“People will pay for content if it is so unique they can’t get it anywhere else, so fast they benefit from getting it before anyone else, or so related to their tribe that paying for it brings them closer to other people. We’ll always be willing to pay for souvenirs of news, as well, things to go on a shelf or badges of honor to share.” – Seth Godin, in his blog post “Malcolm is wrong”
I was really inspired by the entry that master marketer Seth Godin posted on his blog a few days ago. In it, he discussed Free, a new book by Chris Anderson, and the way that Anderson’s ideas relate to digital content.
(Pictured at left: Free air, by St_A_Sh)
What Godin wrote was not particularly ground-breaking, but it made me think about how online journalists can create unique, inimitable, and absolutely-worth-paying-for content.
Allow me to break down the paragraph I posted above by highlighting some key phrases:
1. “So unique” – Of course, journalistic pieces are based on fact. However, writers can make facts seem unique and interesting. The way a writer strings together facts can be unusual and enticing yet still remain true and completely correct. In his book Writing for Story, Jon Franklin has some really great tips for journalists trying to create dramatic nonfiction.
2. “Before anyone else” – Included with my subscription to The New Yorker, I have access to the magazine’s digital reader. This week, I read the online version of a short story by one of my favorite writers, Lorrie Moore, before I received the print edition. When the print edition arrived in the mail, I sneered at it. “See this?” I asked, holding up the magazine for my brother. “I already read it online.”
3. “Brings them closer to other people” – As someone who really loves and appreciates creative writing, I understand how poetry and fiction can bring together individuals with similar emotions, longings, or circumstances. Why is creative writing so powerful? Carefully crafted imagery, detail, and forward-moving narratives captivate a reader’s attention. Is there a way for journalists to use these elements without comprising the unbiased nature of news?
4. “Souvenirs” – Why do we still purchase compact discs when we can download songs on the Internet? Why do we buy an author’s book when we’ve already read bits and pieces elsewhere? Fans purchase souvenirs. Journalists need to gain a fanbase. P.S. You can “fan” Too Shy to Stop on Facebook too!
