Content impact should be less about numbers and more about people.
We often hear about how content marketing can have an impact, especially in the context of business. Metrics and back-links being the usual talking points. But we rarely look at how the content itself can have an impact.
First, let's set some ground rules.
Content — the ideas that are contained in something
Impact (for good) — a powerful effect that something has on someone or something
Great. So back to the title. How content can have an impact. I want to answer this by looking at my own experiences in both consuming and creating content, across various platforms and for different reasons.
It's safe to say that if you interact with our modern world, whether it be reading blogs everyday, or being the editor of all those blogs, you have a ratio of consuming vs creating.
For me, it's right down the middle. Why? Because over the past few years, I've tried my hand at radio production, video & podcast creation, article writing, video and more — creating. Simultaneously, I love listening, reading, watching — consuming.
I remember about 3 episodes into my first podcast, POV, I got an email from a girl in Canada. She said that earlier that day, her teacher had played one of the episodes to the class as part of a research assignment they were doing.
She quoted the teacher, "I found this through a friend, and it presents all the perspectives we want you to capture in a really unbiased, easy to consume manner."
What I took from this was that content has the power to educate.
Around 3 months ago, I was sitting in the studio of our local radio station. For a few years, I presented a fortnightly drive show. I get a call from an older sounding man.
He told me how always listened to the show as it came on before he had his weekly appointment at the doctors. He said that I always played his favourite music (coincidentally) and that the information I added in really made it an hour he enjoyed.
"You know Kai, it puts a smile on my face when there usually isn't"
What I took from this was that content has the power to entertain.
When I post over on my Instagram, putting value first, sharing some of my journey, I really aim to put words and images out there that hopefully alter a mindset, offer a new perspective and encourage action.
I wrote an article a while back on my experiences as a young person in a brand agency. I was reading through some of the responses. People from across the globes were taking the time to share with me how inspirational it was to hear such a young person achieving what I had.
What I took from this was that content has the power to inspire.
I chose to focus on three different elements of the impact I see content making. Whether you are learning something new and becoming more educated, finding joy in a song or story and being entertained when you need it most, or finding the courage and being driven to pursue new things when you're inspired, we can all take something away from an idea, no matter the medium.
I'll even argue that those impacts can even be felt in some way within the creator as much as the consumer. Powerful.
This whole article is based on just a few projects one young person worked on over a short period of time. Turn to all the bloggers, video makers, writers, artists, and creatives who are filling our world with content — and you don't have to look far to see the impact.