5 Reasons It Pays to be Content-Centric

If your company publishes a magazine or other publication, it’s likely your publication(s) sit at the center of your company.

As a result:

• Editorial exists to create the publication(s).
• Web teams exist to put the publication(s) online.
• Sales teams may exist to offset the cost of creating the publication(s).
• Marketing exists to build an audience for the publication(s).
• Customer service/circulation exists to keep the publication(s)’ audience happy.
• HR and management exist to manage the people who do all of the above.

In this model (see graphic below), the publication is the engine that helps move the business forward. Everyone else is just a rider on the train. But, in this model, you live or die by the success of your publication(s). And that’s a risky proposition in an industry in the midst of disruption.

These days:

• Some people only want their publications to be digital.
• Some people only want them to be free.
• Some people avoid publications entirely and rely on other methods to get the information they need.

In other words, some people don’t want your publication, period. But, they likely DO want your content.

So why not consider putting your content at the center of your company, instead (see graphic below)? This content wouldn’t just be the stuff that goes into your publication(s), but also the stuff that sells and markets the publication(s), the stuff people write to and about your publication(s) and even the stuff about your company. All of it can be strategically used to build your business.

Becoming a content-centric company offers five benefits:

1. It forces your company to become more audience-centric. In a content-centric model, you shift from selling a product to your audience (i.e., a publication that contains information) to providing a service to your audience (i.e., giving information to them, when and where they need it). And guess what? The former will win the war for your audience’s attention in an increasingly information-overloaded world.
2. It provides consistency. When your content comes from a central source and central strategy, it all has to pass the same litmus tests for quality, consistency, optimization and brand-appropriateness upon its birth. That makes it stronger and more effective and, as a result, it works harder for you no matter where and when you publish it.
3. It breaks down communication silos. Your audience goes wherever they like, so your content should, too. Becoming content-centric forces you to work more holistically and makes you focus more on who wants your content (and why they need it) than who “owns” it, internally. As a result, you can respond to and communicate with your audience about your content more quickly, nimbly and authentically.
4. It’s easier to manage. In a content-centric company, all of your content ideally lives in a central content management system (CMS). This makes it easier to deliver to people in the method they prefer, on whatever device they happen to be using. A central CMS also lets you better collaborate across departments and track where and when your content is published.
5. It frees up your time so you can think strategically. When you standardize the process by which content is generated, published, distributed, shared, measured, refreshed and retired, you free up your company’s time to focus on more strategic tasks (like researching trends, building new audiences and adapting to changing technology.)

So, with these incentives in mind, maybe it’s time for your company to catch a ride on a new train. With content as your engine, there’s no limit to how far you can go.

Talk to us about putting your content at the center of your company.

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