By Becky Tumidolsky

 

Is awesome content a lost art?

No, but it is getting buried in a growing avalanche of limp, lackluster “content” that’s giving content marketing a bad name.

Joe Pulizzi, founder of the Content Marketing Institute, has repeatedly called attention to this phenomenon. Here, he unpacks it a bit. His take:

Let’s be honest. The majority of content produced by brands through blog posts, enewsletters, social media posts, print magazines and webinars is flat out awful. In many cases, the content is self-serving, not useful and, maybe the worst, pointless.

Ouch.

In fairness to content creators, this deluge of junk content isn’t necessarily the product of incompetence or laziness. Joe cites brands’ longtime reliance on mass media (“The ‘storytelling muscle’ in organizations has atrophied”) as well as their lack of strategy, focus, and accountability.

Also endemic in both the B2B and B2C worlds is a lack of time and talent. In survey after survey, content marketers complain about challenges such as “creating enough content on a regular basis,” “creating sufficient quality content,” and “limited staff.”

In light of these obstacles, it’s no wonder many brands seem to be championing mediocrity. They’re simply making do with the limited resources they have.

That’s a huge mistake. Huge. I said this before, and I’ll say it again:

Serving up B2B content that’s not ready for prime time is worse than serving no content at all.

 

Content Excellence Is a Journey

In a recent blog post, I discussed the content writer’s “mental journey,” which takes us far off the beaten path (if we’re doing our jobs well). Skill, passion, enthusiasm, and perseverance—these are the fuels that propel us. We’re always looking for new ways to elevate brands and delight their audiences, and we’re not afraid to take creative risks to achieve those ends.

In an attempt to capture this “content adventurer” mindset, I’ve created the following Prezi slideshow honoring one of the greatest cinematic heroes of all time. I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

Where’s Your Spirit of Adventure?

What are the steps you take on your content creation journey? What obstacles do you encounter along the way? Where do you draw your inspiration and energy? Please share your thoughts below.

 

Since 2001, Becky Tumidolsky has written awareness-building content for B2B brands and their discerning audiences. Her work has appeared in leading publications such as Forbes, U.S.News & World Report, Bloomberg Markets, Newsweek, and Inc. as well as corporate blogs, websites, white papers, and other content assets.

Becky loves writing fluid, error-free prose. She’s even more passionate about building the foundation for her work—uncovering core brand distinctions, framing them thematically, and developing fresh, compelling narratives that advance corporate strategies.

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