30 Content Marketing Truths for 2010

By Joe Pulizzi | Published: January 5, 2010

Whenever I can get two numbers into the title of a content marketing post, good things are always bound to happen.

As we move into 2010, I thought I’d share these 30 content marketing truths that are taped above my desk. Whenever I lose my way (to a more traditional mindset), I read through this content-marketing heavy list. It’s guaranteed to help.

That the content is more important than the offer.
That a customer relationship doesn’t end with the payment.
That printed marketing doesn’t stop with the full-page advertisement.
That “being the content” is more important than “surrounding the content”.
That interruption isn’t valued, but engagement is.
That a blog can be and should be a core part of communicating with and marketing to your customers.
That internal marketing always takes precedence over external marketing.
That a brand is a relationship, not a tag line.
That focusing on what the customer wants is more important that what you have to sell.
That readers are old school, customers are new school.
That the competition can copy everything you have, except your brand. Communications is the differentiator.
That a news release isn’t meant to be picked up by the press, but to help customers find your great content on the web.
That communicating directly with customers is the best choice.
That marketers can and should be publishers.
That today’s traditional publishers are scared of marketers.
That without content, community is improbable, if not impossible.
That the marketing brochure should be stricken from all strategic marketing plans.
That content without design doesn’t look appetizing (or deliver on marketing goals).
That lead generation is only one small part of the marketing picture.
That hiring an editor is not a want, but a must, for the organization.
That, no matter the medium or the provider, someone is always selling something.
That the long tail of search engine optimization is driven by consistent content on your corporate blog or website.
That 90% of all corporate websites talk about how great the company or product is and forgets about the customer.
That 90% of all corporate websites suck.
That the blogging community will be more important than traditional media (if not already).
That in the next five years the majority of content consumers engage in will be corporate media (if not already).
That buyers are in control, the traditional sales process has changed, and that relevant content lets organizations into the buying process.
That long-form branded content can be created anywhere your customers work, live or play.
That the Chief Content Officer is the CMO of the future.
That customers want to be inspired. Be the inspiration!

Thank you to those companies that get the value of content marketing. For everyone else…there’s no time like the present (so get this content marketing white paper – it will help).

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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http://www.planetwebfoot.com PLANETwebfoot

Thanks for sharing this list with us.
http://www.mediabadger.com/blog Giles (Webconomist)

I like 29 on the Chief Content Officer; I wonder when large corporations will get there.
I wonder sometimes, as consumers, how much truth do we want to hear?
http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com Michael Thimmesch

Excellent, excellent post. Your very fast 30 points are a guided tour of the drastic changes that the internet first, and now social media, have wrought in marketing over the last 15 years. While sometimes that change has been gradual, it seems like 2009 had a monumental shift, just like 2001 did. Marketers have to follow the advice long given to college professors, Publish or Perish!
http://www.strongwords.ca SEO Kitchener

Joe, thanks for this list! As someone who has moved (been forced by the market to move) from being a writer & editor to being a marketer, I can’t agree more. And I look forward to the way the “information revolution” (remember that phrase?) continues to unfold. I might ping you back in an upcoming post. You beat me to the punch on the whole “looking forward to 2010″ idea.
http://www.nuggetisland.com Mattt

Joe, two great finds from you in two days from two different sources. I am impressed! Great stuff.
http://www.formalifesciencemarketing.com Lilly Ferrick

I get a lot out of reading your posts. I will challenge you on #9 though in regards to what customers want. What customers want and what they need are not always the same. In situations where the customer is in need of an expert, it’s most important to tell them what they need, if it’s in fact, different than what they want.
http://blog.junta42.com Joe Pulizzi

Hi Lilly…I agree with you to a point on that. Many times, the consumer doesn’t know what they want or need unless they are presented with a solution.
I guess my take is that, from a content standpoint, our customers want information on how to grow their careers and personal lives, as it pertains to the product we have to offer. That’s content marketing. So often we focus on sales information (what they don’t want), and less on educational and inspirational information (what they want and need).
It’s probably semantics, but thanks for pointing it out.
http://marketinglagniappe.com Stan Phelps

Joe,
As usual – thank for providing the blueprint and thought leadership on content marketing:
My thoughts or additional R.U.L.E.S for providing that ‘little something extra’ to your clients and prospects:
R – Be relevant. Try to deliver added value and focus on getting it right with your most important marketing asset . . . your current customers
U – Make it unexpected. Try to ‘surprise and delight’ your customers. Think of your added value as ‘branded acts of kindness’.
L – The power of limited. Differentiate your offerings and added value so it can not be copied. Think ‘signature’. What is ‘purple’ about your product or service?
E – Expression. Don’t underestimate the importance of how you deliver your content? Sometimes its not how ‘what is given’, rather ‘how it is given’.
S – Sticky. Make sure what you are offering is watercooler material. Not only do they get value, but are they willing to share with others.
Best,
Stan
@9INCHmarketing
#PurpleGoldfishProject
http://www.russhenneberry.com Russ Henneberry

