Big Data Porn & Infographic Gruel

Have you witnessed content format drive audience assumptions about its quality? I remember when .pdf files seemed to transform PR content into intellectual capital. It was bad enough that I wanted to take Greek text (lorem ipsum), put it into a .pdf file, offer it to folks online and track the downloads. It seems that an audience just assumes a .pdf equates to good content.

We're seeing this concept with infographics. And since PR people have more access to good graphic design capabilities, we could conduct the above experiment with infographics. Just add some percentages, pictures and voila: Pinterest porn -- or gruel depending on how you look at it.

Words, Pictures or Numbers -- We Have a Job to Do
My point is that while content is clearly, more visual than ever -- as we've been telling you -- it makes the PR person's role in content creation all the more important. Video projects require creative briefs, research and storyboarding or scripting before a camera is even picked up. This level of pre-work should be going into content regardless of its format. Goals, strategies, objectives...these all still apply too.


Big Data is a Big Deal
Big data is a big discussion these days. And for good reason. But when we're knee deep in numbers, we need creativity more than ever. Look at how Zappos takes the SKU # and zip code from each order it gets to create the Shoe Order Map. It's content that's brilliant in it simplicity and it reminds everyone that Zappos pwns online sales.

Forbes tapped its creativity when working with Bit.ly to create The Media Map: Who's Reading What and Where to show which news source dominates in each state. Interesting content for all of us to check out.

Cooking Up the Candy Everybody Wants
Whether you're writing a press release, .pdf porn, an infographic, a video or tapping an excel sheet for some math-inspired content, the trick is answering a single question your audience is asking. "So what?" This is also know as "why should I care" and is not to be confused with "what's in it for me."

As we're sifting through the most shareable content our industry has ever seen, don't forget it still takes some thought to create it.