Content is king, but context is god

Gary Vaynerchuk (American millionaire of Belarusian origin) is the co-founder and CEO of VaynerMedia, a consultant on interaction with social networks. He will speak in May at the conference of The Next Web (TNW) online publication in Amsterdam, along with other 130 top-notch speakers.

It is no secret that we live in an era when a media company is everything! I say this over and over again and will continue to repeat this thesis, because I truly believe that content on the web is the best way to find a market for a product today.
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Provide customers with a great deal by creating useful videos or new recommendations or funny cartoons for them. Give them something they really want, because this approach creates a relationship that then allows you to talk about business.

Kick, kick, kick, hook right. Provide something necessary and valuable - once, second, third - and then talk about the case.

But people forget that now more than before serious content requires an appropriate environment - “the king is played by his retinue.”

You have probably already heard from me: “Content is king, but the context is god!” I like the fact that this thesis is often quoted, but I would like to be sure that everyone has the tools to implement it.

I best explain this in episode 8 on the #AskGaryVee Show video below. It just shows that the environment (context, layout, environment) is just as important now as it was a year ago.

Three tips for creating context for your audience

So, what are my top tips for checking that the context is clear? Here are three to get you started:

1) Consider the platform and audience

First of all, it is necessary to take into account the platforms to which you go. Consider the psychology of what people do on this platform. I know that a forty-year-old woman thinks differently when she is on Facebook than staying on Pinterest. And so my communication with her is different. I know that on Pinterest she intends to shop, and on Facebook she communicates with her circle. And on this I build my strategy: the psychology and the platform itself.

Secondly, consider your audience. You must provide her with the content that she loves, and not the one that you prefer for yourself. Yes, I would like to sell a bottle of wine. But if I can do it in a way that will attract an audience, then success can be overwhelming. “Five bottles of wine for less than $ 10 that will help you get through this hectic day when you have 8-year-olds in your home.” By serving the product, you enter a game that gives you more chances.

And this is really all that can be said. Accounting platform. Accounting for your audience. And finally, build your plans and implement them.

2) Do not break communication

If you create really good content and take into account the environment in which it will operate, it will not break the consumer’s environment. If someone is trying to watch a video, then the last thing he wants is to sit and wait for the advertisement that you are making him watch to pass to allow for the desired video. Right? The context here is extremely important. Treat consumers at the right time in the right way.

I often tell the story of the negative experience that I received with advertising cars of the Japanese company Acura. I watched the ESPN cable sports channel on my tablet and tried to get out of a pop-up ad, but instead I constantly switched to the Acura website. My actions were interpreted for Acura as “response” and “link following”. This - for people far from marketing - means intention or interest. And, of course, absolutely not true. I had no intention or interest. Acura stole my most precious asset: time.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not angry at ESPN. It is not their fault why I will never buy anything from Acura.

Why? Because the ESPN channel gives me something that has value to me. I like him. I look in there to look at the results table or read some news. And the seconds taken away from me irritate me, because behind them is what gives me pleasure. Acura, on the other hand, annoys its advertising and does not give anything of value to me in return. Obviously, they provide something substantial to someone somewhere in this world, and that, of course, is cool. But if they are trying in this way to make me their new client, then it is clear that for them I am a complete failure.

Filing, in which the customer perceives your product for the first time, means a lot. Do not let the problem occur; give the consumer something that has value to him.

3) Be consistent and know your strengths and weaknesses

Every single tweet, every comment you leave, every post on the web, every picture you put becomes a part of your image. Placing a record, you should think about the goals of your image. Your main statement should be consistent, and personal data should not be changed. Compliance with this creates a greater verbal wide context for the success of your content and its clear communication.

What needs to be done is called “reverse engineering”: go back to the target in question. If you have a clear "Polar Star" for your company, you can always refer to it if necessary. And it is extremely important that such a “Polar Star” existed equally for each employee of the company, be it a student or CEO, this will allow keeping the “context” for clients constant.

I am a big fan of assessing the goals of my company through a gradual awareness method. Spend as much time as possible with your employees; make it a priority for you. I have talked a lot about everything coming from above when it comes to corporate culture. The same goes for creating a context (environment, approach, environment) around your company. People will see your decisions, how you make decisions, and if you can show your leadership qualities and share your thoughts for a long time, then this approach will reach them.

Here are just three things on the surface that can help you improve the context and thus the content.

Chapter 7 of my new book " The #AskGaryVee Book " tells everything about the content (content) and context, along with a lot of recommendations and tips for action. I would be grateful if you order a copy.