Content Creation vs. Content Production with Brad Smith
b"\\u201cThe key is not to create unique content for all of these different places. The key is to create one really good, deep piece of content that\\u2019s going to work for your brand.\\u201d Brad Smith is the founder and CEO of Codeless, a content production company for the best SaaS sites on the planet. Their articles have been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, TheNextWeb, and more. At Codeless, content is not simply created, it is produced, and that makes all the difference. We discussed what this means on this week's show.\\nAbout Brad Smith\\nBrad Smith is the founder and CEO of Codeless, a content production company who\\u2019s content has been highlighted by The New York Times, Business Insider, The Next Web, and thousands more. He is also the co- founder of uSERP, a digital PR company that helps connect its clients with leading SaaS, eCommerce, SEO, tech, business, and marketing sites to boost brand authority.\\nBrad has been an in-the-trenches marketer for over a decade, rolling his sleeves up and doing all the dirty work from copywriting to SEO to marketing automation to site redesigns and more. All while working in-house, freelancing, consulting, and providing agency services to almost every industry that crosses your mind. Companies don\\u2019t need more content today. They need better content that actually performs. His companies fix that by producing & ranking SERP-topping content in the most competitive spaces -- tech, cybersecurity, finance, etc. \\u2014 on the Internet.\\nEpisode Highlights\\nContent curation vs. content production. \\u201cThere\\u2019s a subtle difference that needs to be called out.\\u201d Simply put, there\\u2019s too much content today. It\\u2019s not just about creating the most content, it\\u2019s about producing the very best content.\\nWhat form of content are Brad and the team at Codeless producing the most of these days? \\u201cIt\\u2019s a lot of the meat and potatoes\\u2014articles\\u2014as a lot is driven by SEO.\\u201d However, he went on to note how several are missing key SEO steps in their video and podcast production, such as transcripts.\\nWhen to outsource your content production. Brad began by impressing that this is not a binary choice\\u2014either outsourcing content or not. Rather, it depends on the project. Some pieces may be better handled internally.\\nHow to outsource content production. \\u201cThe problem in starting is that many don\\u2019t have it written down,\\u201d says Brad.\\nWhat\\u2019s needed for a good content handoff? Brand guidelines usually have info on the logo and font type but there are no guidelines for writing.\\u201d Brad encouraged brands to consider things like how formal or informal the writing should be, the use of contractions, and references to humor and pop culture. Including examples is also helpful. He also shared a simple tip: Voice Memos. Using this app on your phone to talk as the brand can be useful background info for your outsourced team.\\nWhat brand has made Brad smile recently? Brad shared the story of Stone Brewing out of San Diego, known for their signature beer Arrogant Bastard (a favorite of mine when I\\u2019m in that neck of the woods). Brad talked about how the brand is bold in both taste and vernacular.\\nTo learn more, go to GetCodeless.com and connect with Brad on LinkedIn. You can also access a free article audit as mentioned during the show here.\\n\\nUntil next week, I\\u2019ll see you on the Internet!\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices"