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Content Inc.: How Entrepreneurs Use Content to Build Massive Audiences and Create Radically Successful Businesses
Survive and thrive in the marketplace without pitching your product. Learn how to build an online content platform that attracts new customers!
Every start-up and entrepreneur struggles to reach and attract customers. Content Inc. introduces a new business model that uncovers how entrepreneurs with limited resources can build a massive online audience as the engine that drives their entire businesses. The book reveals a systematic process any entrepreneur or small business owner can use to dominate the market without initially selling anything at all.
Content marketing expert Joe Pulizzi shows you how to position yourself as an informational leader in your niche and develop content that is as beloved as that coming from any traditional media company.
You’ll discover how to:
Develop a model that creates an audience of future buyers Formulate a plan for social media sharing and search engine optimization Learn the six steps that power today’s fastest growing businesses Catapult your company from micro status to becoming the leading industry player353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
About the author
Joe Pulizzi
16 books182 followersI'm a traditionally published and indie author. My latest is
Epic Content Marketing, second edition: Break Through the Clutter with a Different Story, Get the Most Out of Your Content, and Build a Community in Web3 - (2023, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOW.
In 2021 I published the #1 Amazon marketing bestseller Content Inc.: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (With Little to No Money) - (2021, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOW
My other nonfiction books include:
- Killing Marketing (2017, McGraw-Hill)
- Content Inc. (2015, McGraw-Hill)
- Epic Content Marketing (2013, McGraw-Hill, Named Best Biz Book, Fortune Magazine)
- Managing Content Marketing (2011, self)
- Get Content Get Customers (2009, McGraw-Hill)
My novel:
- The Will to Die (2020, Z Squared Media) --- ORDER NOW
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoePulizzi
Visit me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoePulizziAu...
Visit me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepulizzi/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joepulizzi/
Get my random thoughts on marketing 2x per month here: https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/
I've founded four companies including The Tilt (for content entrepreneurs) and Content Marketing Institute (CMI). In 2014, I received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the Content Council (although I still feel pretty young).
My podcast series, This Old Marketing with Robert Rose has generated millions of downloads from over 150 countries.
My foundation, The Orange Effect, delivers speech therapy and technology services to children in over 35 states.
Epic Content Marketing, second edition: Break Through the Clutter with a Different Story, Get the Most Out of Your Content, and Build a Community in Web3 - (2023, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOW.
In 2021 I published the #1 Amazon marketing bestseller Content Inc.: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (With Little to No Money) - (2021, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOW
My other nonfiction books include:
- Killing Marketing (2017, McGraw-Hill)
- Content Inc. (2015, McGraw-Hill)
- Epic Content Marketing (2013, McGraw-Hill, Named Best Biz Book, Fortune Magazine)
- Managing Content Marketing (2011, self)
- Get Content Get Customers (2009, McGraw-Hill)
My novel:
- The Will to Die (2020, Z Squared Media) --- ORDER NOW
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoePulizzi
Visit me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoePulizziAu...
Visit me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepulizzi/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joepulizzi/
Get my random thoughts on marketing 2x per month here: https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/
I've founded four companies including The Tilt (for content entrepreneurs) and Content Marketing Institute (CMI). In 2014, I received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the Content Council (although I still feel pretty young).
My podcast series, This Old Marketing with Robert Rose has generated millions of downloads from over 150 countries.
My foundation, The Orange Effect, delivers speech therapy and technology services to children in over 35 states.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
October 16, 2018
I really liked the book, but in all fairness, I am a novice at this.
This book was recommended by a friend who wants me to stop being such a procrastinator as relates to improving my skills in this area. In this regard, Pulizzi is easy to follow and has some very straight forward take aways. I must admit, though. At the end, I felt anxious with the sheer raw number of suggestions that are possible. I think the challenge in implementing this book is to pick a specific set of things you think you can make progress on and then go from there (vs. getting overwhelmed).
P. XXVII - even before the book begins, I like this quote: "Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled."
P. 60 - Great quote: "Those who succeed were at one point or another in their lives - willing to put themselves in situations that were uncomfortable, whereas the unsuccessful seek comfort from all their decisions. Grant Cardone, the 10x rule
p. 67 - He discusses the fact that many companies talk more about what they are going to sell or make money. What they should be elaborating on is what is the nature of their content and why its valuable to the audience (not specifically to you). The other strategy, ultimately looses. This is what he means by content. IMO it's another way of thinking in terms of your customer, but possibly said in a way that gives you another side to the cube.
P. 74 - 9 steps to content tilt: Heading, Subheading, Summary, Problem, Solution, Quote from you, How to get started, Customer Quote, Closing & Call to action.... all this should be considered/included/become second nature.
P. 86-87 offers a sea of possible types of content.
p. 133 - lists various ways to repurpose content (11 ways) the point of this illustration is to realize that once you make the content, it has a very broad reach.
P. 164 - I did not know about HARO (Help a Reporter)
P. 174 - Influencer Listening Tools - Klout, Little Bird, Google Alerts, Traackr, Tap Influence
p. 208 - Top ways to get speaking gigs -- Publish a book... working on that, check....
P. 233 The economics of a conference. Very interesting.....
This book was recommended by a friend who wants me to stop being such a procrastinator as relates to improving my skills in this area. In this regard, Pulizzi is easy to follow and has some very straight forward take aways. I must admit, though. At the end, I felt anxious with the sheer raw number of suggestions that are possible. I think the challenge in implementing this book is to pick a specific set of things you think you can make progress on and then go from there (vs. getting overwhelmed).
P. XXVII - even before the book begins, I like this quote: "Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled."
P. 60 - Great quote: "Those who succeed were at one point or another in their lives - willing to put themselves in situations that were uncomfortable, whereas the unsuccessful seek comfort from all their decisions. Grant Cardone, the 10x rule
p. 67 - He discusses the fact that many companies talk more about what they are going to sell or make money. What they should be elaborating on is what is the nature of their content and why its valuable to the audience (not specifically to you). The other strategy, ultimately looses. This is what he means by content. IMO it's another way of thinking in terms of your customer, but possibly said in a way that gives you another side to the cube.
P. 74 - 9 steps to content tilt: Heading, Subheading, Summary, Problem, Solution, Quote from you, How to get started, Customer Quote, Closing & Call to action.... all this should be considered/included/become second nature.
P. 86-87 offers a sea of possible types of content.
p. 133 - lists various ways to repurpose content (11 ways) the point of this illustration is to realize that once you make the content, it has a very broad reach.
P. 164 - I did not know about HARO (Help a Reporter)
P. 174 - Influencer Listening Tools - Klout, Little Bird, Google Alerts, Traackr, Tap Influence
p. 208 - Top ways to get speaking gigs -- Publish a book... working on that, check....
P. 233 The economics of a conference. Very interesting.....
September 16, 2015
4.4
Very thorough look at how to develop your product, service or information. The information was well planned and even had methods to keep on track and focused. I loved that I tend to get side tracked and loose focus on where I am going. Easy to follow steps and advice. Fast and furious, get on board and soak up the knowledge.
Very thorough look at how to develop your product, service or information. The information was well planned and even had methods to keep on track and focused. I loved that I tend to get side tracked and loose focus on where I am going. Easy to follow steps and advice. Fast and furious, get on board and soak up the knowledge.
September 16, 2015
Good book, very solid content and well presented --- the only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was because I was fortunate to have experienced one of Joe's speaking gigs and his energy is off the charts, this book wasn't that. It was more subdued which was a tad disappointing. Many times you can really feel the author's energy jump off the pages. The information was great though, I highly recommend it and if you get a chance to see Joe speak, run don't walk. Fab presenter!
December 8, 2015
Content Inc by Joe Pulizzi is like the latest James Bond movie. I’ve finished it, but I’m not sure if I like it.
Joe Pulizzi is the founder of the Content Marketing Institute thus the source of many of my Tweets, so I eagerly pounced on a review copy of his latest book. Unfortunately, grad school pounced on me, so apologies for this late review.
To understand why I’m unsure on Content Inc, I went back to its promise:
In CONTENT, INC., content marketing expert Joe Pulizzi shows you how to position yourself as an informational leader in your niche and develop content that is as beloved as that coming from any traditional media company.
And I think that’s where I’m a little out. Content Inc tries to be a lot of things. It starts with two chapters explaining why being an entrepreneur is the best career ever. Then we learn what content is. The last few chapters focus on personal branding, linking back to the book’s promise. While reading it, I felt the book could have been several smaller books, much like the blog.
There were some great parts to Content Inc. I loved the concept of Content Tilt: using a Venn diagram to find your content sweet spot. The resource list was extensive and having it at the end of each chapter makes it practical. It was also very honest, with Joe using many of his own experiences, and not all were successful. Yes, he supplemented it with other case studies and examples, but Content Inc has a very personal feel to it.
Who Is Content Inc For?
Despite the sales pitch in the first two chapters, I think existing entrepreneurs who need a boost in their brand would get the most from Content Inc. It gives some great ideas to help position themselves and their business. The focus is all on content, so it may be hard to translate the advice to your business. The very vast majority of the cases are of people making money directly from the content. Even the swimming pool guy has positioned himself as a pool expert, despite never installing a single pool.
Content Inc was a gift from NetGalley and the publisher, McGraw-Hill.
Originally published: http://tapdancingspiders.com/book-rev...
Joe Pulizzi is the founder of the Content Marketing Institute thus the source of many of my Tweets, so I eagerly pounced on a review copy of his latest book. Unfortunately, grad school pounced on me, so apologies for this late review.
To understand why I’m unsure on Content Inc, I went back to its promise:
In CONTENT, INC., content marketing expert Joe Pulizzi shows you how to position yourself as an informational leader in your niche and develop content that is as beloved as that coming from any traditional media company.
And I think that’s where I’m a little out. Content Inc tries to be a lot of things. It starts with two chapters explaining why being an entrepreneur is the best career ever. Then we learn what content is. The last few chapters focus on personal branding, linking back to the book’s promise. While reading it, I felt the book could have been several smaller books, much like the blog.
There were some great parts to Content Inc. I loved the concept of Content Tilt: using a Venn diagram to find your content sweet spot. The resource list was extensive and having it at the end of each chapter makes it practical. It was also very honest, with Joe using many of his own experiences, and not all were successful. Yes, he supplemented it with other case studies and examples, but Content Inc has a very personal feel to it.
Who Is Content Inc For?
Despite the sales pitch in the first two chapters, I think existing entrepreneurs who need a boost in their brand would get the most from Content Inc. It gives some great ideas to help position themselves and their business. The focus is all on content, so it may be hard to translate the advice to your business. The very vast majority of the cases are of people making money directly from the content. Even the swimming pool guy has positioned himself as a pool expert, despite never installing a single pool.
Content Inc was a gift from NetGalley and the publisher, McGraw-Hill.
Originally published: http://tapdancingspiders.com/book-rev...
September 15, 2016
A few nuggets, but a lot of filler.
September 5, 2022
کتاب خوب و پایه ای در زمینه بازاریابی محتوایی. البته پرگویی زیادی داره، خصوصا اگه سابقه کار یا مطالعه در زمینه دیجیتال مارکتینگ رو داشته باشید. خلاصه های خوبی هم ازش در سطح اینترنت هست که پیشنهاد میکنم خلاصه انگلیسی رو بخونید به جای کل کتاب.
September 3, 2017
Why starting a business thinking in a product or service right from the start? This book show us another point of view: start with valuable content, build an audience and then start monetizing.
Easy-reading (even for those, like me, that are not "marketing people"), very inspiring and with valuable ideas to every entrepreneur planning to start something new. I do recommend it!
Easy-reading (even for those, like me, that are not "marketing people"), very inspiring and with valuable ideas to every entrepreneur planning to start something new. I do recommend it!
February 29, 2020
Not the usual fluff and salesy junk you see about content. This is a solid plan for not only creating good content, but scaling a content plan and repurposing it.
January 15, 2022
3 stars because this book does explain a new modern business model that’s focused on content first. The book reads like a manual with helpful case studies and direct instructions. For that reason, I’d recommend it to fellow business owners and entrepreneurs—but with a warning label.
The book is missing a soul. Despite talking about how “content is king” and sharing case studies about how quickly content can spread, the book doesn’t even touch the **potential harm** of this… despite all the instructions about how to share contact, there is no discussion or warning about the **kind** of content or the responsibility of content producers.
I’m not saying that this book should try and delineate good content from bad content, necessarily, but the fact that the author even mentions Joe Rogan as a positive case study, or writes about the power of algorithms without talking about how they can be abused, seems dangerous. Why not use this book to also share case studies that show how people who have abused these systems (to spread hate messages, for example, or to use fear or conspiracy as content drivers) have eventually failed… why is there no attempt to guide new contact producers on this?
As a comparison, if there was a book about crowdfunding or investment strategies… those books would talk about the responsibility you have to investors or shareholders… right? It would differentiate between a crowdsourced campaign and a Ponzi scheme, right?
This books is missing that. There’s no description or discussion or space here about **the responsibility that contact developers have** for the content or messages they put into the world. And any book that legitimizes—even celebrates—Joe Rogan as a positive example of how to share content… should be viewed with caution.
The book is missing a soul. Despite talking about how “content is king” and sharing case studies about how quickly content can spread, the book doesn’t even touch the **potential harm** of this… despite all the instructions about how to share contact, there is no discussion or warning about the **kind** of content or the responsibility of content producers.
I’m not saying that this book should try and delineate good content from bad content, necessarily, but the fact that the author even mentions Joe Rogan as a positive case study, or writes about the power of algorithms without talking about how they can be abused, seems dangerous. Why not use this book to also share case studies that show how people who have abused these systems (to spread hate messages, for example, or to use fear or conspiracy as content drivers) have eventually failed… why is there no attempt to guide new contact producers on this?
As a comparison, if there was a book about crowdfunding or investment strategies… those books would talk about the responsibility you have to investors or shareholders… right? It would differentiate between a crowdsourced campaign and a Ponzi scheme, right?
This books is missing that. There’s no description or discussion or space here about **the responsibility that contact developers have** for the content or messages they put into the world. And any book that legitimizes—even celebrates—Joe Rogan as a positive example of how to share content… should be viewed with caution.
September 30, 2019
Excelente, aprendizajes muy concretos y prácticos para potenciar cualquier emprendimiento a través del contenido.
October 11, 2020
The business model is about “content”. The idea is to understand what the customers actually want and create the content adjusted to it. The goal: get the export status.
December 25, 2021
useful for enterprise marketing professionals (not me)
February 7, 2022
reliable and practice framework to work on your content ideas and build a content centric business
November 22, 2020
Good content! However, the ideas that he mentioned could have been explained much more efficiently in about half as many pages without all the fluff!
April 12, 2017
Perfectly summed up a *lot* of great points that I already knew, while also teaching me a teensie bit about what I didn't know. For someone new to content marketing, this is a great beginner's guide with lots of helpful suggestions to get you started. I'd suggest keeping this next to your desk as a bible for the basics of content marketing and dog-earing the crap out of it with annotations.
February 4, 2023
Some great nuggets with a lot of filler
I found probably 10 prices of info worth highlighting and saving. The book was written for many people, making it too general at times, in contrast to the authors own advice to others.
I found probably 10 prices of info worth highlighting and saving. The book was written for many people, making it too general at times, in contrast to the authors own advice to others.
October 12, 2015
Content is king is an old mantra, or it just feels as for more years than one cares to remember content has been an over-used and often under-appreciated term. To an old journalist who trained on manual typewriters and had no Internet access, content is, well, just what we used to call copy. Different copy for different purposes, audiences and goals.
