Content Rules : Fifteen Years Later

This week marks fifteen years since our book, Content Rules, hit store shelves. 

From the moment Ann Handley and I first met to discuss working together, we were committed to writing a book that would not be outdated the moment it was printed. Instead of focusing on tools, we’d focus on mindsets and strategies that would stand the test of time.

It still gives me a giggle to think about how, within the year between the first edition and our paperback edition, Instagram launched, and we had to add a section around social photography since it was clear that it was going to be a significant new addition to everyone’s marketing efforts.

I know we accomplished our goal of writing a timeless business book, because it is still being used in classrooms and offices around the world. It isn’t uncommon to find a new reader singing the book’s praises online every few weeks. Each one fills me with pride and is appreciated. 

While I still hold out hope that we will someday publish a second edition, I wanted to reflect on our twelve rules and why I believe they remain as crucial as ever. 

Embrace Being a Publisher 

Thankfully, most people no longer question this one. Now that we all have a phone in our pocket that can create almost any content we want, being a publisher is second nature. Without any budget, an individual or organization can begin publishing content to help them find their audience and build their community. 

However, you must start if you are going to be successful at it. As a professor, I’m constantly encouraging my students to start creating if they want a career in this field. Doesn’t matter if it is the occasional LinkedIn article, fun TikToks, or a blog of movie reviews. Publishing content that showcases your personality and talents helps significantly more than just words on a resume. 

Insight Inspires Originality 

Data might not be the sexiest thing to you, but the more you know about yourself and your audience, the better you can create content that will be of interest to them. Tracking impressions and engagement is a minimum requirement for all. Digging deeper into understanding who your target audience is and what motivates them is the next step. Most of our tools have some sort of reporting built into them now, so you’ve got to be smart and use both sides of your brain.

Build Momentum 

We all have to start somewhere, and there are very few overnight successes. The key is to always be thinking long term and to continually build on your success to propel you to your next goal. Want to land a great job or launch a successful Kickstarter? Then you need to start building your community months and years in advance. Everyone’s social media account starts with zero followers, and growth only comes over time. Strategically thinking about how you can continually build upon what you’ve already done is where your mind should be. 

Speak Human 

We might need to update this one to be “don’t lose your humanity” in our AI-filled world. Being authentic shouldn’t be a strategy, but should just be. In everything you create, don’t forget that on the other side are humans you hope to engage enough that they come back for more, make a purchase, or take an action you are calling them to do. Sure, the algorithms are out there, and you need to think about them constantly, but as the tools get better, the temptations are going to grow to use AI as a shortcut rather than a sidekick. 

I recently tried Google Pomelli and instantly knew it could help many small businesses and individuals get started with improving their content. But when I had it create some content for me, it felt like a soulless computer wrote it, and it certainly didn’t sound like me. Use the tools to help you, but don’t use them to replace yourself. 

Reimagine; Don’t Recycle 

When something works for you or another brand, it doesn’t mean it’ll work a second time. Learn from the past, but always be thinking bigger. Your fundraising campaign last year, using puppies, led to a boom in donations. Awesome! This year, don’t do the same thing, but think of new ways you can use those fuzzy bundles of joy so that your audience isn’t bored by the same old thing. 

Whenever you are inspired by something you see elsewhere, come up with a way to reimagine it for you. Rarely does an idea from someone else translate perfectly to you and your audience. Look for a fresh spin that you can add to it, making it your own. 

Share or Solve; Don’t Shill 

With the holiday marketing blitz in full effect right now, most of us are already sick of the constant consumerism push to buy more. Consumers are savvy enough to know that all the content any company creates is in the hopes of eventually getting their dollars. However, you might get them quicker if you help others. Show them how to use your product to solve their problems. Share in your customer’s successes. People love an emotional tug in their hearts and brains, and you can do that. Why aren’t you?

