Doing content right as a tech start-up
Doing content right as a tech start-up
What I learned about creating the right content from my time at Meltano & Arch.
Have you ever read a crappy piece of content produced by a tech start-up? I bet you have. There's plenty out there. 99% of the content is crap, rehashed, not well-done, and badly targeted.
Let's face it: creating good content is hard. I know I've spent countless hours creating key content pieces for Meltano (like "ELT 101" or a deep guidebook on choosing the right framework).
But what's even harder is knowing what types of content will work best. Should you create a blog post or a solution brief? A whitepaper or a webinar?
From what I've seen, almost no tech start-up has a plan to choose the right type of content - even though there is one readily available! It's called the Technology Adoption Life Cycle, and if you work with it a bit, you will get a clear picture of what type of content works best.
Let's break it down:
1. Innovators (0-5 customers)
If you're starting out with 0-5 customers, nobody will buy from you except one type of customer: the innovator. No sane customer would buy anything from you, you got no trust, no experience, and sometimes not even a product yet. So, instead of trying to convince potential customers that ask for your credentials, you should sell directly to technology fans, people who love to adopt new technology for the sake of it.
What types of content works best for that? Everything that can express the unique technology you have! Things that work well are:
Demo videos (focused on technical details and unique features)
GitHub repositories of open-source parts of your software
Technical blog posts (deep dives into your tech stack)
2. Visionaries (Early Adopters)
Once you get your first customers, you'll start to sell to the next best group of customers, the visionaries. Visionaries are a rare breed of people that don't just dabble with new technology, they are able to see the potential of your solution without having it spelled out for them, just by looking at your vision. These are the people who want to see a "10x" improvement over the status quo. They adopt your solution to be ahead of the competition, so by definition, they are not the mainstream people.
Content that works well for them emphasizes the vision of your product while also showing the outcomes:
Whitepapers (focusing on revolutionary potential and vision)
Solution briefs (highlighting innovative approaches)
Blog posts (thought leadership and future trends)
3. Early Majority
Finally, the third segment you need to know is the early majority. The early majority is dominated by two simple ideas. They want to have something that works, that's pragmatic, and something that is market-leading. For them, you need:
Use cases
Comparisons
Performance metrics
Price calculators
Executive briefs
Webinars and feature-based product videos (practical demonstrations)
Customer views
Customer quotes
Case studies
Lots of logos (social proof)
If you look closely, most of the content types aren't made for starting out! So, if you don't understand content types, you'll likely choose wrong.
Content Evolution and Repurposing
As you move through these stages, your content needs to evolve. That technical blog post that wowed the innovators? It might need to be rewritten as a practical how-to guide for the early majority. That visionary whitepaper? Maybe it becomes an executive brief highlighting proven results.
The key is to understand your audience and adapt. A demo video for innovators might dive deep into your tech stack, while one for the early majority focuses on ease of use and practical applications.
Common Pitfalls
Creating content for the wrong audience: Don't waste time on case studies when you're still courting innovators.
Neglecting to evolve: Your content strategy should grow with your company.
Overly technical content for non-technical audiences: Remember, the early majority wants solutions, not code.
Ignoring the power of social proof: As you gain customers, leverage their stories.
Failing to measure content effectiveness: Track engagement and conversions to refine your strategy.
Remember, content creation isn't just about pumping out blog posts or whitepapers. It's about creating the right content for the right audience at the right time. Understand where you are in the Technology Adoption Life Cycle, and let that guide your content strategy. Trust me, your future customers (and your marketing team) will thank you.
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