly touch on what content isn’t. While content can be somewhat promotional in nature at times, content isn’t straight-up sales. By its very nature, content attracts and retains customers, which is why people often get confused by this point. Basically, content can drive sales, but only as an outcome of engaging and valuing consumers enough that they can’t help but want to start a relationship with your brand. 

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, Business Blogging and Web Copywriting. She lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband and son and enjoys cooking, watching sports, and spending time together as a family. Like a true digital marketing expert (i.e. geek), she loves talking about current marketing trends… so don’t say you weren’t warned!