Content is King? Horse Hockey!
I have read so many things over the years about why content is important. Why content is the most important. Why content is KING. I just have to disagree. I know, as a born copy-writer it’s blasphemous for me to speak in such a manner, but I would be remiss not to mention it.
Don’t get me wrong. Content matters. It really does. Words can change the world. But not without the man or woman or design behind them. Or the brand that makes the words credible. Or a myriad of other things that support good content.
But no matter how you slice it, content just not king. Here are the top three reasons this is true.
1. People aren’t drawn to words. How many of you have a blog that nobody reads? Why is that? Is it because your writing is bad? Probably not. Your site is just another dot on the map. The very, very large-with-lots-of-other-dots map. Good content helps. I have had more hits on my recent post about static versus dynamic pages that all my other posts combined. But other than your words, what do you offer?
2. Words are not an experience. Words alone offer no experience. By themselves they are just words; they are thoughts and ideas that aren’t tied to anything and are floating around without a place to settle. Martin Luther King said some words. Some really great and wonderful life-changing words. But these words were nothing without the man behind them. Someone who lived what he spoke, who believed in something to such an extent that he gave his life for his beliefs.
3. Man is a very visual creature. We want to see pretty things. We like to look at pretty people. If content was king, certain empty-headed celebrities would not be very popular. Why do we like them? Cause they’re PRETTY. They are only interesting because though they might be idjits, they look good doing it. If content were king, there would be no designs around the words. It would be words and words and words, and it would be KING!
Of course, as a professional marketing public relations kind of person, I know that content is extremely important, and without good content, a website, brochure, billboard design is useless. As my blog content grows, my dot gets larger. And I can live with that.
I just know it takes a village to raise the content. The support system is the key.
Just my 2¢ anyway!
© 2008 Jennifer Poyer
June 4th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Jenn,
I just have to agree with you, dear. It’s like looking for love, isn’t it? For example; someone’s personality doesn’t catch your eye — their looks do. It is that INITIAL IMPRESSION that snags you and draws you in. Of course, this is also true in writing, too. Why else would the first line in an article be called a ‘hook line’? This is designed to draw a reader in. BUT — the reader is not drawn in to your product, your brochure, your storefront, or whatever service you are selling if it doesn’t come in an appealing package. (Sound a little bit like your last night on the town, ladies?) It’s all about image, baby. Packaging and image, and that may not be what sells in the end, but it IS what grabs you.
June 5th, 2008 at 12:54 am
I knew there was a reason I held on to my little black mini.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
But well-written words can be beautiful in their own right. Sure, it takes a litle more work than just looking at pretty pictures, but it stays with you longer–kind of like the difference between quenching your hunger with a fat-laden candy bar versus a healthy smorgasboard of garden-fresh vegetables.
Or we all could just opt to go to happy hour and forget about the whole thing.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Well, Wendel, you’ll like this one — when was the last time you searched for something on Google, but you checked the “only show me pretty sites” box? heh heh. Someone commented on Sphinn that words are what keeps people in for the long haul. Must agree with that point.
Though I like the idea of happy hour. Maybe now I’ll have a place to wear my mini.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I’ll waer a mini if you do.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Sorry about the typo.
I’ll “wear” a mini if you do.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:49 am
ONLY if you bring your colorful socks. And a basketball. And your wallet. Hahaaaa!
On a more serious note, when are you going to start your blog? I would definitely be a subscriber!!!!