There is an ongoing debate, in this social media
driven world ours, about the importance of content vs. conversation. People
feel strongly about the topic and emotions run high when they defend their own
personal stances. The debate is regarding the importance of content and
conversation and which one is “king.” Ironically, both arguments admit the
critical importance of the opposing view.
Those who feel that content is king, argue that
without good content, there is nothing to talk about. Those who feel that
conversation is most important, acknowledge that it takes good content to spark
conversation. So which one is king? Can there even be a "king"
between these two disciplines?
Content is King; it will bring conversation.
This side of the argument feels that content is what
matters most; the rest will follow as long as the content is good enough.
Michael Greenberg explains: “First, social marketing efforts need to be driven by content, not vice versa.
Without content, there is not a whole lot to talk about. Developing content is not for the faint of heart.
You have to constantly develop new ideas and think of new ways to keep your
readers or viewers engaged. But think about the benefits.
Most e-commerce marketers already know how to
distribute information. Whether it is through Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, YouTube,
press releases, your PR firm, or one of a dozen other channels, there are
plenty of ways to get the message out. By making this minor change, thinking of social as
purely another mechanism for distribution and taking one step back and viewing
yourself as a content publisher, you can really take the best advantage of
social marketing.”
Conversation is King; content is just
something to talk about.