This book tries to push its way into a fairly crowded area, aiming to show entrepreneurs how content may be used to build “massive audiences” and create “radically successful” businesses. Littering the book with examples such as Huffington Post and KraftRecipes is one thing, yet it can also be setting up unrealistic expectations. Small can be beautiful and a firm of architects can still utilise great content for a very small audience. Bigger is not always better, despite the inferences and hoopla from this book.
One remains sceptical, probably due to the book’s whole being or its execution. The author is a content marketing expert and the advice is generally quite good, embracing and actionable; yet the book just did not grab this reviewer. It should have. Even an old dog can learn a few new tricks from another wise old dog. It just felt as if you could not warm to this book and thus it was too easy to become disengaged and put it down. That is a shame. Both the author and the publisher knows their business, so what went wrong here? Is it more than good content in average or poor packaging?
When it is far from being the only content marketing resource available, why rush to this book? Why indeed. It is frustrating, as one knows that the author produces interesting and engaging material and this reviewer is a regular reader of his online service/blog. The self-same feeling that the author manages to create there is missing here. It just feels a night and day difference. It is not even a dumbing down/different audience argument either.
If you can get on with the book then it is likely to deliver a lot. The typical reader for this book is going to benefit from a sequential read and forming a connection to the author; being sold on the concept, the need and the execution. If you feel it falls at the first step, maybe you won’t hang in there to see if things change. Definitely a “if you need this type of book, look at it first in a bookstore” thing.
Autamme.com
This book tries to push its way into a fairly crowded area, aiming to show entrepreneurs how content may be used to build “massive audiences” and create “radically successful” businesses. Littering the book with examples such as Huffington Post and KraftRecipes is one thing, yet it can also be setting up unrealistic expectations. Small can be beautiful and a firm of architects can still utilise great content for a very small audience. Bigger is not always better, despite the inferences and hoopla from this book.
One remains sceptical, probably due to the book’s whole being or its execution. The author is a content marketing expert and the advice is generally quite good, embracing and actionable; yet the book just did not grab this reviewer. It should have. Even an old dog can learn a few new tricks from another wise old dog. It just felt as if you could not warm to this book and thus it was too easy to become disengaged and put it down. That is a shame. Both the author and the publisher knows their business, so what went wrong here? Is it more than good content in average or poor packaging?
When it is far from being the only content marketing resource available, why rush to this book? Why indeed. It is frustrating, as one knows that the author produces interesting and engaging material and this reviewer is a regular reader of his online service/blog. The self-same feeling that the author manages to create there is missing here. It just feels a night and day difference. It is not even a dumbing down/different audience argument either.
If you can get on with the book then it is likely to deliver a lot. The typical reader for this book is going to benefit from a sequential read and forming a connection to the author; being sold on the concept, the need and the execution. If you feel it falls at the first step, maybe you won’t hang in there to see if things change. Definitely a “if you need this type of book, look at it first in a bookstore” thing.
Autamme.com
March 20, 2016
Great book and introduction to content marketing. Definitely for novices. If you're already a marketer, consider Kristina Halvorson's stuff, which dives deeper into the theory and strategy behind content.
December 30, 2016
يتحدث الكتاب عن استراتيجيات بناء المحتوى للتسويق للمشاريع الناشئة
وكيف ان المحتوى قد يكون هو الاساس لبناء بعض المشاريع، وليس المنتج
أي أن تقوم الشركة او الشخص ببناء محتوى حول موضوع معين
ثم تستقطب المهتمين
وبعد استقطابهم تفكر في بناء مناج يتناسب معهم
وكيف ان المحتوى قد يكون هو الاساس لبناء بعض المشاريع، وليس المنتج
أي أن تقوم الشركة او الشخص ببناء محتوى حول موضوع معين
ثم تستقطب المهتمين
وبعد استقطابهم تفكر في بناء مناج يتناسب معهم
March 1, 2017
沒有太多新觀念，想讀的人可以看每個章節後面的重點回顧。
這本書給我最重要的提醒是要找到甜蜜點（知識技能、熱情、客戶需求的交集點）， 接著要找到跟競爭對手的差異點， 例如也許你本來是導遊，但你的愛好熱情是設計，所以就可以談從導遊的眼光看設計。
這本書給我最重要的提醒是要找到甜蜜點（知識技能、熱情、客戶需求的交集點）， 接著要找到跟競爭對手的差異點， 例如也許你本來是導遊，但你的愛好熱情是設計，所以就可以談從導遊的眼光看設計。
May 5, 2017
Some useful tips, but mostly generic. Felt like reading a sale pitch the whole time.
October 30, 2021
Apt for Academic & Cultural Impresarios as Well - Since looking to learn more about how social media and various platforms are being used, I was taken by Pulizzi’s notion of a content business model for this purpose. Namely, his concentration on developing audiences by providing valued content as means for working toward a viable enterprise is what I found particularly attractive. It seems that in addition to business entrepreneurs such an approach could be especially apt for budding academic and cultural “impresarios” as well (looking for an appropriate name or word).
Pulizzi includes such arenas in his definitions and examples, notably in his second edition (2021) subtitled “Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (With Little to No Money).” However, some who are more artistic, scholarly or socially minded might be initially “put off” by the strength of his commercial orientation. None the less, Pullizi has much to offer to those with such interests.
