A smile comes to my face because this rule, though well-known, holds much more than it seems. And it is my responsibility to prove it to you. Let’s start with the first part: Content is King. Why are content and its quality key to the success of businesses?

Content is king…

Content on the internet is created for one reason: to sell.

Sales can be direct, delayed, or sometimes non-obvious, but it always happens. Even if someone doesn’t buy right away, they pay with their time, attention, and engagement.

For years, companies have been competing to sell better. Paid ads, webinars, Indie Hacker breakfast posts—the diversity of content is enormous. All this effort aims to turn visitors into customers.

Every message you see—poster, video, article—was created for you to become a customer of a particular organization, including this post and the ones to come. Maybe not today, maybe in a month, maybe in a year, but that’s always the goal. Since content is part of the sales process, it must be crafted with customers in mind. This means addressing what’s truly important to them. Otherwise, it would sink to the bottom (paraphrasing Shark Tale: rocks, seaweed, whale poop, and then bad content).

How do customers buy?

A great exercise in marketing is to reverse the perspective. Instead of asking: “How to sell something?”, you can ask: “How do customers buy?”

The buying process begins with a problem or opportunity. What happens next? You surely know. Just think about a situation where you had a problem to solve. Your steps might have looked like this:

1. Identifying the problem.

   For example: you got a flat tire.

2. Education.

   You search for information about the problem and possible solutions. This could mean Googling for help, calling your dad, or finding a YouTube video on how to change a tire.

3. Evaluating solutions.

   You come across companies that solve your problem. One of them thoroughly describes a solution that fits your situation perfectly.

If you have good content, you have customers. Even if they don’t immediately pay with money, they give you something equally valuable—their time. If they chose to spend it on you, it means they found something they needed in your content.

What’s more, content on the internet is utilized by your competition. Since that’s the case, your content must contain exactly what customers are looking for—and in a format they can consume.

…Research is princess

Since content exists to solve problems, educate customers, attract their attention, and build engagement, it logically contains key information about customer needs, problems, and expectations—the same customers you want to attract. This makes analyzing competitors’ content fundamental to understanding the market. By reviewing published content, you can learn what other companies offer, how they communicate with their audience, what problems they solve, and in what channels. This data is invaluable as it reveals what the market looks like from the perspective of competitors’ customers.

However, remember that the customers of different companies can vary, and therefore the strategies and advantages of competitors will also differ. These might include unique product features like a free trial week, money-back guarantees, or exceptional communication channels such as newsletters or webinars. As a researcher, your task is to notice these differences, record insights, and understand how companies stand out in the industry. Every detail matters—from communication style to the minutiae that often determine success.

A key takeaway from research is that the way a company communicates its actions reflects its strategy—even if the strategy is not formally documented. Every element, from social media posts to product features, shows what problems a company solves and how it has built its market position. This is the result of a prior, laborious research process, now translating into effective actions. If someone has already gone through this process, wouldn’t it be wise to take advantage of it?

Research is also an invaluable tool for broadening horizons. It allows you to delve into industry realities, understand competitors and customers, and discover industry authorities. This knowledge will pay off over time, providing a solid foundation for creating your own. Ultimately, research becomes not just a phase of work but an investment in your business’s future.

How to conduct research?

Good research starts with identifying companies worth analyzing. Instead of focusing on the entire industry, it’s better to select around ten companies representing various levels—from small players to big industry leaders. This diversity will show how smaller firms operate and what advantages market leaders possess.

Basic tools come to the rescue: search engines, social platforms, analytical services, and financial data. Google, ChatGPT, YouTube, SimilarWeb, or LinkedIn are just a few examples. During analysis, focus on three main aspects:

• Physical: What companies offer—their products, services, and solutions.
• Communicative: How these products are presented—the language, aesthetics, tone of communication.
• Social: Where and how they operate, how they build community and value in customers’ eyes.

The result should be a detailed document serving as a knowledge base about competitors. Gather objective facts, ask questions like: “What is this like?” rather than: “Do I like it?” Record everything important in the form of notes, links, screenshots, or summaries. Your research is the foundation for understanding the market and knowing your enemy.

Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be endangered in a hundred battles – Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Don’t worry; we will return to knowing yourself in one of the following rules—subscribe so you don’t miss it.

Summary

Research is not just a way to understand competitors but a tool to find niches, uncover industry standards, and understand customers. It’s the starting point for every well-planned strategy, and its effects will pay off in product development and business growth. The first research may not be perfect, but conducting it will broaden your horizons and better prepare you to act and understand the industry. Content and Research form a royal duo that can take your business to the next level.

Content is King, Research is Princess.

Alex