When I’m asked about the basics of content marketing, the most common phrase I answer with is “It depends.” Content marketing has grown so much over the decades that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work anymore.

But what do you hear when someone says, “It depends”?

• They don’t have a straightforward answer, so they’ll waffle their way to one.
• You’ve touched on a sensitive topic to which they have strong (and not always professionally appropriate) opinions and are trying to find a way to express them.
• They’re trying to figure out what you’re after so they can sell you on something.

The phrase, though, is one I give out often. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-most approach to content marketing, so I don’t advise my clients on “the latest trends” or “sure-fire ways to get followers.”

This may make me a less popular writer, but I believe “slow and steady” works best for many small- and medium-sized businesses. Approaching the basics of content marketing with a deliberately slow but intentional pace lets owners and micro marketing teams keep up with the work and develop a routine so content marketing doesn’t get left in the dust.

So, here are some questions I answer with “It depends.”

Should I produce video?

It depends.

Content marketing basics question: Does your target market love video? Or would they rather read information?

Although marketers and business owners have noticed a generational shift in media consumption preferences—older audiences often prefer reading; younger, watching—that doesn’t give you an automatic answer.

Here are reasons someone may prefer reading instead of watching content:

• They can read faster than they can watch, and they don’t want to fiddle with video speed.
• They sometimes forget what setting their volume is on and hate being surprised by a sudden blast of sound.
• When the video automatically starts muted, they hate having to turn on the sound and then rewind the video, if the platform allows rewinding.
• They can more easily scan for the information they need.
• They are photosensitive and avoid videos. (This can include people with epilepsy, migraine, autism, and other cognitive and neurological conditions.)

However, people who prefer to read may enjoy watching content in certain circumstances:

• They love wonderful entertainment: bring on the stand-up comedians!
• The need to see how something is done, e.g., replacing the drain in their sink or using a drill.
• They love cute cat videos.

So, try to figure out what your target market wants. Read up on how different demographics consume media, see if it fits your target market, and then go for it.

Is there a formula I should follow to write blog posts?

It depends.

Content marketing basics question: What kind of content does your readership prefer, and in what order do they want it presented in?

Blog post writing comes with some best practices, but an actual template? Not one that I could recommend that would apply to everyone. My company doesn’t use templates because we see too much variation in how target markets want to be spoken to.

The best practice for writing your blog posts is to write for your reader. Keyword strategies will come and go (and you should still use them), but you’ll always be selling to people. Write for them.

These are some basic guidelines for writing blog posts:

• Start with your topic or customer pain point in your opening paragraph. Do not begin with something like “I was thinking the other day…” or “In these trying times…”
• Keep your blog post on topic.
• Write blog posts in a variety of lengths. Word count recommendations come and go, so if you grow your blog by using posts of differing word counts, you’ll improve your chances of riding each recommendation wave.
• Edit your blog post. You can leave it for a day or two and revisit it or ask a colleague to review it. Only use editing software if you’re strong enough in grammar that you can judge if the software has flagged an issue or is just trying to keep itself employed.
• Finish your blog post with a call to action.
• Link your blog post to other internal pages and posts, as well as external sources.

What’s the best social media platform for me to be on?

It depends.

Content marketing basics question: Where is your target market, and do they wish to be interrupted with information from you in that place?

For example, many business owners aged 40+ are hanging out on Facebook. I suspect most are there to see what their friends are up to and to digitally indulge in their hobbies and interests.

They are most likely not there to work.

So, if what you’re offering will enhance their leisure time, then consider marketing there. However, any products or services intended for business life should probably avoid spending money on Facebook.

Yes, TikTok is booming these days. But is your target market there? And do they want to hear from you when they’re surfing TikTok? If your target market tends to hang out on this platform to watch stand-up comedians or get their latest book recommendations, and you want to sell human resources solutions, TikTok may not be the best use of your time.

However, let’s say you build tiny homes. That’s a topic that affects someone’s home life, not their work life. If you can write dream-inspiring blog posts about the different styles of tiny homes a homeowner could have, then Facebook and TikTok might be exactly where you should focus your content marketing.

Do I need a website?

This answer doesn’t depend on anything. It’s unequivocally “yes.”

The content marketing basics question: Why are you even asking?

It always stuns me when I find a local business online that relies on social media platforms and Google for their “website.” The thinking seems to go like this: Why waste time and money on a website when I have to duplicate things anyway for all these free places?

The main reason to keep and maintain a website, no matter how basic, is intellectual property.

This is the best metaphor I’ve come across for explaining the difference between a website hosted at a domain you own and using social media and search engines as replacements: Your website is the house you own. The other sites are rented space.

If those sites don’t like what you’re doing—and it can be for any reason—they will shut you down. You are also at the whim of “the algorithm.”

Repairing a hacked website is doable. Getting back into your social media accounts can be near impossible unless you spend so much money on ads that the company is happy to see you return quickly..

Final thoughts on content marketing basics

Content marketing rarely produces immediate results. That’s why a slow, steady, measured pace usually yields the best results in the long run. This gives you a manageable plan that you can track and adjust as you collect data to help you analyze your results and adjust course as needed.

If you’d like a few ideas on how to manage your content marketing, contact us via the form below for a free 15-minute call. We’d be happy to offer some suggestions!