More specifically, the book’s contents include a Foreword, Introduction, and 24 chapters in 8 parts. Namely, there is Part 1 Starting the Journey: (1) Beginning with the End in Mind, (2) The Content Inc. Opportunity; Part 2 The Sweet Spot: (3) Knowledge or Skill + Passion, (4) Adding Audience to Your Sweet Spot; Part 3 The Content Tilt: (5) Understanding the Power of the “Tilt,” (6) Discovering Your Content Mission, (7) Ways to Unearth Your Content Tilt; Part 4 Building the Base: (8) Selecting Your Platform: (9) Content Ideation, (10) The Content Calendar, (11) Content Staffing, (12) The Collaborative Publishing Model, (13) Planning for Repurposing; Part 5 Harvesting Audience: (14) The Metric That Drives the Model, (15) Building for Findability, (16) Stealing Audience, (17) Social Media Integration; Part 6 Diversification: (18) The Three and Three Model, (19) Building Out Extensions, (20) Acquiring Content Assets; Part 7 Monetization: (21) Waiting for Revenue, (22) Building the Revenue Model; Part 8 Next-Level Content Inc: (23) Putting It All Together, and (24) Join the Movement. There are also Acknowledgments, Appendix A: CMI’s Contributor/Blogging Guidelines, Appendix B: An Inside Look into CMI’s Publishing Process and an Index.
Parts that particularly stood out for me were the early chapters around the author’s background and the aspects involved in getting started. For instance, it was interesting to learn of Pulizzi’s origins as a Bowling Green State undergraduate and a Penn State masters graduate with degrees in Communication who taught public speaking. With such a foundation, it seems he developing his “business chops” working in insurance and then Penton Media (now part of informa, a leading business to business marketing firm). He was then able to parlay these passions and skills into his “Content Inc.” pathway recalling books such as Rice, Varner et al’s “The Communication Major for UNDECIDED Students, Their Career Advisors, and Teachers: Why Study Communication?”, Rodger’s “Digital Transformation Playbook,” and Moore’s “Crossing the Chasm” (see my reviews).
Other stand out aspects were those that related to my own experience and possible future applications to digital scholarship and cultural gap bridging. Since my mother and sister had a fabric business, Pulizzi’s allusion to Star Quilt Company (pgs. 144-45) made his approach more tangible for me: “Hamilton, Missouri— [earned the moniker of] the quick-quilting capital of the world. . . thanks to a down-to-earth, engaging quilt shop owner and her custom-made, YouTube video quilting tutorials. . . [and what has become the largest] selection of pre-cut fabrics in the world . . . [Someone suggested that she] create quilting video tutorials to post on YouTube. . . Missouri Star Quilt Co.’s YouTube channel was created . . . The videos have driven new traffic to their website, gaining an average of 2,000 online sales per day and making them the world’s largest supplier of pre-cut fabrics” (see my review of St. Claire’s “Golden Thread”). As I had recently finished reading David Brooks “Bobos in Paradise,” I saw the possible implications in Pullizi’s model for “public intellectuals” and those seeking to span our current social divides (see my review).
As mentioned above, among the drawbacks of the book include the “off-putting” aspects of the author’s commercial orientation for those not so inclined (e.g., who likes those provider lists where you’re on and can’t seem to unsubscribe). But his diagrams and tables, such as those describing his method and how the media landscape has changed from the 1990’s to today (see pg. 14) certainly make it worth reading. As he says and explicates (pgs. 203-04) “. . . building a blog, writing books, and spreading my message through public speaking have been the three most impactful strategies for growing my personal brand. . . other successful thought leaders from around the world have used this strategy.” Perhaps, such pathways may also be useful for academic and cultural impresarios as well.
Pulizzi includes such arenas in his definitions and examples, notably in his second edition (2021) subtitled “Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (With Little to No Money).” However, some who are more artistic, scholarly or socially minded might be initially “put off” by the strength of his commercial orientation. None the less, Pullizi has much to offer to those with such interests.
More specifically, the book’s contents include a Foreword, Introduction, and 24 chapters in 8 parts. Namely, there is Part 1 Starting the Journey: (1) Beginning with the End in Mind, (2) The Content Inc. Opportunity; Part 2 The Sweet Spot: (3) Knowledge or Skill + Passion, (4) Adding Audience to Your Sweet Spot; Part 3 The Content Tilt: (5) Understanding the Power of the “Tilt,” (6) Discovering Your Content Mission, (7) Ways to Unearth Your Content Tilt; Part 4 Building the Base: (8) Selecting Your Platform: (9) Content Ideation, (10) The Content Calendar, (11) Content Staffing, (12) The Collaborative Publishing Model, (13) Planning for Repurposing; Part 5 Harvesting Audience: (14) The Metric That Drives the Model, (15) Building for Findability, (16) Stealing Audience, (17) Social Media Integration; Part 6 Diversification: (18) The Three and Three Model, (19) Building Out Extensions, (20) Acquiring Content Assets; Part 7 Monetization: (21) Waiting for Revenue, (22) Building the Revenue Model; Part 8 Next-Level Content Inc: (23) Putting It All Together, and (24) Join the Movement. There are also Acknowledgments, Appendix A: CMI’s Contributor/Blogging Guidelines, Appendix B: An Inside Look into CMI’s Publishing Process and an Index.
