Let’s stop making definitive statements about content creation

Monkey in front of a smartphone camera, creating a video

It only takes 30 seconds of scrolling for me to run across a social media guru who is telling me some version of "If you are doing ______ you will never see results, if you want to see actual results, do this!"

Maybe that guru is right, for some. But definitive and objective statements like the one above can be harmful to companies and turn owners off from investing in marketing in general. Here's why.

The Myth of One-Size-Fits-All

First, I blame the system. Or, rather the need for content marketers to have a system. Marketing is hard, with a million moving parts and data points that change daily. Most marketing departments are under-resourced and their worth is misunderstood, so to be effective content creators we need a standardized process and seek "do this and get that" principles.

The problem?

Companies are as diverse as the audience they serve, so painting with a broad brush can't work across industries or even brands. It's like being at a wedding and saying "If they would have had an outdoor wedding then they would stay together forever, indoor weddings always end in divorce." Just because you have been to a lot of indoor weddings that ended in divorce doesn't mean your assumption is correct.

How to Create Custom Content

So how do you come up with custom marketing strategies on a minimal budget? Here's a list of ideas to get you started.

Find the right people.

The person naturally talented at SEO within blogs is likely not the one who will know how to leverage TikTok or create compelling videos.

Be an expert in the product.

I understand that some channels will get the best engagement through "entertainment" but nothing is more frustrating to potential clients than being excited about a product that isn't what they expected when purchased or started talking to a salesperson. Don't make the sales team's job harder.

The goal is more sales.

Entertaining or not, the point of content marketing is to eventually gain sales, not go viral. Have a system to generate leads and sales in place first, then work on visits and likes.

The goal is not immediate sales.

You should be contributing to sales but don't expect instant sales. Marketers support sales, and your content is about pulling people into the sales funnel, but it's an indirect process that takes time when starting from scratch.

Be where the audience is.

Is your audience on Facebook? Reddit? Discord? Prioritize the platforms with the majority of your audience, and don't fall into the trap of "my customers don't use that platform" just because you don't understand it or want to invest in the platform.

Embracing Flexibility and Adaptability

Instead of chasing standards and simple how-to guides, content creators should embrace flexibility and adaptability. The key to successful content creation lies in understanding your audience and being ready to pivot your strategy as their preferences evolve. This means being open to experimenting with new formats, exploring emerging platforms, and continuously refining your approach based on feedback and performance metrics.

In the fast-evolving world of content creation, one thing is clear: there are no absolutes. The digital landscape is ever-changing, and what works today might not be effective tomorrow. It's time we acknowledge that in content marketing, the only constant is change.