What is "Content" anyway?

The word "content" is quickly turning into the next "solutions" -- in other words, it is beginning to mean nothing and everything.

The word is overused and threatens to become useless all together.

Let's look at the word "content" for a moment. In real teams, content is what you put into something.

Like the contents of a cake, shown above. There's real stuff in it: flour, sugar, oil, eggs, butter, baking soda, and vanilla. When blended and cooked, a delicious cake with emerge.

Is that true for your content entries?

The Moz Blog once pointed out that there are two types of content:

Foundational content and Community-building content.

Foundational content found on your website is about YOU: your products and capabilities you offer the customer. We are likely to find product descriptions, data sheets, application notes, etc. This is where 90% of technical companies spend their time. What do WE offer to the customer?

Community-building content is different. It's about what you KNOW, not what you provide. It is harder content to write and is ignored by 90% of technical companies. They favor building up their foundational content, but they seem to despise or just plain avoid building up a community around their brand. They say they don't know where to start. This type of content (usually a blog, but also other social media types) establishes trust in your company and adds credibility to your product offering. Community content can establish you as a market leader. But only the larger companies are adopting it, and doing it only after much in-fighting, I am sure.

Now that you know the difference, get busy!