• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Margie ClaymanMargie Clayman

Marietta, OH

  • About Me
  • Marketing
  • Librarianship
  • Random Musings
  • Contact Me

Book Review: Content Rules

February 20, 2011 by Margie Clayman 9 Comments

I just finished reading Content Rules, by Ann Handley and CC Chapman, and I thought I’d share my thoughts about it.

Let me start off by saying that if you are new to online marketing and/or Social Media, I would 100% classify this book as a must-buy for you. In fact, if you read Trust Agents, UnMarketing, and Content Rules before your fingers first make contact with your keyboard, you’ll be ready to be a superstar right out of the gate.

Why is Content Rules good?

Content Rules can be used in two ways. The first way is to read it cover to cover as I did. In particular, the first part, which introduces you to the key tenets of online content creation, is an excellent introduction to creating usable, valuable material for a blog, a webinar, an e-book, or other marketing channels.

What I think time will prove, though, is that Content Rules is even better as a “as you need it” resource. Section two of the book dedicates chapters to how to create content for very specific purposes. It walks you through objectives, how-to information, things to avoid, and more. So, if you are getting ready to work on your first e-book and you are feeling shaky, you can thumb right over to that chapter and feel more ready for the work ahead.

The third section of the book (and technically the final one) is interesting in that it highlights a few different companies who used content creation (and the rules that Chapman and Handley outline) to find success. While these companies are mentioned at various times throughout the book to illustrate points, it’s interesting to see all of the different puzzle pieces come together. The “Ideas you can steal” section of each chapter puts the finishing touch on how you can act on the information you’ve been given.

A couple of things that I think could be improved

All of that being said, there were a couple of things that I think could be improved.

First and foremost, the biggest plus of the book, which is that it is a must-have if you’re just getting started, is a bit of a double-edged sword. For the most part, Content Rules is not aimed at people who have been generating online content for awhile. That’s not to say there’s nothing new to learn, but a lot of the core elements of the book will be things content creators will be familiar with. I was hoping to see some advice that would help take a person like me, who’s been blogging for about a year, up to the next level.This is not really a negative thing – it just simply shows that CC and Ann had a specific audience in mind, and that is one of the rules they establish!

The other thing I would say is that in a couple of places, the language gets to be almost too basic, no matter where you are in your path of creating content. This is I think an easy trap to fall into when you’re doing a lot of explaining. You start explaining things that your audience probably already knows. This didn’t happen very often, and it doesn’t deter from the value of the book, but it’s just something to watch out for.

Those are my thoughts – what are yours?

Have you read Content Rules? What did you think about it? I’d love to have a discussion in the comments section!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pro Blogger News says

    February 20, 2011 at 8:27 pm

    Peace n prosperity Margie Clayman, I come to your website often but I am usually a lurker. I decided I’d finally post a comment for post saying how much I love visiting your blog as I think your writing is both exciting and helpful. Keep your blog up-to-date and you have a visitor for life, glad to meet you,thanks.

    Reply
    • Margie Clayman says

      February 22, 2011 at 5:34 pm

      Glad you peeked your head out 🙂

      Reply
  2. Raul Colon says

    February 21, 2011 at 8:44 am

    Margie,

    I read content rules and I have been blogging for many years and I got a lot of value. I was familiar with most of the terms but where I got the real value was looking at it from another perspective. Helping me understand how to organize and on some occasions I identified things that did not work for me with a reason why it did not work.

    It also has helped me greatly in explaining why content is important to people that see little or no value to blogging or creating content that is useful for their customers.

    Reply
    • Margie Clayman says

      February 21, 2011 at 6:09 pm

      Oh, I’m definitely not saying it was without value. I’m just saying that in terms of enhancing how a person who has been blogging can improve their game, I didn’t see a lot of info there. There were a lot of interesting points, certainly. I found the section on white papers and ebooks particularly valuable!

      Reply
  3. Bob Jamesq says

    February 21, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    Part Three of Content Rules comprises case studies. Included with each are “Ideas You Can Steal.” I thought these alone justify the price of the book.

    Reply
    • Margie Clayman says

      February 21, 2011 at 9:01 pm

      Agreed – that was an extremely unique way to handle drawing concepts together!

      Reply
  4. Suzanne Vara says

    February 22, 2011 at 7:29 pm

    Margie

    As always you come to the table dishing up a full course meal. I feel the same way about the book (wait you knew that already). I thought it was a really good book and would guide those that are new but I was left feeling a bit expecting more. Ann is wonderful and the articles, webinars, whitepapers, ebooks, etc that she produces on MarketingProfs are always top of the line. You walk away with a lot as it serves all levels, skill sets, etc. I was hoping to have that from the book but I did not get it. Now, let’s face it, I am by far no way an expert in social media (first because I do not believe that we can coin someone an expert when the technology constantly changes) but I feel I am well versed in quite a few areas. I wanted to build upon that the way that I do with Marketing Profs.

    I think overall it was a really good book and if someone is new(er) to social media, go and pick this one up (sorry but the diet pepsi shower was specially created for you) =-)

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Tweets that mention Book Review: Content Rules | Margie's Library of Marketing Musings and Morsels -- Topsy.com says:
    February 20, 2011 at 8:29 pm

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Arié Moyal, Gwen Morrison and fenywfach, Marjorie Clayman. Marjorie Clayman said: My review of Content Rules, by @marketingprofs & @cc_chapman: http://bit.ly/eIl7R2 […]

    Reply
  2. Ann Handley & C.C. Chapman to Co-Host #Blogchat on March 6th! | MackCollier.com - Social Media Training and Consulting says:
    March 1, 2011 at 9:14 am

    […] as a bonus, here is a review of Content Rules by #Blogchat superstar @MargieClayman.  So make sure you are here Sunday night at 8pm Central to […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Post: « From Madison to Manama
Next Post: When Sam Met Twitter »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Seeing Double: African American Literature
  • Book Review: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
  • Book Review: Land of Lincoln, by Andrew Ferguson
  • The portrayal of the infertile woman in entertainment
  • Chapter 3: A Weird Thing Happened Today

Recent Comments

  • Delores Baskerville on Are you locking out blog subscribers?
  • frank c tripoli on Book Review: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
  • Lyv on #30Thursday number 10 (we’re in the double digits?!?)
  • Fitoru on New Recipes, 2013
  • Anna Wyatt on Help me petition to deactivate driver-side airbags for Little People

Archives

  • February 2021
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • April 2017
  • October 2016
  • July 2016
  • April 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • December 2014
  • October 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • February 2014
  • December 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2007
  • April 2007

Categories

  • Book Reviews
  • Crafts and Charity
  • Gardening for Renters
  • Marketing Talk
  • Molly Maggie McGuire
  • Musings
  • PassionPlayers
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Footer

marjorie.clayman@gmail.com

   

Margie Clayman © 2021