They Ask, You Answer, 2nd Edition

62 “Are Content Marketing and They Ask, You Answer Just Fads?”

“Will content marketing even be around in 10 years once everyone has attempted to do it?” This question, and others like it, have been tossed my way at almost every presentation I’ve given on the subject over the past five years.

Unfortunately, for many of the folks asking the question, a lack of understanding about what content marketing is has led to inaction and a greater divide between them and their competitors—those who are willing to accept today’s consumer and shift the way they market and sell accordingly.

What Is Content Marketing Exactly?

If we boil it down to its most basic characteristics, how would we define content marketing (assuming we weren’t using “marketing speak”) and They Ask, You Answer?

• Earning trust through teaching?
• Using great information to help others solve their problems?
• Listening to consumer questions and providing honest answers to those questions?

However you define it, these basic tenets have been around forever. Since the beginning of time, we’ve known that great communication, listening, teaching, and transparency all lead to trust. The same can be said in the future.

But today, because of the internet and the information age, we’ve given it a name: content marketing.

It’s not a name I made up, and it’s not one that many of our clients even use, as “They Ask, You Answer” (as a phrase) generally has a broader appeal across the organization. But either way, it certainly fits ...