“Marketing is telling the world you’re a rock star. Content marketing is showing the world you are one.”

~Robert Rose, Content Marketing Institute

We all know the famous content marketing experts like Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Joe Pulizzi.

But did you ever think that to be a content marketing rock star, maybe we should take advice from… actual rock stars?

From Gene Simmons to “The Boss” there’s plenty to learn about content marketing from the unlikely experts who know a thing or two about producing creative work and amassing raving fans.

“You have to understand that nothing appeals to everybody.”

~ Gene Simmons, KISS

The content you create should appeal to your target audience, not the whole world.

Developing buyer personas can really help narrow your focus on who exactly you are trying to reach. If you create content with a specific person in mind, you’re inevitably going to alienate people. That’s ok!

When you try to appeal to everybody, you end up with a lot of click-bait and pandering content that may get traffic but no results. It’s better to identify the people you want to serve and become THE best source of information and solutions for their problems.

“The only art I’ll ever study, is stuff I can steal from.”

~David Bowie

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there is A LOT of content on the internet. Coming up with a completely original idea is a myth.

Instead, try pulling ideas from others and mixing them together to create something valuable. Research popular content in your industry by using tools like BuzzSumo. See what’s working for the leaders in your vertical.

When you find a good idea, ask yourself how you can build on it to make it better and more useful for your audience.

“There’s such a fine line between stupid and clever”

~David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap

We’ve all seen headlines that make us roll our eyes or article concepts that make us shake our heads. Surely these ideas start with good intentions, but the end product just misses the mark.

Clever articles generate shares, talk, and traffic. Stupid articles do the same, but in a bad way.

How do you ensure your content is on the right side of the line? Do your research ahead of time. Know your audience. Run the idea by as many people as possible. Hopefully with due diligence you’ll be the talk of the town… in a good way.

“You hear about bands who say, “We did one show where only 20 people showed up”, well that was our average gig for five years.”

~Dexter Holland, The Offspring

It takes time to build a following online. You may spend hours on content they may only be seen by 20 people (at first).

It’s important to not be discouraged by low traffic numbers in the beginning. It’s all part of the process of growing your audience and influence online.

As your content production and promotion processes develop and improve over time, more and more people will start showing up. You’ll be glad you didn’t give up.

“Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.”

~Bruce Springsteen

Content marketing is a long game. It takes consistency, planning, and timely execution to build and sustain an audience. People expect to have access to a constantly updated stream of interesting, relevant content.

To help you plan for the long haul, use an editorial calendar to ensure you have new content lined up and ready to go. Most importantly, start with a detailed content strategy that’s aligned with the needs of your audience.

Be A Content Marketing Rock Star

To rock the socks off of your audience, take some advice from the real rock stars. Who knows? Maybe your fans will be shouting for an encore on your next blog post.