#45 | Chris Savage | Content Is the Product

03/20/24 • 54 min

This week, John sits down with Chris Savage, co-founder and CEO at Wistia. The team at Wistia has always approached content differently than most other companies. They host, and film, parades. They buy and refurbish old station wagons. They record original music. All for the content. In this episode, John geeks out with Chris to learn all about the how and why behind Wistia's unique flavor of content over the last 17 years.

Discussed in this episode:

Creativity and quality are essential in content creation to capture audience attention and build trust.
Human connection and trust are crucial in content marketing and brands should focus on building relationships with their audience.
Treating content like a product and investing in its quality and research can lead to audience trust and loyalty.
Providing a good experience for non-ready customers can help grow the audience and build trust for future conversions.
(00:00) - Introduction
(02:59) - The Power of Details and Originality
(03:55) - The Role of Music in Branding
(05:50) - Recognizing and Nurturing Talent
(07:14) - The Significance of Attention to Detail
(08:12) - The Impact of Presentation and Branding
(09:11) - The Importance of Getting the Details Right
(10:05) - The Value of Small Details in Content
(10:58) - The Evolution of Music in Wistia
(11:54) - The Connection Between Product and Brand
(13:14) - The Impact of Branding on Content
(14:36) - The Power of Creative and Risk-Taking
(16:00) - The Balance Between Quantity and Quality
(19:21) - The Value of Failure and Iteration
(21:20) - The Perception of Audience Size
(22:19) - Investing in Presentation and Brand
(23:14) - The Impact of Tone and Feeling
(25:08) - The Power of Authenticity and Creativity
(26:35) - The Connection Between People and Brand
(27:30) - The Importance of Trust and Guidance
(27:59) - The Power of Creativity and Quality
(28:58) - Building Trust through Content
(29:54) - Delivering Value and Building Trust
(30:24) - The Importance of Human Connection
(31:53) - Creating an Audience of Trust
(32:50) - Treating Content like a Product
(34:14) - Providing a Good Experience for Non-Ready Customers
(35:12) - The Role of Faces in Building Trust
(36:10) - The Importance of People in the Brand
(37:07) - The Rise of the Creator-Led Economy
(38:05) - Maintaining Content Values as the Team Grows
(39:34) - The Success of the Brandwagon Series
(40:29) - The Concept and Execution of One, Ten, One Hundred

***
Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode, the promotional clips, and handling the overall production of Louder Than Words.

Riverside is offering a 15% discount to Louder Than Words listeners. Just visit riverside.fm and use the code LOUDER during checkout to lock in your discount.

Discussed in this episode:

Creativity and quality are essential in content creation to capture audience attention and build trust.
Human connection and trust are crucial in content marketing and brands should focus on building relationships with their audience.
Treating content like a product and investing in its quality and research can lead to audience trust and loyalty.
Providing a good experience for non-ready customers can help grow the audience and build trust for future conversions.
(00:00) - Introduction
(02:59) - The Power of Details and Originality
(03:55) - The Role of Music in Branding
(05:50) - Recognizing and Nurturing Talent
(07:14) - The Significance of Attention to Detail
(08:12) - The Impact of Presentation and Branding
(09:11) - The Importance of Getting the Details Right
(10:05) - The Value of Small Details in Content
(10:58) - The Evolution of Music in Wistia
(11:54) - The Connection Between Product and Brand
(13:14) - The Impact of Branding on Content
(14:36) - The Power of Creative and Risk-Taking
(16:00) - The Balance Between Quantity and Quality
(19:21) - The Value of Failure and Iteration
(21:20) - The Perception of Audience Size
(22:19) - Investing in Presentation and Brand
(23:14) - The Impact of Tone and Feeling
(25:08) - The Power of Authenticity and Creativity
(26:35) - The Connection Between People and Brand
(27:30) - The Importance of Trust and Guidance
(27:59) - The Power of Creativity and Quality
(28:58) - Building Trust through Content
(29:54) - Delivering Value and Building Trust
(30:24) - The Importance of Human Connection
(31:53) - Creating an Audience of Trust
(32:50) - Treating Content like a Product
(34:14) - Providing a Good Experience for Non-Ready Customers
(35:12) - The Role of Faces in Building Trust
(36:10) - The Importance of People in the Brand
(37:07) - The Rise of the Creator-Led Economy
(38:05) - Maintaining Content Values as the Team Grows
(39:34) - The Success of the Brandwagon Series
(40:29) - The Concept and Execution of One, Ten, One Hundred

***
Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode, the promotional clips, and handling the overall production of Louder Than Words.

Riverside is offering a 15% discount to Louder Than Words listeners. Just visit riverside.fm and use the code LOUDER during checkout to lock in your discount.

Previous Episode

#44 | Brendan Hufford | The Importance of Creativity & Consistency in Building a Brand

In this episode, John hangs out with recovering in-house marketer, now founder of Growth Sprints, Brendan Hufford. In the past, Hufford worked in both growth and SEO for companies like ActiveCampaign. Now, he works with SaaS companies to help take them grow through short, focused sprints using his SaaS Growth Sprint framework.

