Brands Do Better With Original Content
NPR had a great discussion on the future of magazines and other print media. It was when the panelists talked about the value of content that got my attention the most. Cathie Black, the chairman of Hearst Magazines, mentioned that aggregated content gets the lowest ratings from their websites’ users.
Yes, there are successful business models built around aggregated content, but Hearst and other companies aren’t counting on those models. When you think about it, they can’t.
Hearst itself is a storied brand that publishes some of the most recognizable publishing brands in the world. Those brands are directly tied to the quality of the content the publish. All the trust and attachment people feel toward those brands follows from the content the high-quality content they consume.
Good content helps solve a lot of marketing channels. It can drive people to your site, inform customers about your products and services, help move the sales cycle along, but one of the most important things it can do is foster authority and credibility surrounding your brand. Done right, a content marketing strategy can elevate your brand from start-up to world-class.
