How a Tech Conference Affirmed My Life as a Content Farmer

I attended last weekend’s “Emerging Tech Conference: Discover Content Marketing” in part because it was sponsored by Copyblogger Media; and while I’ve become a little jaded by technology conferences, Copyblogger has never failed me.

After sneaking in 15 minutes early and finding my seat near the front, a man sat down next to me and asked what I do. “I write for Idea Grove. We do content marketing and public relations for technology companies. We’re kinda awesome.”

My new friend told me about his B2B tech company and we exchanged business cards before delving into the future of social media, M2M interfaces and the third wave of the Internet. Basically, we nerded out.

The speakers on the first day represented a wide range of interests and expertise, but my favorite was Mike Orren from Speakeasy because something he said really stuck with me. He referred to content marketing as “a long game,” and said that we need to think about content marketing in terms of farming not hunting. Farming is slow and sure, while hunting can offer a quick kill or nothing at all.

Farming is about creating the right conditions and being committed to a process that works, yielding steady results. When I represent one of our clients, I take on the responsibility for that process. It’s not about just one blog post or one byline article, one eBook or one whitepaper, but a continual tending of the field. Consistency over time, that’s where we focus.

Content Creation Might Not Be for Do-It-Yourselfers

I looked over to my new friend, the managing partner of a B2B tech company. I had no doubt he is good at what he does, but I wondered if wants to spend his days producing content to establish himself as a leader in his field. I figured he’d rather program and develop apps. The challenge to create content might even be a tad overwhelming, especially when business turns into a checklist of all the things you don’t want to do.

I wouldn’t mind tilling that field. I love writing. I love explaining complex ideas so they make sense. That’s what we do — row after row, day after day. And I think we’re kinda awesome.