Why Context is God

Like everyone else, I once was an aspiring YouTuber. During my short term, I found that it is easy to create content. The real challenge is keeping your audience engaged and entertained. I asked myself, “what will make me distinct?” Surprisingly, Gary Vaynerchuk suggests that the way to captivate your audience on all platforms is to fit in, not stand out. 

In Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, Vaynerchuk shares his thoughts on how to share content appropriately. A popular quote of his reads, “Content is king, but context is God. You can put out good content, but if it ignores the context of the platform on which it appears, it can still fall flat.” Vaynerchuk explains that people engage with content on social media if the content is native to the specific platform it is shared on and resembles the type of content that the users of that platform are seeking. He adds that each platform has a unique way in which content is shared. Therefore, content created for use on Twitter will not be received well if posted on Pinterest. 

Vaynerchuk is speaking directly to marketers. However, this idea carries over to non-fiction storytelling. As a writer, keeping your reader in mind is key. Meet them where they are and grab their attention quickly so they can stay engaged. Ashley Henshaw writes, “it’s critical to figure out who your audience will be so you can tailor the content to their interests and understanding.” Additionally, Alexander Limberg shares that, even amidst non-fiction writing, you should tell a memorable story, bait your audience, use emotional language, share content simply, and surprise your reader. In other words, understand your reader and cater to them directly. Whether blogging, reporting on an event, sharing knowledge and opinions, etc., writers need to remain relevant and relatable to their audience.

Vaynerchuk’s idea holds true in various disciplines and scenarios, including creating content for YouTube. You guessed it. My YouTube venture flopped. I never bothered to research how to connect with my potential subscribers. I created content, posted it, and moved on. No one cared about my channel because I did not care to observe and mimic the steps of other favored YouTubers. My content quickly faded.

As stated in a previous blog post, today, context is of importance to me. I learned that without context, I am missing the necessary information to address a situation properly. When publishing content with the expectation that it will receive a response from others, I ensure that the content appeals to my audience in the same way that everything else they engage with does. This way, my work remains current and wanted. 

Today, more than ever, context is God. We seek what we desire. In an ever-changing digital landscape, published content without context can become invisible to the intended audience. Therefore, the author needs to assimilate the world of their audience.