Sometimes you see a bunch of articles written on a website for free. Why? Allow me to unveil the curtain.
I'll talk about the "why" and "what" of content marketing. Then how it benifits the consumers as well as the producers of content marketing.
Then discover the dumb history of how I used to do content marketing purely by accident. Why I stopped and how I am trying to get back on the content marketing train.
Then I explain why I am putting out webnovels.
Why Content Marketing?
Before social media there was email/newsletters. Imagine providing free content to consume before the days of youtube. Still asking to smash the subscibe button but then you gave an email address instead.
You give your email address. I give you free content. A much easier ask than asking you to shell out cash for a product/service when we just met.
And assuming I give you good content in your email inbox that educates or entertains, then you feel you got more out of this than I did. So when I then try to sell something that costs something you are more willing to buy.
You get fun content that is like youtube only with words and no algorithm. I get a better chance at selling stuff to you.
Why Did I Start Content Marketing Long Ago... Accidentally?
I had no idea what content marketing was when I started. I looked around and I just thought it was something businesses did. I also "felt" I should put up articles on our website.
To be honest... it was also a good way to hammer out ideas onto paper and organize them. Then get early feedback directly from people who enjoyed who we are trying sell to.
Why Stop the Content Marketing Train?
So here I was pumping out content about the game dev journey as well as commenting about various game industry related stuff. Then what? Was I really getting more sales from this? I probably was actually getting sales but I didn't measure that. If I didn't measure it properly then I wasn't seeing the benefit! If I don't see the benefit, then why should I keep going with it?
You can see the flawed reasoning right? All made sense when I was stressed out and getting trapped in my own head though. That's why data is important.
So Why Start Content Marketing Again?
Because it's fun! Because now I got metrics running on website! Because I can let the players join me on the journey as I create games! Because my ability to code websites got absurdly strong! Because my content pipeline for content marketing only requires my phone after I set it up! Hahahaha!
Not to mention I can write webnovels (tales) like this too.
Why Webnovels?
Webnovels allow us to create game adaptations/collaborations(?)... with ourselves! It also gives me a way to test story ideas. Also... we made Visual Novels before.
Let's not forget the Anime market is also starting to get into web comics/manhua/etc. And I predicted the oncoming wave of Villianess anime thanks to reading light novels/web novels in like... 2018.
Also maybe release a light novel series at some point?
Why Gamer... Life... Articles?
Here is the other thing I'm doing. Gamer Life articles. With all the knowledge and studying about Sexuality, Marriages, and Families as part of my University Minor, I can write a few articles. Are they studies? No. But at least I can look at them with a "Gamer" lens.
Let's not forget the roots of this company was making games with some dating-sim mechanics. So it does indeed fit. Not to mention sometimes we convert several attachment/attraction/etc theories into game mechanics.
There are some content creators out there that does psychology stuff through a gamer lens as well. Just not really enough of them. Hopefully we can fill that gap a little.
You Get Enjoyable Content, We Get Market Testing and Future Content Hooks
That's all it is. Don't know anyone else who is going to use web novels as content marketing. Hope you all enjoy it.
If you want to get that free content directly in your email inbox SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter!
(Ah... we did the YouTube thing. Maybe I should start saying "Smash that Subscribe Button")