Handling a vast amount of content The editor's perspective is essential

Following our previous installment, we spoke with Akiko Gunji of Dentsu Inc., one of the translators of "Think Like an Editor: 27 Secrets of Content Marketing " (by Rebecca Reeve, published by Shoeisha).

The increasingly pronounced trend of "companies becoming media"

──You mentioned that content marketing is about providing information the audience seeks. How does this differ from traditional advertising?

Gunji: Understanding target needs and communicating in a way they'll accept has always been part of traditional advertising. However, the media landscape has drastically changed. Unless you properly respond to "real needs"—like the raw voices on social media—your message won't reach people anymore. Companies must now approach marketing with even greater precision. I see content marketing as one strategy born from this reality.

For example, if you want to know something now, you search for it first, right? If your content doesn't show up properly in those searches, the information won't reach the people who need it. Search engine algorithms are also evolving daily to better serve users, so you need to prepare content that offers higher value to people and aim for top search rankings.

Even the channels for delivering information are evolving—they're becoming smarter and more complex, not just delivering information but curating it, ranking it, and so on. To deliver information in this environment, especially one changing at incredible speed, we have no choice but to keep challenging ourselves without fear of failure.

──So people's behaviors are changing, the options available for strategies are increasing, and communication has become more complex than before.

 

Gunji: Yes. But on the other hand, there are many things we can do precisely because of the current era. Previously, we mainly relied on surveys to understand customer voices, but methods like social listening now allow us to grasp more authentic realities. The increased variety of channels also facilitates more appropriate communication.

Among these, owned media like company websites and company-operated SNS platforms are particularly powerful allies.

While corporate publications like PR magazines have existed for some time, the emergence of websites and various digital technologies has significantly reduced the cost of creating and distributing content. There's no reason not to leverage this. The trend of "companies becoming media" that began several years ago is only growing stronger.

I believe content-driven marketing is one answer to the challenge of how to effectively utilize owned media.

Thinking with an editor's perspective

──So, the growth of owned media is also closely tied to the expansion of content marketing. That said, I imagine many companies often struggle with what exactly to publish as content.

Gunji: That's true. Especially with platforms like Facebook and Twitter, once you start, you have to keep posting news constantly, which makes some companies hesitant to launch accounts. But news is actually all around the company. Things that seem ordinary to insiders can be surprisingly interesting when viewed objectively by outsiders. While you need strategies to reach your target audience, simply expressing the genuine passion behind your products or services can be powerful content that builds your fanbase.

What's needed at that point is what this book's title refers to: "thinking like an editor."

──Doesn't that mean creating content like an editor?

Gunji: That aspect is part of it, but the editor's perspective is needed even earlier in the process. Going forward, editing that considers not just "what" to communicate, but also "to whom," "through which channel," and "at what timing," will be indispensable.

Moreover, it's not just about creating original content. It involves gathering diverse content and re-editing it, or even having users create content themselves. Unlike advertising or PR, you'll need to handle a large volume of content at once, maintaining a certain consistency. Managing all of this, including the timing of its release, is precisely what I consider editorial work.

──Finally, who do you hope will read this book?

Gunji: Since it systematically covers specific content creation methods, technical explanations for each channel, and other detailed topics, broadly speaking, I believe it can be useful for anyone involved in communication.

I recommend starting with Part 1, which summarizes what content marketing is. After that, readers can use it like a reference book, consulting specific sections based on their challenges. For instance, if you've started using Facebook but aren't sure how to proceed, you'll find hints for tackling social media communication dilemmas.

We hope readers will view this book as a lens to navigate the current chaotic landscape of marketing communications. We envision Dentsu Inc., companies, and industry peers collaborating to pioneer new frontiers together.