Discussed in this episode:

Navigating bureaucracy requires understanding the value of stair stepping and starting with a V1, V2, V3 approach.
Transitioning from one career to another often involves taking a step back to gain momentum and escape toxic work environments.
Creating a personal brand and consistently producing content can lead to opportunities and growth.
Bigger companies often undervalue creative work and prioritize numbers and politicking.
The role of individual contributors who have an audience that aligns with the company's audience is highly valuable.
Why companies should embrace creators who can not only create content but also contribute to the company's growth.
Being interested in your audience and sharing interesting stories and experiences is more compelling than generic content.
Traditional keyword research is becoming less effective, and unique angles in content are more important.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:01) - From School Teacher to Digital Marketing
(04:20) - Starting a Review Website and Learning Marketing
(05:11) - Creating Content and Building a Brand
(06:06) - Transitioning from Teaching to Marketing
(07:05) - Taking a Step Back to Gain Momentum
(09:00) - The Power of Volume and Consistency
(09:54) - Finding Escape Velocity and Building a Liberal Arts Degree in Marketing
(10:53) - The Decision to Leave the 9-5 Lifestyle
(12:15) - The Importance of Slowing Down and Focusing on Quality
(13:40) - Creating Ephemeral Series of Content
(15:58) - Leaving Toxic Work Environments
(20:10) - Navigating Bureaucracy and Frustrations in the Workplace
(22:56) - The Decision to Quit and Prioritize Mental Health
(24:45) - Building Your Own Dream and Being Adequately Compensated
(25:46) - The Importance of Supportive Spouses
(26:16) - The Value of Supportive Relationships
(26:45) - The Challenges of Working in Bigger Companies
(27:16) - The Value of Individual Contributors
(28:14) - The Importance of Being a Creator within a Company
(29:13) - The Restrictions of Working Outside of Work
(29:41) - The Challenges of Hiring Creators
(30:11) - Being Interested and Being Interesting
(31:06) - The Power of Sharing Stories and Experiences
(32:05) - The Effectiveness of Reporting on Brands and Products
(32:36) - The Current Trends in Content Creation
(33:05) - The Importance of Quality in SEO
(34:05) - The Value of Website Content
(34:31) - The Need for Quality and Unique Content
(35:56) - The Evolution of SEO and Content Strategy
(37:19) - The Importance of Quality in YouTube and Podcasts
(38:16) - The Role of SEO in Marketing
(39:14) - The Importance of Unique Angles in SEO
(40:13) - The Value of Important Content
(41:11) - The Importance of Owning the Narrative
(42:04) - The Death of Traditional Keyword Research
(43:01) - The Importance of Unique Angles in Content
(43:57) - The Limitations of Keyword Research
(45:22) - The Importance of Elevating Content
(46:49) - Revamping the Newsletter

***

Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode, the promotional clips, and handling the overall production of Louder Than Words.

Riverside is offering a 15% discount to Louder Than Words listeners. Just visit riverside.fm and use the code LOUDER during checkout to lock in your discount.

Next Episode

#46 | Emily Triplett Lentz | Behind the Content at Basecamp, Help Scout, and Calendly

This week, I sit down with a friend and and someone whose work I've long admired––Emily Triplett Lentz. Emily has one of the most prolific and legendary resumes in content marketing, working for brands like Basecamp, Help Scout, Loom, and currently, Calendly.

Things discussed in this episode:

Community plays a crucial role in content marketing as it helps build trust and loyalty among target audiences.
Basecamp's non-traditional approach to content, driven by strong opinions and clarity in messaging, contributed to its success and loyal following.
Synthesizing information from various sources and incorporating different perspectives can lead to more impactful and insightful content.
Embrace cultural conversations surrounding your brand and educate your audience to shape the narrative.
Leverage your audience's voice to amplify your brand message.
Content is the fuel for important campaigns and initiatives.
Consider the unique characteristics and needs of your company when developing content strategies.

Timestamps

(00:00) - Introduction
(03:32) - The Impact of Content Brands
(05:23) - The Importance of Personal Use Case
(07:11) - Content at Basecamp: Non-traditional Approach
(08:40) - Content at Help Scout: Investing in Community
(11:31) - Content at Basecamp: Freedom and Input
(13:58) - The Power of Contrarian Content
(17:17) - Content at Basecamp: Clarity and Opinion
(21:28) - Content at Help Scout: Learning and Growth
(23:18) - Content as Brand
(24:17) - Engaging and Elevating a Community
(24:17) - Building a Passionate and Influential Customer Base
(30:02) - Engaging in Cultural Conversations
(36:20) - Leveraging Product Virality
(40:16) - Strategic Content Efforts for Limited Resources

Riverside is offering a 15% discount to Louder Than Words listeners. Just visit riverside.fm and use the code LOUDER during checkout to lock in your discount.