It’s all about good content, but who should write it?
One of the brilliant things about the social media revolution is that the definitive rulebook can never be written; companies and their PR agencies can try various strategies out to see what works for them and what doesn’t – all the while keeping up to speed with the ever-changing SEO environment presided over by Google.
One thing that everyone seems to agree on is that Content is King. But there has been something of a tussle of ownership over the past few years as different marketing disciplines and editorial teams have attempted to own the content space.
The emphasis on SEO created a strange situation in itself, with content being written simply to present keywords to search engines, rather than meet any particular standards for editorial excellence or corporate messaging.
In another part of the forest, everyone from national newspapers to big trade publications have set up content development teams – plugging revenue gaps with services based on expert writing skills. Steep fees are attached to set-piece opportunities such as sector roundtables and special reports, while the lines between independent journalism and revenue generation become ever more blurred. The growth of native advertising in social media will only serve to exacerbate this.
Where does PR fit in with all of this? We’ve seen the cycle of SEO-friendly copy come full circle due to relatively new anti-spamming rules that encourage original content development. Google doesn’t like generic, keyword heavy copy masquerading as organic articles.
On the paid for editorial front, readers are intelligent enough to know that sponsored copy doesn’t carry as much weight as independent articles. The best PR agencies are also close to the corporate and brand messaging of their clients and use editorial opportunities to help get that messaging across, while still meeting the media agenda for high quality, genuinely interesting insights and news.
It’s often said that the only thing that truly separates a company from its competitors are its vision and ideas. How many organisations are letting themselves down by relying on either recycled content or expensive advertorials?