We all go to Google and TikTok to ask questions, so why aren’t you creating content that answers them? I used to tell every company to take their ten most asked customer service questions and create a FAQ answering them on their website. Now, I’d advise them to create video content as well, since more and more people are searching social apps rather than search engines. 

Show; Don’t Tell 

This is the one rule that was forced upon marketers as video became the must have medium since our book came out. Having a blog and a newsletter isn’t enough anymore. You’ve got to be creating snackable content across digital marketing platforms that users can see and hear about your products. I never thought I’d see vertical video becoming the norm, but here we are.

Do Something Unexpected 

This will always be the most challenging rule to follow. Anything that involves even a sliver of risk scares the tie wearing uptights in any organization. We never meant for you to throw caution to the wind in pursuit of potential viral success. But doing something innovative, fun, and different for you can help break through the doom scrolling and gain attention. Smart experimentation has always been my advice to every organization I’ve worked with or consulted for.

Pay attention to what's happening in the world. What is trending on different platforms and in the zeitgeist at the moment. Don’t jump on every trend and meme you come across, but when it makes sense, go for it. Yesterday, I had a student show me Walmart’s post, which is a “if you know, you know” reference to the current Starbucks Bearista shortage. A perfect example of something unexpected that made sense for them to do.

Stoke the Campfire 

To be successful in marketing, it isn’t something you can do for a few months and stop. You also can’t decide to start it up and expect immediate results. It is an ongoing, year after year, week after week effort that can’t be ignored. When planning for next year, start with the biggest initiatives and break them down into smaller pieces. Planning a huge product launch in the summer. Great, what are you doing on a random Tuesday in March that will help your brand? Anyone who has enjoyed the warmth of a fire knows that if you don’t tend to it and keep adding to it, that it will eventually burn out and leave you in the cold. Marketing works the same.  

Create Wings and Roots 

Students in my digital marketing course are finishing up their personal portfolio sites this weekend. I have them complete this assignment so that they can establish their first online presence. Depending on only their LinkedIn profile to land jobs and internships isn’t something I believe in. Everyone needs to have their roots online, which for most of us is a website. Then everything you do across all digital channels gives you wings to spread across the web and reach others. We all hope that people will share what we create, but we’ve got to make it as easy as possible, and then don’t forget that for it to be most beneficial, they’ll be able to come back and find us again. 

I’ve seen nothing yet that proves to me that having a website is still not the first thing you should establish. It is the one place you’ll always have full control over what is shown to everyone. The algorithms will never give up their grasp on what is shown to others, so create all the content you can and put it out there. With the rise of AI search, listen to the experts and plan your site and content appropriately. 

Play To Your Strengths 

You can’t do everything, so knowing what you are good at is always the first place to start. But, I do believe you need to be a lifelong learner who is always trying to expand their toolbox. I still recognize that editing video is not one of my strengths, but I want to create more videos nonetheless. When in doubt, find others to work with to help complement what you are good at and enjoy creating. Plus, by partnering with others, you’ll both expand your reach, and you never know what might come of it.   

Change is the Only Constant

During our book tour, we still encountered people who challenged us about the need to embrace social media to be successful in marketing. How silly does that sound now? Technology and consumers will constantly change, and if you work in marketing, that will keep you up at night. Currently, everyone is trying to determine where AI fits into the mix. Can you imagine what will be commonplace fifteen years from now as I look back on thirty years of Content Rules? Heads up displays in our glasses, foldable thin tablets that can do everything we need, and autonomous digital marketing asset creators? Anyone can guess, but I can promise you that things will change. They always have and always will. Few of us enjoy it, but we all must appreciate that it is never going to stop.

Writing this reaffirmed to me that our rules are holding up well. Thank you again, An,n for reaching out and asking me to write this with you. I may have said no at first (dumbest thing ever), but I’m glad you stayed on me to change my mind. It has changed so much in my life, and I know we’ve helped people around the globe improve their marketing as well. 

It may be time to write the next book before I reflect on Amazing Things Will Happen in a few years. 🙂