Content is king, or so they say. It’s been the modus operandi of corporate communications teams for some time now, with producing content for contents sake becoming the norm, irrespective of its merit.

But what if the content the company is producing - and promoting - lacks substance? Or perhaps it isn’t aligned to their strategic objectives? Or, as is often the case, the company intends on using it as the basis for media activity but it’s devoid of any real news value.  

Companies need to carefully consider content and understand their position on a topic or issue, whether it needs to be communicated and, if so, how it should be done.

When quality, compelling content is produced and harnessed to its full potential, companies can successfully reach their target audience and, ultimately, make a significant and tangible impact to the company’s bottom line.

So, what do companies need to consider when weighing up the objective and use of business content? Key questions include:

• What is the issue being addressed? And what is your position on the issue?
• What channels are appropriate in communicating the position?
• Why should clients or the end user (including media) care about the content?
• Is the content timely?

Companies need to have a cohesive, well-defined strategy that looks at how, where and, critically, why content is being developed and distributed to an audience.

It’s easy for companies to become preoccupied with making the content “interesting” or visually appealing, rather than emphasising the message it wants to send to its audience, including clients, government/ regulators, media and industry, or a combination of these. But understanding the message and why it’s important will determine the success of the content.

Repurposing content is also something many companies fail to consider. When creating a piece of content, companies should always be thinking, ‘Can it also be used elsewhere?’, or ‘Is there another angle buried in the content that would make a good media release, opinion piece or client eDM?’

It ensures multiple bites of the cherry and promotes the company’s message across a broader range of channels and formats.

At a time when many organisations are reviewing their value proposition, consideration should be given to the use of content, and how it can position the business for future growth.