“In the theater the audience want to be surprised – but by things that they expect,” said French playwright Tristan Bernard. I think we content marketers can relate.

Pleasing the audience is a continual balancing act between the original and the familiar. If the content is too unusual or unexpected, the audience may not feel it appeals to them, but if it is too similar to everything that came before, there won’t be enough novelty or new thinking to maintain interest. Whichever way you look at it and whatever your goals, the audience is both the reason for your content and the measure of your content.

This issue looks beyond the footlights of our content marketing stage, out into the orchestra and all the way back to the cheap seats, to explore audience needs, expectations, and behaviors.

Get ready to take your curtain call.

Stephanie Stahl
General Manager, CMI