Why You Need to Stop Restricting Content [Marketing Cast]

A lot of businesses are resistant towards putting their content for free on the Web. To justify their decision, they point out security issues, privacy laws, strict editorial control... But fear remains the overarching theme throughout these excuses. 

“Are you afraid of the dark, too?” asks David Meerman Scott cynically. What is there to be afraid of? In this episode of the Weekly Marketing Cast we discuss the main incentive around publishing content freely on the Web.

Don’t Give In to Irrational Fears 

One of the most frequent excuses businesses point out for not putting content up on their sites is that competitors might find it. But guess what? If your competition is doing research about your company, they will get access to this information anyway. 

Another common fear among businesses is that offering content for free reduces the chances that a visitor will return to make a purchase. The balance between giving out content for free and charging for that knowledge might seem thin. But do you actually need to worry about crossing this line?

These are all irrational fears, David notes. You have to understand them and learn to deal with them. 

Generate Interest Instead 

“The more interest you develop in your company, ideas, products and services, the more people will want to engage with you,” says David. Content is what makes you appealing to a new audience and helps you expand your reach. According to David, there is not a single person who regrets putting content up. The only regret is that they didn’t do it sooner. 

Do you have any issues pushing content out?