Content Inc.

Content Inc. Plot Summary

Introduction

In today's digital landscape, the traditional approach to business has been turned on its head. Entrepreneurs and companies have long followed the same playbook: create a product, then spend considerable resources marketing it to potential customers. But what if there was a more effective, less risky way to build a thriving business? Enter a revolutionary approach that flips the conventional model upside down. Instead of starting with a product and searching for customers, successful entrepreneurs are now building loyal audiences first through valuable, consistent content—and only later developing products specifically designed for these engaged followers. This audience-first methodology not only reduces the risk of product failure but creates deeper connections with potential customers, establishing trust and authority long before asking for a sale. Throughout these pages, you'll discover how to leverage this powerful strategy to build your own successful business, one piece of content at a time.

Chapter 1: Find Your Sweet Spot: Where Knowledge Meets Passion

The foundation of any successful content-driven business begins with finding your "sweet spot"—the unique intersection between your knowledge or skill area and your passion. This sweet spot becomes the core around which you'll build your content platform and eventually your business. Consider Matthew Patrick, who grew up in Medina, Ohio with a passion for gaming. From his Mario-themed bedroom as a child to late nights playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, gaming was always his passion. Matthew was also exceptionally bright, scoring a perfect 1600 on his SAT and earning a degree in neuroscience. After college, he pursued acting in New York but struggled to find success. By 2011, unemployed and with his confidence at rock bottom, Matthew decided to create something that would showcase his skills to potential employers. The result was Game Theory, a YouTube video series that combined his passion for gaming with his analytical skills in math and science. Each episode examined the mathematics, physics, or psychology behind popular video games. After creating 56 episodes over one year, Matthew had built an audience of 500,000 YouTube subscribers. His episode analyzing "How PewDiePie Conquered YouTube" generated over 5 million views, while "Why the Official Zelda Timeline Is Wrong" attracted more than 4 million views. Today, Matthew's Game Theory brand has over 4 million subscribers. Major companies, including YouTube itself, have hired him as a consultant to help them attract and retain viewers. By combining his knowledge area (analytics and math) with his passion (video games), Matthew created a powerful sweet spot that resonated with a specific audience. To find your own sweet spot, start by listing areas where you have significant knowledge or skills compared to the average person. Then identify your true passions—the subjects that energize you and that you'd happily discuss for hours without compensation. The intersection of these elements creates your content foundation. For some, like Andy Schneider (known as "The Chicken Whisperer"), it was combining his extensive knowledge of backyard poultry with his passion for teaching. For Michelle Phan, it was merging her artistic skills with her passion for makeup. Remember that passion is the fuel that makes your content engine run. Without genuine enthusiasm for your topic, you'll struggle to maintain the consistency needed for success. As Jay Baer notes, "Content for which you do not have a passion is really hard to get good at. If you don't love the content you're creating, it is unlikely to be good enough to have an impact."

Chapter 2: Create Your Content Tilt: Stand Out in the Crowd

Finding your sweet spot is only the beginning. To truly break through the noise and capture audience attention, you need a "content tilt"—a unique angle or perspective that differentiates your content from everything else in your niche. Without this tilt, your content risks becoming just another voice in an already crowded space. Ann Reardon, known as the "baking queen of YouTube," discovered her content tilt through experimentation. In 2011, after giving birth to her third son, Ann launched a recipe site called How to Cook That. As a qualified food scientist and dietitian with a passion for teaching, Ann had the knowledge and enthusiasm for her subject. But what truly set her apart was her focus on seemingly impossible food creations—desserts made with five pounds of Snickers bars or cakes that, when sliced, revealed perfect replicas of social media logos. "Many people start a YouTube channel and try to copy what has already been done, but the horse has already bolted," Ann explains. "For every single breath you take, there is 8 hours of new video footage uploaded to YouTube, so I have to give viewers a good reason to come back and watch my channel." Her unique approach paid off spectacularly. In just three years, Ann amassed over 1 million subscribers and now receives more than 3,000 comments weekly. Her channel averages 16 million monthly views and has opened up numerous revenue opportunities. Finding your content tilt requires honest assessment of your competitive landscape. Jay Baer emphasizes this point: "It's like, 'Hey I like knitting, and I'm going to start a knitting blog.' Really! There are 27 other knitting blogs. Why would anybody read yours? What is different? What is unique? What is interesting?" Your content must solve a problem no one else is addressing or approach a familiar topic from a completely fresh angle. Google Trends can be an invaluable tool for discovering potential content tilts. By analyzing search patterns and related queries, you can identify rising interests within your broader topic. For example, a search for "knitting" might reveal that "loom knitting for beginners" is experiencing a 300% increase in searches—potentially indicating an underserved niche. Another effective approach is simply asking your potential audience about their challenges and information gaps. What questions remain unanswered? What frustrations persist? The answers often reveal opportunities for your content tilt. Sometimes, finding your tilt requires experimentation. Jay Baer initially focused his blog on email marketing but noticed a pattern: "Every time I wrote about email marketing I got 150 visits to the site, and every time I wrote about social media I got about 1000 visits." This insight led him to pivot his content strategy entirely.

