Content and context | Which one matters more?

Bill Gates stated in 1996 that “Content is King”. It’s 2020 (still) and this statement is more relatable than ever. But can content be king regardless of the context? If a creator’s content is amazing, but it doesn’t resonate with the audience, it most probably won’t reach its true potential. So, which one matters more?

Well, they’re both important. But, depending on the moment, one can be more important than the other. It’s all about balance. Bozoma Saint John (the CMO of Netflix) talked about this recently during Brand Minds Live.

But first, let’s see what these terms stand for. After that, we can jump to conclusions.

Content

Is the materials produced, be it in audio, written, video or visual format. It is the means through which creators communicate and connect with their audiences.

But creators don’t have to simply produce content. Creating cool content isn't enough. So what can we do to maximize its potential? Place the content in the right context.

Is Kermit just creating written content? Or is he placing it in the right context? Hopefully, it’s the latter.

Context

Refers to the positioning of the content. Researching and empathizing are the keys here. What is the audience going through right now? How does their world look like now? What are their current fears? What are their current joys? Is that specific piece of content valuable to them in that specific moment?

The goal is to produce content that fits the audience’s context. Content can’t be king without the right context.

Yep, John Travolta knows the deal.

So, if context and content are in harmony, both creators and audiences are thrilled. But are there moments when creators should focus more on one instead of the other? The Netflix CMO mentioned during Brand Minds Live that there are times when one should be prioritized.

For example, during these current uncertain times, it’s recommended to put more emphasis on the context. The lives of most of us turned from being predictable 75% of times to 99% uncertainty of what will happen tomorrow. Our lifestyle, priorities, behavioural patterns have shifted. At least a bit. Thus, can we keep on producing content targeting personas created before the pandemic started? I highly doubt it. As the context changes, the content has to adapt along.

The peeps commenting on this Quora thread know what they’re talking about. Check it out if this “Content / Context” thing is still a bit unclear. Or, let me what you think about the subject in the comments! What’s your approach?