6 Reasons Journalists Make Exceptional Content Marketers
My transition from a decades long journalism career to content marketing was met with a healthy dose of skepticism from my peers. "You're joining the dark side," some joked, half-serious, half-concerned, highlighting the pervasive view that marketing, with its intentions to sell, contrasts sharply with journalism's noble quest for truth.
The skepticism wasn't without merit. The online marketing landscape is dotted with cautionary tales of overzealous selling and lost authenticity. But this is the exception not the rule. Most solopreneurs and small business owners aren’t in it to get rich quick by sell, sell, selling. Their in it to help others through their message, and maybe buy their kids’ dance lessons with the profit.
The real issue, I realized, was not the field itself but how its practitioners chose to navigate it.
In journalism, truth is the currency and stories are the medium. We journalists pride ourselves on digging deep, uncovering facts, and weaving narratives that inform, challenge, and sometimes entertain. This isn’t all that different from why entrepreneurs share content online.
Over the last four years, incorporating journalistic techniques such as in-depth research, posing insightful queries, and focusing on storytelling content has been the catalyst for creating meaningful content that has an impact beyond making sales. Let’s talk about how thinking like a journalist can make you a better content marketer.
Content Marketing is More Storytelling Than Sales Pitch
The core skills of a journalist, including research, storytelling, understanding audience needs, and creating engaging content, are highly transferable to content marketing.
With the recent layoffs at Vice Media and BuzzFeed shining a light on the precarious nature of journalism jobs, it's likely we'll see more journalists pivot to content marketing. Their knack for storytelling, coupled with a deep understanding of audience engagement, positions them perfectly for this shift.
At its heart, content marketing is about offering value. It’s a subtle art, one that draws more from the newsroom than the used car lot. Think of it as creating a magazine or a broadcast for your audience—except the publication is your brand, and the stories you’re telling are designed to illuminate, not just illuminate your products.
When I attended Columbia University’s Digital Marketing Program in the summer of 2020, the professor explained the role of content marketing is (and always has been) meeting people where they are at on their customer journey.
While content marketing isn’t direct sales, effective content marketing builds the trust required for your ideal clients to make a purchasing decision. So, even if they are not in the market for your service now, your company will be top-of-mind when they are ready to move forward. And it’s your content that helps take the next step.
This approach isn’t new. In fact, the very first example of content marketing dates back to 1895 with John Deere’s The Furrow magazine. Instead of pushing their products directly, John Deere published articles that helped farmers find more efficient ways to farm. This wasn’t selling; it was helping. And in helping, John Deere positioned itself as a trusted authority, a source of invaluable advice for its customers. That’s content marketing in its purest form.
While there is no doubt that the role of content marketing has evolved, its core stays the same: delivering valuable content to build trust, inform, and create lasting relationships with consumers.
Related Read: How I Transitioned from Journalist to Content Marketer
6 Reasons Journalists Make Exceptional Content Marketers
The transition from journalism felt less like a leap and more like a step across the street. It's in this seamless transition that the reasons journalists excel in content marketing.
A Knack for Narrative: Journalists are master storytellers. They know how to weave facts into storytelling content that captivates and retains the audience's attention. This skill is invaluable in content marketing, where the essence of connection is not in the product but in the story it tells. Journalists can find the human element in any topic, turning even the most mundane product feature into a narrative that resonates on a personal level.
Research Rigor: The backbone of good journalism is thorough, detailed research. This dedication to digging deep and getting the story right translates beautifully into content marketing, where understanding the audience, the market, and the nuances of each product is paramount. A journalist's ability to sift through information, identify what's relevant, and present it in an accessible way is a natural fit for creating content that informs, engages, and persuades.
Ethical Standards: Journalists operate under a strict code of ethics, prioritizing accuracy, accountability, and transparency. When these principles are applied to content marketing, the result is content that is not only trustworthy but also builds brand credibility and loyalty. In an era where consumers are increasingly skeptical of marketing, a journalist's commitment to truth can set a brand apart. Related Read: Ethically Address Pain Points In Content.
Audience-Centric Approach: Journalists write with their audience in mind, tailoring their message to meet the reader's needs, interests, and level of understanding. This audience-first mentality is crucial in content marketing, where understanding and addressing the specific needs and pain points of your audience can make the difference between content that's seen and content that's engaged with.
Adaptability: How many Instagram updates have there been in 2024 alone? I count three, and it’s only March. The media landscape is ever-changing, and journalists are adept at adapting to new formats, platforms, and technologies. This versatility is a boon in content marketing, where strategies and tactics evolve with the audience's behavior and preferences. Journalists' ability to pivot and embrace new ways of sharing storytelling content keeps posts fresh, relevant, and effective.
Asking Insightful Questions: Good questions are the compass that guides a journalist through the thicket of information, leading to clearings of insight and understanding. By asking the right questions, journalist content marketers peel back layers, revealing the core needs and desires of our audience. It's about getting to the heart of what truly matters to them, which in turn shapes content that resonates on a personal level.
But the art of asking good questions extends beyond audience insight. It's about constantly questioning our strategies, our messages, and even the effectiveness of our content. "Is this truly helpful? Are we adding value? What can we do better?" This is a strategic asset in content marketing. It informs our understanding, guides our content creation, and shapes the connections we build with our audience.
Think Like A Journalist To Create Impactful Content
Embracing content marketing as a journalist felt like coming home. It was a realization that at their core, both disciplines strive for the same goal: to inform, to help, and to connect. By applying the tenets of journalism to content marketing—valuing truth, prioritizing the audience's needs, and focusing on storytelling—I found not just the strategy for effective marketing but a reaffirmation of why I became a journalist in the first place.
In this light, content marketing is seen not as selling out but as a natural extension of journalism's mission to serve the public interest. It’s a reminder that whether through the lens of a journalist or the strategy of a marketer, our ultimate aim is to enrich lives with meaningful, helpful information.
Happy Creating!
Cyndi,
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