Parts that particularly stood out for me were the early chapters around the author’s background and the aspects involved in getting started. For instance, it was interesting to learn of Pulizzi’s origins as a Bowling Green State undergraduate and a Penn State masters graduate with degrees in Communication who taught public speaking. With such a foundation, it seems he developing his “business chops” working in insurance and then Penton Media (now part of informa, a leading business to business marketing firm). He was then able to parlay these passions and skills into his “Content Inc.” pathway recalling books such as Rice, Varner et al’s “The Communication Major for UNDECIDED Students, Their Career Advisors, and Teachers: Why Study Communication?”, Rodger’s “Digital Transformation Playbook,” and Moore’s “Crossing the Chasm” (see my reviews).
Other stand out aspects were those that related to my own experience and possible future applications to digital scholarship and cultural gap bridging. Since my mother and sister had a fabric business, Pulizzi’s allusion to Star Quilt Company (pgs. 144-45) made his approach more tangible for me: “Hamilton, Missouri— [earned the moniker of] the quick-quilting capital of the world. . . thanks to a down-to-earth, engaging quilt shop owner and her custom-made, YouTube video quilting tutorials. . . [and what has become the largest] selection of pre-cut fabrics in the world . . . [Someone suggested that she] create quilting video tutorials to post on YouTube. . . Missouri Star Quilt Co.’s YouTube channel was created . . . The videos have driven new traffic to their website, gaining an average of 2,000 online sales per day and making them the world’s largest supplier of pre-cut fabrics” (see my review of St. Claire’s “Golden Thread”). As I had recently finished reading David Brooks “Bobos in Paradise,” I saw the possible implications in Pullizi’s model for “public intellectuals” and those seeking to span our current social divides (see my review).
As mentioned above, among the drawbacks of the book include the “off-putting” aspects of the author’s commercial orientation for those not so inclined (e.g., who likes those provider lists where you’re on and can’t seem to unsubscribe). But his diagrams and tables, such as those describing his method and how the media landscape has changed from the 1990’s to today (see pg. 14) certainly make it worth reading. As he says and explicates (pgs. 203-04) “. . . building a blog, writing books, and spreading my message through public speaking have been the three most impactful strategies for growing my personal brand. . . other successful thought leaders from around the world have used this strategy.” Perhaps, such pathways may also be useful for academic and cultural impresarios as well.
September 2, 2022
This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to build a business around content creation.
It will be valuable for beginners as well as experts. I'd recommend using it as a reference book as well and coming back to it when you are dealing specific situation that is covered in the book.
Flow: 4/5
Actionability: 5/5
Mindset: 4//5
Some of My Highlights:
"Let me repeat that: I believe the absolute best way to start and grow a business today is not by launching or pushing products, but by creating a system to attract, build, and retain an audience."
"David won because he played an entirely different game than Goliath did. If David had fought Goliath in hand-to-hand combat, as tradition demanded, he would have lost."
"This sweet spot is the intersection of a knowledge or skill set (something the entrepreneur or business has a competency in) and a specific audience desire."
"We do this by consistently generating valuable content through one key channel (a blog, a podcast, YouTube, etc.)."
"Ann was successful because she focused on being great on one platform, not dabbling in many at once."
"This is where we leverage social media as a key distribution tool and take search engine optimization seriously."
"Our goal is to generate traffic to increase the opportunity to acquire an audience."
"Great content marketers do two things differently from the rest: They document their content marketing strategy in some way (written, electronic, etc.). They review and refer to the plan on a regular basis."
"Today consumers have almost unlimited choices when it comes to where and how they consume content."
"In the past, many content creators would balk at the idea of working with nonmedia companies, because it was often considered less prestigious work."
"70 percent of consumers prefer finding product information themselves over speaking directly to a company representative (Zendesk)"
"70 percent of consumers prefer getting to know a company via content rather than through ads (Content+)"
"...which is why patience with the Content Inc. model is key."
"...be the informational resource for their customers and prospects..."
"...be the informational expert for your industry...."
"A lack of specialization is one of the biggest failures when it comes to content."
"To be the expert in your industry, you must first define your customers' pain points and the niche industry you will cover that will make a difference in your business and in your customers' lives."
"Many companies fail because they don't pick a content niche that's small enough."
"For a Content Inc. approach to work, you need to embrace not just a content factory, but also an idea factory."
"The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do." - Michael Porter
It will be valuable for beginners as well as experts. I'd recommend using it as a reference book as well and coming back to it when you are dealing specific situation that is covered in the book.
Flow: 4/5
Actionability: 5/5
Mindset: 4//5
Some of My Highlights:
"Let me repeat that: I believe the absolute best way to start and grow a business today is not by launching or pushing products, but by creating a system to attract, build, and retain an audience."
"David won because he played an entirely different game than Goliath did. If David had fought Goliath in hand-to-hand combat, as tradition demanded, he would have lost."
"This sweet spot is the intersection of a knowledge or skill set (something the entrepreneur or business has a competency in) and a specific audience desire."
"We do this by consistently generating valuable content through one key channel (a blog, a podcast, YouTube, etc.)."
"Ann was successful because she focused on being great on one platform, not dabbling in many at once."
"This is where we leverage social media as a key distribution tool and take search engine optimization seriously."
"Our goal is to generate traffic to increase the opportunity to acquire an audience."
"Great content marketers do two things differently from the rest: They document their content marketing strategy in some way (written, electronic, etc.). They review and refer to the plan on a regular basis."
"Today consumers have almost unlimited choices when it comes to where and how they consume content."
"In the past, many content creators would balk at the idea of working with nonmedia companies, because it was often considered less prestigious work."
