The Content Creator's Creed
For the past 5 years, as we’ve been operating under the Shortcut Blogging brand, we’ve been doing much more that; we’ve been creating content. On top of these podcasts and blog posts, we’ve created videos, infographics and even case studies. So I created a “Content Creator’s Creed” to really set down a framework for what we believe are the reasons that people should be creating content and how it should be sourced, based on the way most people receive it.
We believe…
…the best content comes from individuals rather than organizations
…your work’s meaning and your company’s purpose are best shared through a human voice of storytelling
…communication derived from story transcends communication derived from product features
…readers deserve first-hand stories from experienced experts
…stories are best shared by experts who have lived to tell the tale rather than vicariously through writers and researchers
…the strength of your company rests in the personalities of your leaders
…sharing your wisdom through story is your best legacy
And the BEST way to write your story is whatever method gets the job done.
You can see that embedded in that creed is this notion that first-hand stories from the leaders of the company are the ones that people want to hear. When we hear it coming from the people that created the companies and those that are continuing to develop them, it adds meaning to what those companies are doing. In essence, it gives people the why about why that company even exists.
If you’re a scientific company, we want to talk to the researchers, the scientists. If you’re a medical company, we need to talk to the people that are interacting with your patients. For example, we’ve got a chiropractor/physical therapy firm that we’ve been doing business with for three years and we have interviewed chiropractors, physical therapists, and some of their massage therapists, because those are the people that can tell the stories; they’re the ones that have worked with the patients. We feel that that’s much more valuable content than hiring a marketing person to write things for you.
I’ve created a post on each part of the Content Creator’s Creed and a breakdown why we think each one is so important to getting your message, your company’s purpose, to your audience. It takes first-hand experience. And the founders, innovators and leaders have those stories to tell. At ShortContent.com you’ll find all the ways to contact me if you want to talk more about our process and what we can do for you.
If you’d like to read what I’ve written about each line of the creed, just follow the links in the text above.