Nobody sets out to create bad content.
In fact, I don’t think there is such a thing as bad content. Content is subjective. People are different and everyone will view content differently. Some will think some content is great while others aren’t moved by it. I don’t know if there is a way to quantify content unless you’re evaluating your own content.
And that is what’s important. You need to look at your own company and determine if content can be a part of your success. For some companies that only way content can’t be great is if there is no content at all. But even in this case it’s not the end of the world. Many companies have not created any content at all over the years including blog content. Those companies have done fine.
The focus for those in social media is to provide answers, insight and strategy for those that are interested in content for their company.
People in social media, including myself, promote the creation of great content. The context of that promotion involves a few key points.
Content is about Attention, Interest, Trust and Action: Content is one form of marketing. All forms of marketing are about these four elements. You go from a person having no idea who you are all the way to the point of a sale. That’s the goal of all marketing including content marketing. If that’s not the goal then you’re just having fun, which is fine, but make sure you set your goals in accordance with your expectations.
Great content is hard work. No surprise to anyone: It’s hard work to create content of any kind. I don’t think this is a surprise to anyone, but there are abandoned blogs out there and I feel this only happens when people underestimate the work required. It’s hard to create blog posts for six months with little feedback on if it’s working.
Just like the chicken that develops inside the egg for weeks before finally hatching – nobody pays attention to the hard work until a breakthrough happens.
Content success can and should be measured: The success of your content is determined by you. The strategy you choose is important, but it’s also important to track the results and measure the success.
Most people I come across that are interested in blogging have questions about what blogging would do for the future of their company. I try to be very careful with what I say and really try to let people know that blogging is a long-term strategy that can work better for some companies, but not all. Typically if you have any reservations about blogging at the start it’s best to do more research before committing because a blog is a big commitment and there are tons of blogs out there that are abandoned.
Conclusion
Nobody sets out to create bad content.
There is great content, but it’s subjective.
If you are looking to create great content at your company you need to understand the requirements, set goals and then figure out the right people to have on your team to accomplish those goals.