Content Isn’t King Usefulness Is

Content isn’t king usefulness is. Useless content isn’t king, and content isn’t the only way to be helpful. Want an example or two? SitOrSquat: Restroom Finder from P&G product Charmin Bathroom Tissue isn’t content, but for a mom who needs an accessible and clean bathroom immediately, it certainly is useful. Moms and others appreciate and remember Charmin for this. Want more? The 101 Most Useful Websites.

Creating Useful Content 

“Gearing up to create your next piece of marketing content? If you want it to stand out from the rest of the noise on the internet, you have to be focused on producing something both delightful and engaging. That said, there’s some planning to be done before you jump right in. What’s the purpose of this piece? Where can you fit in credible data and examples? Who’s gonna edit it once you’ve written — and rewritten — your draft? How do you plan to spread the word about it so, you know, people actually read it? You need a strategy.” — Hubspot: How to Create Useful Content: 12 Steps to Follow Every Time [Infographic]

Content Isn’t King Usefulness IsUsefulness Isn’t Limited to the InternetCollateral Material

If usefulness is king, what else is useful? Not long ago, I observed nearly every attendee referring to their printed conference schedule while attending a conference. This brochure outlined all the presentations. People didn’t go online, they went on-table. It’s because they’re helpful.

At the same conference, a speaker pronounced collateral material as DEAD. He listed reasons why print marketing material was no longer a productive marketing method. At the end of his talk, during a question-and-answer session, I raised my hand and asked if I could ask the audience a question. The speaker said of course. I asked the attendees to hold up their printed schedule if they used it to track sessions. More than 200 people raised their brochures. The printed piece was useful.

Promotional Products Work When They’re Useful

According to the Promotional Product Association International, “The main reason for keeping a promotional product is usefulness. Recall of the advertiser and message behind the first promotional item recalled are very high … 88% recalled the advertiser from a promotional product received in the past 12 months. When it was something useful.“ Sharing useful branded promotional products is effective marketing.

Usefulness is King, and that Includes Useful Content

I advocate content marketing and believe it’s one of the most effective ways to connect with consumers, B2B or B2C. My blogs alone have introduced me to thousands of visitors. And although not every post will succeed, I strive to share useful content.

How Can I Help?

Let me know if I can offer any help or advice. If this post struck a nerve, you might want to check out my book, How to Stay Ahead of Your Business Blog Forever. The book is full of action plans to create a blogging/writing system that works for you.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like, What Makes a Blog Attractive to Readers?

Photo by Megan Watson on Unsplash

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