The case for slow content.

Have you had a meeting like this?

‘We want to do content right now,’ the Sales Director said.

‘We want to get it done quickly. We want to dominate the conversation.

Loads of content. Understand?’

I’ve had a few sales calls like this recently.

This one was getting worse.

‘We’re going to own the entire conversation around tech start-ups.

We’re going to do it with content.

We want at least four 2,000 word articles each week, yeah?’

I took a deep breath and began explaining to Mr Headset that this approach won’t work.

At least, not as quickly as he was expecting it to.

It made me think about slow content.

Why is everyone in such a hurry?

Brand projects take a year.

Website projects take months.

Why do we expect content projects to happen instantly?

If only content marketing were treated with the same respect as branding or web development.

Mr Headset saw content as something to tick off a list. The call made me feel cheap.

Stop treating your content writer like disposable razor.

A small plea from me to all marketing directors, business owners or content managers.

If you hire a content writer to help you, treat that person as your equal.

Content writers have a tough job to do.

We do a job that *everyone thinks is easy* but is actually very hard.

Good content takes time, research and thought.

Great content speaks to your customer and answers their sales questions, so you don’t have to.

Brilliant content makes your business memorable, easy to recognise and wins you new clients.

Why are we all in such a massive hurry to ‘do’ content?

Content marketing isn’t something you ‘do.’

Be realistic, please.

Your readers don’t want to hear from you 5 times a week.

They don’t need a 2,000 word essay every other day.

Content takes time, planning and thought.

What do you really want to say?

How could you spread this message out, over weeks and months?

Does content marketing have to be ‘all at once?’

Let’s treat content with the same respect as other types of marketing.

During lockdown I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with my husband and daughter. I’ve been outside in the garden more and eaten *almost* healthily.

I also fired a few clients.

Mainly because, over time, they had stopped treating me with respect. I became a disposable part of their bathroom drawer, not a valued team member.

A marketing manager’s prayer.

I will pay my content writer on time.

I won’t cancel meetings at a moment’s notice.

I will accept the limitations of a person’s capacity – that might mean taking my content project slowly.

I will give content marketing the same respect and care as I would a new website build, a rebrand or a digital campaign.

Thank you, on behalf of all beleaguered content writers.