Chapter 3: Build a Loyal Audience Base Through Consistency

With your sweet spot identified and your content tilt established, the next critical step is building your base—creating consistent, valuable content on your chosen platform. This foundation is what will attract and retain your audience over time. Michael Stelzner, founder of Social Media Examiner, understood this principle when launching his site. He explains, "I decided to ask [friends] if they would consider writing one article a month until they were bored. So the five of us essentially each wrote one article a month. Then I got a volunteer who worked for free as my editor, behind the scenes, putting everything into WordPress." The results were immediate: "In the first couple of weeks the thing exploded. We had 10,000 email subscribers literally in like 2½ months." Consistency is perhaps the most crucial element in building your audience base. The greatest hallmark of successful publishers is their reliability—delivering content when promised, maintaining quality standards, and establishing a rhythm that audience members can count on. This is where many content initiatives fail. They start strong but fade away as enthusiasm wanes or other priorities take precedence. When selecting your primary content platform, consider both reach and control. Platforms like YouTube or iTunes offer tremendous reach with built-in discovery mechanisms but provide limited control over your audience relationship. Conversely, a self-hosted blog gives you complete control but requires more effort to attract visitors. Brian Clark's Copyblogger built its foundation on a WordPress site, giving him ownership of his audience relationships, while Matthew Patrick's Game Theory leveraged YouTube's massive reach. Regardless of platform, six principles should guide your content creation: fill a need (answer unmet questions), be consistent (publish on a reliable schedule), be human (share your authentic voice), have a point of view (don't be afraid to take sides), avoid sales speak (focus on education, not promotion), and strive to be best of breed (create the highest quality content in your niche). Marcus Sheridan exemplifies these principles. When his fiberglass pool company, River Pools & Spas, faced potential bankruptcy during the 2009 recession, he began answering every customer question on the company blog. By 2011, River Pools was selling more fiberglass pools than any other installer in North America, despite the industry experiencing a 50-75% sales decline. The company decreased its marketing spend from $250,000 to around $40,000 while winning 15% more bids and cutting its sales cycle in half.

