Reflecting on the Necessity of Content Creation
Way back in 2012 I wrote this piece for Mashable just after Facebook acquired Instagram (yes, that was 9 years ago). While my musings were not necessarily the most insightful, 9 years later I can at least say I am not totally embarrassed by them.
However, there was one point that called out for a second look:
If content creation isn’t your brand’s core competency, don’t reinvent the wheel – look to others who can help…Running a campaign with a content partner can, in the end, result in far more engagement than expected.
Today, many of our clients definitely fall in the “not my core competency” category. And they should seek out help. Anyone can be a content creator overnight, but its unlikely the content will be any good without creative talent and some modicum of technical skill. And before apps like Canva and Lumen5 came around, you didn’t just need a modicum of technical skill - you needed A LOT of technical skill.
Needless to say, my perspective on this point has changed dramatically. Although companies SHOULD seek out help from professional content creators, I no longer think that content creation can be outsourced forever, or relegated to the arena of “things we’re just not good at.” Content has become too central to every marketing effort and customer interaction. There’s never enough, and it can always be more engaging. Grown your Instagram audience to a healthy size? Well, maybe you can increase your video completion rate by a few percentage points. Hired a brilliant creative agency to create weekly videos for your social channels? Well, what would happen if you created more and posted them every day?
The problem with external help is that social media is by its very nature intensely personal - and not just for people - for brands as well. And no one knows your brand better than you. No one who doesn’t work for your company, sit in your office and drink the Kool-Aid day in and day out could possible create AUTHENTIC content with the frequency required by today’s consumer. They just don’t know enough or have the right experiences to do so. I imagine social agencies would disagree, and my apologies to my friends who run many of them. They do great work. But it isn’t a sustainable solution over the long-term. Content is now just too central to the customer experience.
Agencies should help their clients focus on capability-building, particularly in content creation. Yes, there will always be a need for outside creative guidance. Some people are just more creative than others and you can’t hire them all. But the now-core-competency of content creation - the day to day grind of publishing and maintaining a digital customer community - ultimately that’s gotta be something you do yourself.
