Here's my take, after having been steeped in this
new world of content marketing almost since its modern
inception: quality, relevant content is less about storytelling;
it's more about telling a true story well. Or, to paraphrase
Jack Kerourac: "It ain't only whatcha write, it's also the way
atcha write it."
In our world, quality content means content that is
packed with clear utility and is brimming with inspiration, and
it has relentless empathy for the audience:
• Utility means you clearly help your customers do
something that matters to them—you help them
shoulder their burdens, you ease their pain, or you help
them make a decision.
• Inspiration means your content is inspired by data
(more on this later) or it's creatively inspired (or both).
It's fresh, different, well-written, well-produced, nicely
designed— and it feels like it could come only from you.
• Empathy means you relentlessly focus on your
customer. You view the entire world through his or her
eyes—because, remember, everything the light touches
is content.
INTRODUCTION
