Most Content Fails. Will Yours?

According to a recent study from the folks at content marketing company Knotch, 60% of all content does nothing at all, and 30% of that 60% is actually corrosive to a brand or reputation. It’s a stunning statistic – and one that shows just how much opportunity there is for a company to stand out by aligning its story to its strategy.

One of the reasons for this is the absolute confusion about what content even is and why companies need it. Since I transitioned out of journalism in 2017, I’ve realized that content is one of those Orwellian-corporate words with no real definition, kind of like synergy or value proposition. Is it top-quality writing and thought leadership to support a corporate reputation? Quick, bite-size tidbits to drive leads? Stories that Increase connections with existing customers? Advertising? Programming? Or what?

The answer, highlighted at a recent gathering of senior-level content executives called #ContentConnect, is YES, AND; It’s all of those things – and sometimes, it’s none of them. The lack of consistent definition and benchmarks is what makes it incredibly difficult for so many companies to build out an effective content strategy. I heard this over and over again at the conference, which was sponsored by Knotch and The Foundry, the content arm of Dotdash Meredith.

This translates to little agreement about what content officers are supposed to be doing. The conference opened with the CMO of JP Morgan Chase, @Carla Zakhem-Hassan, saying the role of Chief Content Officer there would be “impossible,” because content touches every single thing the company does. “Some content is just to educate you or give you a service,” she said. “We don’t measure every piece of content for its acquisition value. Sometimes it’s equally important NOT to sell someone something.”

This can seem counterintuitive at first. Why would you not want to sell a client something? Well, because if you push too hard, you might end up in that yucky bucket of corrosive content. 

To get into that 40% of “good” content, you need to know a) what content means to you and your team and b) how it links to your strategic goals as a company. It could be a bridge to clients, as a way to connect. It might mean entertaining them with a light-hearted story. Or helping them solve a problem. Or giving them new insights that make them think you’re smart. All of these ultimately contribute to selling your product, but they also might have different KPIs that look at engagement and other factors. 

Good content has to be differentiated. Otherwise, you’re just spitting into the wind – and wasting money, too.