CRyder Design

Where it All Started

            In 1996 Bill Gates coined the phrase, “content is king.” But what did he mean by that? In his essay, Gates discussed the importance of content creation. With the development and rise of the internet and online marketing, content creation proved to be a significant way to grow an audience. He explains that the definition of content is wide. Content can be a physical good, or simply the act of providing information or entertainment to your audience. His overall point was to thrive in marketing you must create content for your audience. Today, in 2021, this still stands true. The internet has taken over a large portion of marketing, and content holds even more value.

            19 years later Gary Vaynerchuk built off of Gates’s phrase and proclaimed, “content is king, but context is god.” Vaynerchuk referred to context as the user’s experience when interacting with a business’s content. If an audience does not have a pleasant experience with content, they will likely not interact any further with that business and will look elsewhere. He believes that content cannot thrive without the necessary context.

            The content must be relevant to the platform that it is on and the audience that it is trying to reach. Consider the differences in content between Twitter and Instagram. Both platforms have different trends, and the content within them is nearly the opposite. Twitter is mostly text content, while Instagram is mostly photo and video content. If a company does not take this into account when creating content, its content may be irrelevant to the platform it was posted on.

What Does It Mean?

             Sure, these metaphors make sense in the context of digital marketing. But what about other circumstances or different forms of creating content? Certainly, it does. Consider non-fiction storytelling for an example. To effectively convey a story, a writer needs to provide the necessary context surrounding it.

            Vaynerchuk states, “If you have a clear north star for your company, you can always refer to it when needed. And scaling that north star to everyone in the company, whether it’s an entry level employee or VP, is crucial to making sure the context stays consistent.” This can be interpreted as the importance of supporting every detail in a story, from the smallest to the largest, with context. All content should be created within the same context, this is especially important in non-fiction storytelling. If your context or “north star” is not consistent in your story, you will lose your reader.

            The article, “Why Is Context Important in Writing? 4 Types of Context, Explained” supports this idea by stating, “Context provides meaning and clarity to the intended message. Context clues in a literary work create a relationship between the writer and reader, giving a deeper understanding of the intent and direction of the writing.” Context clues are necessary for a reader to interpret any hidden messages, references, or illusions the author is trying to convey. Without context, the story may not necessarily make sense and the reader may get confused or frustrated.

            Building a relationship with an intended audience is just as important in storytelling as it is in digital marketing. In digital marketing, the purpose of building a relationship with your audience is typically in anticipation for them to interact with your business. In non-fiction storytelling, the purpose of building a relationship with your audience is typically in anticipation for them to read the entirety of the story you are telling. Context is a crucial aspect of any form of content creation.

My Opinion

            What do I think? As a graphic designer and just an individual who works and interacts with digital media daily, I think content is powerful. It is a tool, that if utilized in the right ways, can develop an online presence, and increase audience engagement. Content plays a large role in developing a business, as well as maintaining and growing an audience. Businesses are adding social media strategists and designers to produce and monitor content for their audience. With its ever-growing significance, content creation is becoming prevalent even in places where you may least expect it. Businesses must create content to stay relevant and competitive in their market.

            I also think on the majority of platforms that support content creation; context is necessary to convey the intended message to the audience. The article “Communication: The Importance of Context” states, “Context is critical, because it tells you, the receiver, what importance to place on something, what assumptions to draw (or not) about what is being communicated, and most importantly, it puts meaning into the message. The best thing is that context deepens your understanding of the message so that true dialogue can take place.” Context provides the fundamental background that allows an audience to draw conclusions based on the content.

            Does it hold true? Is context god? I would have to say yes. Context is the foundation of all created content that supports the establishment of a relationship between the creator and the audience. Developing an audience is one step but keeping them engaged is another.