F#ck Content Marketing: Focus on Content Experience to Drive Demand, Revenue & Relationships

This is a vanity title, written by the founder of a company that offers a tool to do what the book proposes. I worry about these books quite a bit. Some are good, but many are likely ghostwritten.

The key pieces seem to be:

1. A provocative title
2. Some framework or mental model the reader that wrap their head around
3. Lots of praise quotes from other people in the industry who probably haven’t even read the book (I am guilty of agreeing to write these, occasionally)

All are present here. The author is pushing the “content experience framework,” or, more generally, “content experience.” He positions this in opposition to “content marketing” (hence the title).

Near as I can gather, “content experience” is the concept of introducing the customer or prospect to more than just a single content item, but rather a “personalized content experience,” which means content put together specifically for them and their stage in the buying journey. (And, of course, this is what the author’s company does…)

He has five steps in the framework:

1. Centralize
2. Organize
3. Personalize
4. Distribute
5. Generate Results

I do like #1 and #2 – too many organizations have content all over the place and have no idea where it all is or how it all relates. But, from there, it gets a little silly. #5 is hilarious: “Generate Results.” Wow, if it were only so easy…

It’s a very shallow book overall. Will anyone be any better off for having read it? I doubt it, but you never know. If this was literally the very first book someone new to content marketing reads, maybe there’s some actionable lessons there?

Will a seasoned marker suddenly have an epiphany after reading this book and look at their role and responsibilities in a new way? …no.

I know this all sounds dismissive, so I want you, the reader, to know that I gave the book every chance. I took it with me on a business trip, specifically to read it. But it just never clicked with me.

Book Info

Here are some notes I took on the acquisition of this book:

Chuck Gahun sent this to me.