Zero-Click Content

Heard about Zero-Click Content?

No?

You will.

Most people aren't talking about it, 'cause they just don't see it... YET
But here's the weird thing, we've been living with it for a while - we just haven't fully embraced it because we still need to let go of some old school thinking.

SO, WHAT IS IT?
Well it's this post for one. Short, sharp, informative content that aims to add value without asking for anything in return.
It's content like this that you may read and enjoy but not interact with. You may not press LIKE or leave a COMMENT but you SEE it. It may be accompanied by an image or a video (in fact it's better if it is). It could live on social media, a newsletter or even on your website. I saw this trend emerging quite early in the piece with Zero-Click Search via Google's Featured Snippets.

OLD THINKING
When you post content like this, the old way of thinking is ROI-driven. "I need clicks, I need phone calls, I need leads, I need business, I need money and I need it now" - squeezing people into highly measurable sales funnels watching their every move, following them around, showing up at all times of the day and night expecting them to buy.
Totally dead.
Dead. Dead.

THE NEW WAY
Add value with posts like this. Build relationships. Be consistently present. Show up. Show up. Show up. Don't look for instant returns or smash people with sales funnel bullshit. Add value at every moment. Share your thoughts, your expertise, your tips, tricks, facts, figures, trends. Do it selflessly and do it often.

Sound crazy?

It will to people who live in the old world and say things like "you can only manage what you can measure".
It's a nice idea, but it's just not possible all the time.

Measurement approaches should be high level. Simple, if it's raw data that you need to convince people your marketing is working.

But really in the end all I need is to go to a lunch and have people say, "Thanks Ian, we absolutely love your LinkedIn posts and the advice that you give..."
To this I say to myself "job done"...I'm helping the communities I'm apart of - selflessly.

If and when they need my services or tools they'll let me know, but I'm not going to run around chasing business and squeezing people into sales funnels.
Apart from being gloriously uncool it's just not what the world wants anymore. People will search me out because they've seen me "around the traps", so to speak.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Zero-Click Content is about accepting a quality "presence" as a return in it's own right because when people need you they'll simply drop by and say hello when they are ready.

We all know too well, however, that it takes work.

You'll need patience, openness, and trust. And you'll need to talk to your communities regularly; seeking to understand what they need.

MOST IMPORTANTLY find out if you can genuinely offer them value.

Onward!