Content craps out while words work wonders. To quote something I read recently: “When they got us to call it content, we lost. It’s called music, painting, printing, sewing, sculpting, literature, dance, “the Arts”. Can’t whizz it all up in a blender and call it content—produces the creamed squash that babies fist into their mouths and smear all over the high chair. It’s time for creativity to be valued and rewarded. It’s possible.”
I recall the late 90s, when people on the West Coast began referring to it as content. On the East Coast, we knew this was bad, but didn't have an effective way to fight it. NYC did everything it could to resist, but the low-cost arbitrage opportunity that the internet created was too massive, and the rest, well, that's history.
Thank you! I lived this. For years, I was an "editor", then a "managing editor" at an amazing publisher.
A few years back, what was known as "editorial" in that organization was renamed "content". When that happened, I was further promoted to what should have been "deputy editorial director", but was instead tagged as the very uninspiring "content team lead."
And you know what? Our awesome editorial work was soon after mostly deleted or watered down on leadership's orders into "content" dreck.
When I see the word "content" now, it typically refers to online marketing copy. Absolutely perfect for a culture that no longer reads or thinks any deeper than a TikTok video or Instagram post.
Lately I’ve started to feel like the internet has become so fake—filled with bots, AI, spam, and all the rest that marketing is going to head back to the old school. Maybe it’s more about reaching people in real life.
I've also noticed that a lot of the brands regularly being advertised, at least on YouTube, are shady operations that have trust issues of their own. The same handful of brands advertise widely across YouTube, with all the content creators swearing up and down that they faithfully use this or that product that just started working with them a month ago. It's so fake.
I see this in one industry where I work with a client right now. There are 2-3 trade pubs that are legit, but still charging crazy prices for ads. Then, there are a ton, and I'm not even sure what to call them, complete garbage sites, that are trying to sell lists, access and profiles for similar crazy prices. Like you said, opportunity abounds with all this garbage out there!
Really suggest using Beehiiv's ad tools you reach precisely the same people (and more, honestly) as the trade pubs for a fraction of the price, without having to handle 100 partnerships. I will sponsor the trades when they give me deals still but not at obscene numbers. You know exactly my pain point
There are often influencers that do matter, with followings that do listen to their opinions which are informed. However, those influencers don't sell ad spots or sponsorships. They use their platform for their own businesses! Influencing is a GTM strategy for building businesses where you capture all the economics.
You're 100% correct - lots of the most influential people can't be bought. It makes sense why that is. You have to be genuinely great for them to talk about, it happens organically
Content craps out while words work wonders. To quote something I read recently: “When they got us to call it content, we lost. It’s called music, painting, printing, sewing, sculpting, literature, dance, “the Arts”. Can’t whizz it all up in a blender and call it content—produces the creamed squash that babies fist into their mouths and smear all over the high chair. It’s time for creativity to be valued and rewarded. It’s possible.”
Yes - this is a whole separate conversation I actually have a story I'm working on about, stay tuned I might include this comment it's good
I recall the late 90s, when people on the West Coast began referring to it as content. On the East Coast, we knew this was bad, but didn't have an effective way to fight it. NYC did everything it could to resist, but the low-cost arbitrage opportunity that the internet created was too massive, and the rest, well, that's history.
It's all just a grift. The new overlords don't care about the written word. It's just a way to get clicks. Spotify has the same effect on music.
Thank you! I lived this. For years, I was an "editor", then a "managing editor" at an amazing publisher.
A few years back, what was known as "editorial" in that organization was renamed "content". When that happened, I was further promoted to what should have been "deputy editorial director", but was instead tagged as the very uninspiring "content team lead."
And you know what? Our awesome editorial work was soon after mostly deleted or watered down on leadership's orders into "content" dreck.
When I see the word "content" now, it typically refers to online marketing copy. Absolutely perfect for a culture that no longer reads or thinks any deeper than a TikTok video or Instagram post.
To a hammer everything is a nail, to a shit shoveler…
The pitch is that you should spend money advertising on their AI generated content publication to talk to their AI generated bots? Hilarious.
They think we're too dumb (or too busy) to notice, or that we don't care. Sadly many in the industry don't!
If your industry is anything like mine, the largest companies are the only ones dumb enough to write these checks.
Yes smaller brands have to be more selective, also tend to be run better at this point for a # of reasons
They're just gaming the platforms with fake publications and fake analytics. Anyone who buys ads for this is just playing into it.
Lately I’ve started to feel like the internet has become so fake—filled with bots, AI, spam, and all the rest that marketing is going to head back to the old school. Maybe it’s more about reaching people in real life.
Agree with this thesis - people don't even want ads on their personal devices
I've also noticed that a lot of the brands regularly being advertised, at least on YouTube, are shady operations that have trust issues of their own. The same handful of brands advertise widely across YouTube, with all the content creators swearing up and down that they faithfully use this or that product that just started working with them a month ago. It's so fake.
It really is so fake.
I see this in one industry where I work with a client right now. There are 2-3 trade pubs that are legit, but still charging crazy prices for ads. Then, there are a ton, and I'm not even sure what to call them, complete garbage sites, that are trying to sell lists, access and profiles for similar crazy prices. Like you said, opportunity abounds with all this garbage out there!
Really suggest using Beehiiv's ad tools you reach precisely the same people (and more, honestly) as the trade pubs for a fraction of the price, without having to handle 100 partnerships. I will sponsor the trades when they give me deals still but not at obscene numbers. You know exactly my pain point
There are often influencers that do matter, with followings that do listen to their opinions which are informed. However, those influencers don't sell ad spots or sponsorships. They use their platform for their own businesses! Influencing is a GTM strategy for building businesses where you capture all the economics.
You're 100% correct - lots of the most influential people can't be bought. It makes sense why that is. You have to be genuinely great for them to talk about, it happens organically
If you haven't heard of it, it doesn't matter. It's a great filter. And we used to call it brand.
100%
Good essay- The digital marketing channel drives me crazy- the data and stats “feel” untrustworthy and propped up.