Great list Joe! The future looks bright indeed for the customer.
Could you expand on #10 — not quite sure what it means.
http://blog.junta42.com Joe Pulizzi

@Stan…thanks, great stuff
@Russ…the thought there is that thinking of those that read your content as just readers discounts the fact that these readers make buying decisions. Think of all your readers as customers. When you do that, you write differently.
http://lissaduty.com Lissa Duty

Great post! #11 has been my strategy for branding!
http://www.myprospecthill.com/ Technology Sales Lead

Thanks for giving idea. I really appreciate it. More share in the future. please..
http://www.YourStressMatters.com/preparingfor2010.htm The Baum Group/Dr. Rae and Associates

Great list Joe. Thanks for sharing
Sara Broderick

Thanks for this list, Joe! It’s a great reminder of why we do what we do.
I’m in a marketing role right now and my No. 1 consideration is always content. In content, there’s value.
It’s important to remember that content doesn’t have to be tricky or over-challenging to produce. It can exist in many mediums and forms. Just write down a list of what you, your client or your company is most passionate about, what you do best, what your competitors do best and start creating.
http://www.niclucas.com Nic Lucas

This is a great list and is congruent with the message of Jeff Jarvis in ‘What would google do?’.
http://www.understandandserve.com Jeremy Morris

Joe
A good list. I think there’s another important point however which is a bit of a qualifier for content marketing. It’s that great content can’t save you from a mediocre product or poor customer service. There’s no hiding place anymore
http://farmtownheaven.com Farm Town Cheats

Excellent Post again, I keep reading your blog content!
http://marketingtraditionalbusinesses.com/search-engine-optimization-basics-for-business-owners/ David Carroll

Joe
I really like your list. You make folks and me think. In the months to come great copy writing and finding what your customer really thinks and giving it to them are going to be the key to success
http://www.providentpartners.net/blog albert maruggi

Number One I’m always amazed at how a list will generate readers. That’s a commentary in itself, perhaps a result of two generations of USA Today or perhaps acknowledgement that Moses was on to something that we are just picking up on.
Second, content marketing is just a buzz word for marketers to stimulate new business let’s face it.
third, the issue and the rub will be for companies to avoid the temptation to scream they are the greatest, and acknowledge that they are not perfect, the best, most remarkable thing in the world.
I prefer to get companies to face the realities of “content marketing” by saying consider this an opportunity to have an http://www.providentpartners.net/newsroompr an”embedded corporate journalist” that’s the next transition companies will make if they want to move to be a company with a social culture and not one that merely implements social tactics.
http://www.bergstrom-seo.com Best SEO Companies

Subject of your post is very interesting.I ‘d love to read more.Please make the next post here, i ‘ll be waiting for that.The best way to find the best SEO company for you business is to actually phone the SEO companies up. Explain your business to them. If they can’t understand your business, then they probably can’t help you. The top SEO companies understand SEO, but they also understand the needs of their clients. The best seo company can look into your business and figure out what your key customers are typing into Google. There’s no point in hiring a SEO company that doesn’t understand what your business is about. Without that knowledge, how will they know what keywords do to SEO for?
Thanks~
Prasen Dutta a community member at Top SEO Companies
http://anger-management-for-children.com/ Mark Andrews

This is a great list but my fav is number 24 on the list – how true
Adam@How To Make MOney Online

I can Add:
1-The content without good seo = NOTHING
2-Duplicate content is spam and wast of time because your site will be penalize
3-Add regular content .. Google like regular sites
4-don’t submit dozen of articles in short time.. Google treat you as spam
Finally.. I hope this tips help every one want to success online.
http://www.clickherenowmarketing.com/category/internet-market-packages/strategic_marketing_and_response_technology/ Mark-Strategic Marketing Consultant

I would like to comment on number 2 & 19 which are interlinked. This should be a very important part of your strategic marketing plan, that is to have an effective way to follow up and follow through with customers, whether they have just purchased an item or started communicating with your company. On average you need to have communicated with the client 7-9 times before they purchase, so this is crucial to long term success.
Owen Cooper

I agree with the comment which covers point 9 Giving customers what they wants may give them temporally satifaction but because it does not meet with what they actually need they become dissatified and tend to blame there dissatifaction on the seller and therefore do not become a long term customer. Much better to try and find out what they need, answer that need and you have a customer for life.
Jeff

Great post, looking forward for the next one………
http://www.newhomesteps.com Rodney Ash

Joe, well it almost 2011 and I just found this post. Great list. I especially like number 15: That today’s traditional publishers are scared of marketers. This so true. It’s amazing to watch big newspaper companies still trying to figure it out.
You should do a 2011 list.
Thanks.
Joseph Hollak

Thanks for resurrecting an old post here at year-end. I’m a new reader and I missed it the first time around.

I particularly liked #6 on the list above. There was talk in my industry (residential real estate) earlier this year about the blog being dead. I sure hope all of my competitors took that to heart and stopped blogging.

Here’s to a great 2011.

Joseph Hollak