Where is the world of content publishing heading?

where you can post a couple of articles whenever you feel like having specific content targeted at specific viewers for specific reasons. The internet has changed the way we interact in a profound way.

The way we live, work, and play has changed as there is a great sense of connectivity due to the devices we have at our disposal. Laptops, tablets, and smartphones have shortened distances and created what some have termed a global village. As a result of the interconnectivity created by these devices, the way and nature of the content that we consume have also changed.

Content publishing in its simplest form can be said to be the process of publishing content. Initially, paperback and hardcopies were the media of having the content published but now, the term content publishing has become synonymous with online content publishing as the internet has become the link that ties people together. Content publishing also includes creating and websites, uploading content to the website and creating blogs. The published content may be text, images or videos.

There has also been a paradigm shift from the concept of content publishing to content marketing. There seems to be no clear-cut demarcation between content publishing and content marketing as both concepts have one thing in common — reaching people. There is now a merge between content publishing and content marketing. One cannot exist without the other. We now have to look at content publishing in a whole new light. Content marketing basically means giving information or content that is of value to your audience with the intention of getting their attention, increasing sales and building a brand that can be trusted.

Though content marketing is a well-known concept, the degree to which the concept has been adopted varies from individual to individual and from company to company. There are casual content marketers that post or publish materials at intervals to those that are more committed and even have staff that is dedicated to creating content for the purpose of marketing. Studies have shown that there are two approaches to content publishing or marketing.

One approach is to produce content that is more products driven. This style focuses more on describing the features and benefits of the product or services. This approach is easy as the content deals more with the promotion of the goods or services being rendered than being educational. Most upcoming businesses, websites, or blogs fall victim to this approach. The second type of content publishing is content created for educational purposes than product promotional. This approach creates value for the audience as opposed to describing the value that can be offered to the audience.

With the technologies at hand, content publishing has to be more specific if it has to reach the viewers or readers. Specialty is the new rave in the new world created by the interconnectivity of people. For content to be appreciated and accepted, it must meet the needs of the viewers or readers. Materials targeted at culinary skills must be just that; there shouldn’t be content there about repairing laptops or fixing your new jeep.

Another changing factor in the world of content publishing is ‘quality content’. No matter how long your blog, magazine page, or tutorial content is, if it lacks quality, it is going nowhere. Content quality is king. Content quality is a crucial factor. One sign of good content is authenticity or originality and passion. Studies have shown that the average person has a very short attention span, less than ten seconds. This means your content has about ten seconds to catch the viewer or reader’s attention or that person is on to something else. This is why the content has to be original, fresh and authentic.

Another area where there has been a shift is in the area of customer relations. Even if your content is for your blog or personal channel alone, as long as the content is going to be read by others, they have become your customers. A better word for that could be followers but regardless of what they are could, having a good relationship with them could mean the success of your magazine, website, or blog. Studies have shown that having a good customer relationship meant more than price or monetary gain, especially for businesses and commercial enterprises. In the case of customer relationships or experiences, having data that reflects their needs would go a long way in maintaining the relationship.

Not only does content publishing have to have the user, viewer, or reader in mind, but it’s also imperative that specific content must be delivered to the user. This is where data comes into play. Through data, specific content can be targeted to individuals, regions, or geography. This will make you retain the user or reader as the content delivered is of value to them. Using the same culinary website or blog as an example, a viewer or reader that finds useful tips from your page will remain and you may be able to influence the person’s spending habit based on the content that has been provided to the person.

In this ever-changing world, content can be found from a variety of sources and it behooves the content publisher or marketer to create content that can be trusted and seen as reliable. This will reflect positively on the brand that is promoting the content, be it an individual or a company. Trust is essential for a long-lasting relationship. Building trust may take time as there will be the need to continually interact with your audience but it will yield positive results in the long run.

Content publishing has definitely changed from the way it was years ago. The playing field has changed, and these changes made it necessary for the way content publishing was done to change. The audience has become more selective of the content they engage with and so content now has to be relevant, timely, and captivating. This will be the platform for the future of content publishing on all social media platforms.