Chapter 4: Harvest Subscribers: The Key Metric That Matters

Once you've established your content platform and begun publishing consistently, your focus must shift to the single most important metric in the Content Inc. model: subscribers. These are people who have given you permission to communicate with them regularly—the foundation upon which your business will be built. Jenny Doan and her family discovered the power of subscribers when they launched Missouri Star Quilt Company. After the economic downturn in 2008 hit their small town of Hamilton, Missouri (population 1,800), Jenny's son Al invested $24,000 in a long-arm sewing machine, fabric, and a building. For two years, the family worked without taking home a paycheck. To attract more customers, Al suggested Jenny create quilting tutorial videos for YouTube. With Jenny's natural, engaging camera presence and Al's behind-the-scenes work, they began publishing videos that focused not on selling products but on teaching quilting techniques. Their channel received 1,000 subscribers in its first year and 10,000 in year two. Today, they have nearly 250,000 subscribers, with some videos reaching half a million views. This audience translated directly into business success—the company now averages 2,000 online sales daily and has become the world's largest supplier of pre-cut fabrics. When harvesting subscribers, understand that not all subscription types are equal. Email subscribers typically provide the most value because you maintain direct control over the communication channel. Social media followers, while valuable, are subject to platform algorithms and policy changes that can limit your reach. Facebook, for example, has repeatedly adjusted its algorithm to reduce organic reach for business pages, sometimes to less than 1% of followers. Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show, demonstrates a sophisticated approach to subscriber acquisition. After each show, clips are shared across social media with a clear call to action for viewers to subscribe to various channels. Every YouTube video description includes multiple subscription options—from YouTube to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and NBC's own platforms. To maximize subscriber growth, implement these proven tactics: create a compelling email newsletter offering, use strategically placed subscription forms (including exit-intent popups), request minimal information initially (just an email address to start), and ensure every piece of content you publish includes a clear path to subscription. When CMI tested different popup timing, they found that exit-intent popups generated fewer conversions percentage-wise but more than doubled total subscriptions due to increased impressions.

Chapter 5: Diversify Your Platforms for Maximum Reach

After establishing a solid foundation with one primary content channel and building a loyal subscriber base, the next phase of growth comes through diversification—expanding your content into additional platforms to reach new audiences and deepen engagement with existing followers. ESPN exemplifies this approach. Starting as a single cable television channel in 1979 with a $9,000 investment, ESPN focused exclusively on this one platform for 13 years. Only after establishing dominance did they begin diversifying—first with ESPN Radio in 1992, then ESPN.com in 1995, followed by ESPN Magazine in 1998. Today, ESPN has properties across virtually every media channel, from podcasts to documentaries, generating over $4 billion in operating earnings annually. The most successful Content Inc. practitioners follow what can be called the "three and three" model. The first "three" represents personal platforms: a blog, a book, and speaking engagements. These three elements work synergistically to establish personal authority and open business opportunities. The second "three" represents business channels: digital content, print publications, and in-person events. Together, these six platforms create a comprehensive ecosystem that maximizes audience engagement. Andy Schneider, known as "The Chicken Whisperer," exemplifies this approach. He began with in-person meetups in Atlanta for backyard chicken enthusiasts, then expanded to a radio show, "Backyard Poultry with the Chicken Whisperer." He published a book, "The Chicken Whisperer's Guide to Keeping Chickens," and launched a print magazine with 60,000 subscribers. Each platform reinforced the others while reaching different segments of his audience. Content Marketing Institute found that 80% of their event attendees engaged with at least three different CMI content channels throughout the year. This multi-channel engagement creates stronger audience relationships and increases the likelihood of conversion to paying customers. When diversifying, consider these platform extensions: books (which serve as the ultimate business card), podcasts (which create intimate connections with listeners), events (which facilitate in-person community building), and print magazines (which stand out in today's digital-saturated environment). Darren Rowse of Digital Photography School expanded his blog to include an e-commerce site for photography deals, while Brian Clark of Copyblogger added software products, hosting services, and conferences to his portfolio. Remember that content velocity often decreases as you diversify. Jon Loomer produced 350 blog posts in his first year but reduced this to 250 in year two and 100 in year three as he expanded to other platforms. Quality and strategic distribution become more important than sheer volume as your Content Inc. model matures.

