Quality vs. Quantity: Quality Marketing Content Wins Every Time

Anyone who reads my writing on content marketing on a regular basis knows that I am passionate about creating and publishing quality content. The key word being quality.

In my mind, when it comes to the battle between quality and quantity, quality will win every time. That’s especially true in the B2B world, where sales cycles are often longer and (depending on the study you’re looking at) 70% of customer research is done before they even reach out to sales.

Hat tip to Content Marketing Institute, which recently inspired me to write this blog with their own, How to Define and Create Quality Content: Tips for 35+ Experts.

Here are five of my favorite content marketing tips (with my thoughts attached) from their curated list

“Quality content is honest, clear and serves no hidden agendas.”

In other words, as I like to say, don’t be market-y. Readers will see right through you.

“Quality content employs alternative formats – bullet-point format, time-stamped reporting, list format, and more – so the audience can consume content in interesting ways.”

Mix things up, and recognize your potential customers want to get the information they need fast. They don’t have time to wade through a long narrative in most cases to get what they’re needing. That said, if you do it well, long-form content can work, if you do your research, supplement with relevant media and add your own spin.

“Quality content delivers value today, as well as serves its readers for many years to come.”

I love repurposing and updating “old” content. This evergreen marketing content is valuable no matter when it’s read, so plan to use it, update it and use it again long into the future.

“Quality content is not ‘me-too’ content.”

Don’t just repeat what everyone else says; add your own spin to a popular topic. How can you leverage the expertise or data you have to help your audience make sense of it?

“Quality content is tight. Not a word is wasted.”

Say what you want to say, and don’t keep writing just because you think it’s not long enough. Make sure every word counts. After all, as Barney Kilgore is famous for saying, the easiest thing for a reader to do is stop reading.

Read why content does matter to B2B buyers.