"70 percent of consumers prefer finding product information themselves over speaking directly to a company representative (Zendesk)"
"70 percent of consumers prefer getting to know a company via content rather than through ads (Content+)"
"...which is why patience with the Content Inc. model is key."
"...be the informational resource for their customers and prospects..."
"...be the informational expert for your industry...."
"A lack of specialization is one of the biggest failures when it comes to content."
"To be the expert in your industry, you must first define your customers' pain points and the niche industry you will cover that will make a difference in your business and in your customers' lives."
"Many companies fail because they don't pick a content niche that's small enough."
"For a Content Inc. approach to work, you need to embrace not just a content factory, but also an idea factory."
"The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do." - Michael Porter
November 8, 2018
Content Inc.: How Entrepreneurs Use Content to Build Massive Audiences and Create Radically Successful Businesses by Joe Pulizzi was chosen by Soundview Executive Book Summaries as one of the Top Business Books of 2016.
THE SOUNDVIEW OVERVIEW:
What's the surest way to startup failure? Follow old, outdated rules. In Content Inc., one of today's most sought-after content-marketing strategists reveals a new model for entrepreneurial success. Author Joe Pulizzi flips the traditional entrepreneurial approach of first creating a product and then trying to find customers. It's a brilliant reverse-engineering of a model that rarely succeeds.
Today's markets are more dynamic and customers are more fickle than ever before. Why would you put all your eggs in one basket before securing a loyal customer base? Content Inc. shows you how to get customers first and develop products later. It's the best way to build a solid, long-lasting business positioned for today's content-driven world.
A pioneer of content marketing, Pulizzi has cracked the code when it comes to the power of content in a world where marketers still hold fast to traditional models that no longer work. In Content Inc., he breaks down the business-startup process into six steps, making it simple for you to visualize, launch and monetize your own business.
Whether you're seeking to start a brand-new business or drive innovation in an existing one, Content Inc. provides everything you need to reverse-engineer the traditional entrepreneurial model for better, more sustainable success.
Soundview's in-depth, 8-page Executive Summary of Content Inc. is available here.
THE SOUNDVIEW OVERVIEW:
What's the surest way to startup failure? Follow old, outdated rules. In Content Inc., one of today's most sought-after content-marketing strategists reveals a new model for entrepreneurial success. Author Joe Pulizzi flips the traditional entrepreneurial approach of first creating a product and then trying to find customers. It's a brilliant reverse-engineering of a model that rarely succeeds.
Today's markets are more dynamic and customers are more fickle than ever before. Why would you put all your eggs in one basket before securing a loyal customer base? Content Inc. shows you how to get customers first and develop products later. It's the best way to build a solid, long-lasting business positioned for today's content-driven world.
A pioneer of content marketing, Pulizzi has cracked the code when it comes to the power of content in a world where marketers still hold fast to traditional models that no longer work. In Content Inc., he breaks down the business-startup process into six steps, making it simple for you to visualize, launch and monetize your own business.
Whether you're seeking to start a brand-new business or drive innovation in an existing one, Content Inc. provides everything you need to reverse-engineer the traditional entrepreneurial model for better, more sustainable success.
Soundview's in-depth, 8-page Executive Summary of Content Inc. is available here.
December 18, 2021
Audience Before Revenue
Pulizzi takes the reader step-by-step from identifying a content provider's sweet spot to the exit strategy with stops along the way for refining your content tilt, selecting your chief platform, building your audience, monetizing your content, diversifying your channels and/or platforms and acquiring content.
Pros:
• Pulizzi is very through and provides clear, actionable tasks at every step.
• He is very specific and realistic about the timeline to deploy this model and up-front about the work involved. With his guidance, the path to a successful Content, Inc. business may be simple, but it is in no way easy.
• He outlines the (mostly) internal roadblock to success (I saw myself in a few of these).
Cons:
• Updated earlier this year (2021), many of the technology and platform specific tips are likely to become outdated soon.
• Though Pulizzi makes the argument that everyone is in the content business, this book does have a narrow focus that might not be appropriate for most business owners.
If content is part of your business strategy, this book is indispensable.
Pulizzi takes the reader step-by-step from identifying a content provider's sweet spot to the exit strategy with stops along the way for refining your content tilt, selecting your chief platform, building your audience, monetizing your content, diversifying your channels and/or platforms and acquiring content.
Pros:
• Pulizzi is very through and provides clear, actionable tasks at every step.
• He is very specific and realistic about the timeline to deploy this model and up-front about the work involved. With his guidance, the path to a successful Content, Inc. business may be simple, but it is in no way easy.
• He outlines the (mostly) internal roadblock to success (I saw myself in a few of these).
Cons:
• Updated earlier this year (2021), many of the technology and platform specific tips are likely to become outdated soon.
• Though Pulizzi makes the argument that everyone is in the content business, this book does have a narrow focus that might not be appropriate for most business owners.
If content is part of your business strategy, this book is indispensable.
December 13, 2017
I have a lot of respect for Joe and CMI, and perhaps my expectations going into this should have been a lot more measured. Content Inc's model is one that I truly believe in, I especially like the "tilt" - which is something that most businesses often forget about and start diving into a crowded space with a "me too" voice.
That being said, for experienced marketers, a blog post or a white paper would have been enough. For novice marketers, this is a solid addition to have in their library. Joe very meticulously breaks down the content creation process, right from the thinking to the tracking and governance. There's a lot in here that many small businesses (even large ones) forget about if they're not working with the right marketing partners.