Chapter 6: Monetize Your Audience with Multiple Revenue Streams

The final stage of the Content Inc. model is monetization—transforming your loyal audience into a sustainable business through multiple revenue streams. While traditional businesses typically rely on one or two income sources, successful Content Inc. entrepreneurs develop diverse revenue portfolios. Chef Michael Symon exemplifies this approach. Starting with restaurants in Cleveland and New York, his career transformed after appearing on Iron Chef America in 2007. This led to regular appearances on Food Network shows and eventually a lead role on ABC's The Chew. Beyond his growing restaurant empire, Symon now generates revenue through cookbooks, food licensing deals with Aramark, paid spokesperson roles for brands like Vitamix and Calphalon, partnerships with companies like Lay's Potato Chips, and his own line of cookware and knives. The key insight is that your audience—not your initial product idea—becomes your most valuable asset. Once you've built trust and demonstrated expertise, you can introduce various monetization strategies based on audience needs and behaviors. Michelle Phan, who built her audience through makeup tutorials on YouTube, now generates income from YouTube advertising royalties, book sales, paid appearances, a music label (Shift Music Group), a makeup line with L'Oreal called "em," a beauty products subscription service, and a YouTube talent network. Marc Andreessen, billionaire co-founder of Netscape, advises content businesses to "mix and match" revenue models rather than relying on just one. Options include advertising and sponsorship (like Ann Reardon's YouTube royalties), native advertising (sponsored content that matches your platform's form and function), subscriptions (like John Lee Dumas's Fire Nation Elite community), premium content sales (Digital Photography School's e-books and tutorials), conferences and events (Content Marketing Institute's Content Marketing World), cross-media products (books, magazines, webinars), crowdfunding (through platforms like Kickstarter), and developing software or physical products (like Moz's SEO analytics tools). For established businesses using the Content Inc. approach, monetization comes through measuring the differential value of subscribers versus non-subscribers. River Pools & Spas discovered that prospects who engaged with at least 30 pages of their content before requesting a sales appointment converted at an 80% rate—compared to the industry average of 10%. They also tracked that a single blog post titled "How Much Does a Fiberglass Pool Cost?" directly generated over $2 million in sales. Remember that monetization doesn't have to wait until your audience reaches a certain size. Many successful Content Inc. practitioners generate revenue from day one through consulting, speaking, or limited sponsorship opportunities. Content Marketing Institute created a "benefactor package" offering site promotion and content opportunities to just ten companies, which sold out quickly and provided crucial funding during their early growth phase.

Summary

The Content Inc. approach represents a fundamental shift in how businesses can be built in the digital age. By focusing first on building a loyal audience through valuable content, then developing products specifically designed for that audience, entrepreneurs can dramatically reduce risk while creating deeper customer relationships. This model has proven successful across industries—from Michelle Phan's makeup empire to Marcus Sheridan's pool company to Matthew Patrick's Game Theory brand. As Joe Pulizzi writes, "I believe the absolute best way to start a business today is not by launching a product, but by creating a system to attract and build an audience. Once a loyal audience is built, one that loves you and the information you send, you can, most likely, sell your audience anything you want." This audience-first approach may require patience—most successful Content Inc. businesses took one to two years to fully monetize—but the payoff is a sustainable business built on trust and genuine audience relationships. Your journey begins today. Identify your sweet spot at the intersection of your knowledge and passion. Find your content tilt that differentiates you from competitors. Commit to consistent content creation on your chosen platform. Focus relentlessly on building subscribers. Diversify strategically as you grow. And develop multiple revenue streams based on deep audience understanding. The path may not be quick or easy, but it offers something increasingly rare in today's business landscape: a genuine opportunity to build a thriving enterprise around what you truly love.

About Author

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Joe Pulizzi

I'm a traditionally published and indie author. My latest is Epic Content Marketing, second edition: Break Through the Clutter with a Different Story, Get the Most Out of Your Content, and Build a Community in Web3 - (2023, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOW.In 2021 I published the #1 Amazon marketing bestseller Content Inc.: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (With Little to No Money) - (2021, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOWMy other nonfiction books include:- Killing Marketing (2017, McGraw-Hill)- Content Inc. (2015, McGraw-Hill)- Epic Content Marketing (2013, McGraw-Hill, Named Best Biz Book, Fortune Magazine)- Managing Content Marketing (2011, self)- Get Content Get Customers (2009, McGraw-Hill)My novel:- The Will to Die (2020, Z Squared Media) --- ORDER NOWFollow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoePulizziVisit me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoePulizziAu...Visit me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepulizzi/Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joepulizzi/Get my random thoughts on marketing 2x per month here: https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/I've founded four companies including The Tilt (for content entrepreneurs) and Content Marketing Institute (CMI). In 2014, I received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the Content Council (although I still feel pretty young). My podcast series, This Old Marketing with Robert Rose has generated millions of downloads from over 150 countries. My foundation, The Orange Effect, delivers speech therapy and technology services to children in over 35 states.

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