What is Good Content?

Over the last few blogs, we’ve explored different channels of sharing content as part of your organic marketing strategy, as well as how to set up your own content calendar. After deciding where you want to share content, the natural next step is to decide what type of content to post. And then, the questions come flooding in. How do you make content? What format should the content take? Should someone be featured in them? How do you make good content?

In fact, what even is good content? That’s what we’ll be exploring in this blog post.

Good content fits the channel

To come full circle back to the fact that we’ve talked about many different channels where you can post content, we need to address the fact that content is not “one-size-fits-all.” Literally – in that you can’t size an image or video the same for Instagram vs. Pinterest or TikTok vs. YouTube. But also figuratively! 

Let’s look at an example to make better sense of this. Short-form videos (vertically filmed) are all the rage lately with the rise of TikTok and Instagram’s response to the new social platforms via IG Reels. TikTok limits each video to 60 seconds, and Instagram Reels are limited to 30 seconds. 

How many popular 30-second videos have you seen on YouTube? Sure, they pop up once in a while, but YouTube as a platform is designed for long-form videos. In fact, the recommended length is at least 10 minutes. Especially now with TikTok and IG Reels widely available to content consumers, those shorter videos you might’ve come across on YouTube will definitely be on those platforms. 

In this way, you need to make sure that the content you prepare fits the channel you’re using. A 10-minute VLOG (video log) vs. a 30-second baking tip will go on different channels, and a long infographic may fit an email or website but social media. Text works the same way: short-form copy probably works best for certain social media platforms and newsletters, but long-form copy probably needs to go on a blog post. Conclusion: make sure you’re creating content for the channel you chose.

Good content is relatable

First caveat: Not to everyone, but your target. It’s probably nearly impossible – and strategically not a good idea – to try to create content that is relatable to every single human being on earth. This also aligns with the idea of identifying your target audience and potential niche before sharing content.

For example, not everyone likes VLOGs. It’s probably not surprising that some people don’t like watching another person's daily, not-particularly-exciting lifestyle for 15 minutes in video form. Some people prefer content curated with a specific purpose of educating on a certain topic, or a 30-second entertaining video. 

However, there are also people who use those VLOGs as a form of content-therapy or healing for their own daily responsibilities. They actively seek out long-form VLOGs that fit their needs and preferences; in other words, they are a “niche” for certain types of VLOGs.

Good content to these people is very different to people who cannot understand why people even bother watching VLOGs. So pick a target audience, and make the content relatable to them! 

Good content is either educational or entertaining (or both!) 

Once you’ve made sure the content fits the channel and that it is relatable to your target viewers, the final touch to making any content good is to make it either educational or entertaining – or bonus points, if both! 

“Educational” doesn’t mean that the entirety of your content is necessarily a lesson, but that it is sharing some sort of valuable information with your audience. It could be a fun fact about a place, or statistics, or a how-to. The whole content can be intentionally educational, or it can slide in a fun fact in the midst of a very entertaining experience.

Speaking of, entertaining doesn’t mean just “funny,” or “fun” even. It also includes original, unique, aesthetic, relaxing, intriguing, strange… the list goes on! In other words, it stimulates viewers and engages them in some way. For example, some people really enjoy pimple popping videos, which most wouldn’t say are funny or fun, but others would say are strangely engaging.

So, there it is! Three simple tips to make sure you’re creating “good content.” We’re going to end with the very important note that people have different tastes, so what different people consider good content will differ. Nonetheless, hopefully we’ve gotten you started on the right path. 

- Esther