If you're just starting out in content marketing, this is a very good place to begin your journey. If you're a marketer that has been around for a while, perhaps the final 25% of the book is what you'll get the most out of.
That being said, for experienced marketers, a blog post or a white paper would have been enough. For novice marketers, this is a solid addition to have in their library. Joe very meticulously breaks down the content creation process, right from the thinking to the tracking and governance. There's a lot in here that many small businesses (even large ones) forget about if they're not working with the right marketing partners.
If you're just starting out in content marketing, this is a very good place to begin your journey. If you're a marketer that has been around for a while, perhaps the final 25% of the book is what you'll get the most out of.
July 8, 2022
Content, Inc. by Joe Pulizzi is a must-read, in my opinion, for anyone looking to get started with content marketing. Note that I said-get started. There is so much great information in this book for people starting out, though I think that it's going to have a lot of information that seasoned entrepreneurs already know. I'm basing my five-star review on the book as a whole and if you're starting off, there's five stars worth of information in it.
Pulizzi's approach to building an audience before you necessarily know or have something to sell is a unique idea. Becoming an expert in your field through content marketing will build trust within your audience, enabling you to come up with a product afterward that will fit their needs and sell it to them. All in all, a really great resource and definitely one that I wouldn't mind keeping around for when I need inspiration on how to engage and build my audience.
Pulizzi's approach to building an audience before you necessarily know or have something to sell is a unique idea. Becoming an expert in your field through content marketing will build trust within your audience, enabling you to come up with a product afterward that will fit their needs and sell it to them. All in all, a really great resource and definitely one that I wouldn't mind keeping around for when I need inspiration on how to engage and build my audience.
February 14, 2023
I have read a lot of books about similar subjects but this one is the best for the following reasons.
Organization - Takes you through the model. Introduces the ideas behind the topic, how to implement, how he implemented, how others implemented, then resources for further research.
Step by Step - Breaks down each step into many steps to follow and then explains it Barney style so anyone can do this on their own.
Examples - Loaded with examples. I looked up a fair amount of the people/orgs he mentioned and all are top notch. \
Repetition - The guy really did do this for a long time and knows what he is talking about. He repeats the central theme over and over again so its next impossible not to get the main ideas.
End of book failure examples - I love the end of the book where he discusses why people actually make it through the book and did not succeed.
Other books may do some of this but not as well as he does consistently throughout their books.
Organization - Takes you through the model. Introduces the ideas behind the topic, how to implement, how he implemented, how others implemented, then resources for further research.
Step by Step - Breaks down each step into many steps to follow and then explains it Barney style so anyone can do this on their own.
Examples - Loaded with examples. I looked up a fair amount of the people/orgs he mentioned and all are top notch. \
Repetition - The guy really did do this for a long time and knows what he is talking about. He repeats the central theme over and over again so its next impossible not to get the main ideas.
End of book failure examples - I love the end of the book where he discusses why people actually make it through the book and did not succeed.
Other books may do some of this but not as well as he does consistently throughout their books.
July 8, 2022
This book changed my perspective and henceforth my action and thereby my opportunities
I am not sure where you are in your life at this moment, but for me I have been looking for possibilities beyond my knowledge and understanding. This book happens to open the doors for me. This book delivered a completely new angle of looking at things that can generate multiple folds of revenue beyond what I am making today. I believe, we have to look at everything from an enterprise-level scale. Content was never a possibility for me as a path to enterprise scalability. Joe provided incredible amount of information, direction, vision, execution and everything in between to make me understand how to execute on content to reach that scale. In today’s world, every business is a media business. And content Inc. provides that understanding and knowledge of how to pursue it. A MUST READ.
I am not sure where you are in your life at this moment, but for me I have been looking for possibilities beyond my knowledge and understanding. This book happens to open the doors for me. This book delivered a completely new angle of looking at things that can generate multiple folds of revenue beyond what I am making today. I believe, we have to look at everything from an enterprise-level scale. Content was never a possibility for me as a path to enterprise scalability. Joe provided incredible amount of information, direction, vision, execution and everything in between to make me understand how to execute on content to reach that scale. In today’s world, every business is a media business. And content Inc. provides that understanding and knowledge of how to pursue it. A MUST READ.
December 27, 2017
The first in a line of business books that I've been obliged to read for my job, Content Inc. was not a book I would ever have chosen to read of my own accord. And yet, I'm glad that I did.
It was surprisingly pertinent to me and my personal goals for content creation, and I was continually pleased by how useful and even inspiring it was to read. Some sections were aimed at businesses and not individuals, making some of the advice inapplicable to me, but I still found value in almost every chapter. With detailed strategies, thorough explanations of concepts, numerous case studies, and full coverage of the content creation process, this book really seems to have it all.
If the subject matter is at all relevant to you, I highly recommend Content Inc. I give it a 9 out of 10.
It was surprisingly pertinent to me and my personal goals for content creation, and I was continually pleased by how useful and even inspiring it was to read. Some sections were aimed at businesses and not individuals, making some of the advice inapplicable to me, but I still found value in almost every chapter. With detailed strategies, thorough explanations of concepts, numerous case studies, and full coverage of the content creation process, this book really seems to have it all.
If the subject matter is at all relevant to you, I highly recommend Content Inc. I give it a 9 out of 10.
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