The Content Game Has Changed: Here's How to Win
The traditional content playbook needs a serious update. Leading media executives, including Vox Media CEO and Chair Jim Bankoff, Business Insider CEO Barbara Peng, and Puck CEO Sarah Personette gathered on the INBOUND 2024 Main Stage to share insights on content strategies that actually drive results. Spoiler alert: boring content didn't make the cut.
But what's driving this shift, and why does it matter now more than ever? The answer lies in how audiences engage with content—a change that's reshaping everything from social media strategies to enterprise marketing.
THE REALITY OF AUDIENCE ATTENTION
The rules of engagement have changed dramatically. How do you stand out? Stop trying to please everyone. Instead, identify what makes you unique, deliver it consistently, and watch your audience grow. Business Insider CEO Barbara Peng put it best:
People have more options than ever on where to spend their time. It's not just like you're competing with other news publishers, you're competing with the Netflixes of the world, TikTok, et cetera.
This means your thoughtfully crafted content isn't just competing with industry competitors: it's up against every form of entertainment and information your audience consumes. The solution? Focus on creating content experiences that your audience can't get anywhere else. Whether that's through unique data insights, specialized expertise, or a distinctive brand voice, your competitive edge is being irreplaceable to your audience.
The attention economy has never been more crowded, with countless platforms and creators fighting for your audience's time. And with the average person encountering thousands of messages daily, the bar for capturing (and keeping) attention continues to rise.
A RENEWED FOCUS ON MEANINGFUL CONTENT
"If you're trying to mean something to everyone you might be nothing to nobody," Jim Bankoff of Vox Media shared on the panel. How do you balance relevance and reach? By creating focused, differentiated content content that delivers real value and deeply connects with your audience.
Here’s what to keep in mind for your content strategy in 2025:
- Don’t force relevancy: Excellence in content isn't about using every format. Choose your platforms strategically based on where you can truly excel. For example, Puck leans into its core strengths by building intimate audience relationships via newsletters rather than investing in large video studios. It's not about being everywhere, it's about being an expert where it matters to your audience.
- Keep it human (mostly): Sure, AI makes a great creative sidekick when producing content, but it’s authentic voices and unique perspectives that keep your audience engaged. Content with human creativity at its core (elevated by AI technology) is a differentiator in today’s media.
TAKING STRATEGIC RISKS
Successful media leaders understand that calculated risks drive real results. "Test, measure, retreat quickly, invest in ones that are working, pruning the ones that aren't," Bankoff shared. Smart experimentation means knowing when to fully commit and when to pull back.
Sarah Personette's career path shows strategic risk-taking in action. She's navigated major industry shifts—moving from broadband to marketing at scale, from offline to digital platforms, and from traditional display ads to social media. Her approach is centered on following consumer behavior.
"There were a lot of clients and customers that were like, 'no, we do not want to do these things,'" Personette recalled.
But if you're following the consumer and you're seeing where they're heading, ultimately you're going to be able to measure that those investments really drive significant results.
The real challenge is walking away from initiatives that are just "sort of working" to free up resources for your biggest opportunities."You cannot play it safe anymore. The environment is just moving way too fast," Peng emphasized. Success in 2025 means thinking like a startup: moving fast, being bold, and prioritizing strategic decisions.
TAKEAWAYS
The path to content success isn't about playing it safe or trying to be everywhere at once. It's about making strategic choices about where and how you show up for your audience.
Puck wins by going all-in on high impact newsletters, Vox Media dominates in video, and both succeed by playing to their strengths. Different approaches, same result: they lean into what they do best and that's what makes them stand out.
Ready to transform your content strategy? Watch the complete media masterclass here for all the insights from the most successful media networks.
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INBOUND Team
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