Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to let people know you exist. Companies that get content marketing right from the start tend to see higher rates of success due to the ratio of attention versus how much time it took to get that attention. For example, you can write a blog post in a day but it takes weeks of prep work and a lot of money to attend an event.

As a founder, you’re expected to have thoughts, opinions, and perspectives on the technology you’re creating and the industry you’re operating within. Sharing these thoughts publicly will jumpstart brand recognition for yourself and your company.

Founders are expected to drive content marketing efforts in the early stages of company formation.

Benefits of early, founder-driven content marketing:

  1. Building awareness, traffic, and trust. Publishing original content is a cost-effective way to build awareness, traffic, and trust for your brand. Sharing interesting content early on will build an audience for your company, so when you are ready to acquire new users, you have an audience base to market your product to.
  2. Early messaging and positioning feedback loops. The first year or so of building a new company is an incubation period. Growth and success are accelerated the faster you can iterate on feedback. Writing about features, functionality, and your overall vision for the company is a low-cost way to gather input and reactions to the company's direction.
  3. Improved communication skills. As a leader, you need to articulate your thoughts clearly and be able to explain the why behind decisions. Writing is a way to practice and hone in on your particular style. In addition to positioning yourself as a thought leader, you will be better equipped to communicate with your employees when you’ve practiced and refined your message.

OCV Content Program

OCV will assist newly formed companies in setting up their content marketing program within the first month of company incorporation. It is the founder’s responsibility to drive content creation efforts. OCV does not write or create content for portfolio companies.

OCV will assist with:

  1. Sourcing editing/writing support and reviewing contracts and rates.
  2. Content strategy: messaging, topics, distribution.
  3. Brainstorming and workshopping blog post titles.
  4. Review the first two article drafts from a new writer and provide feedback.
  5. Give feedback on marketing copy, subject to the team’s availability.

Hiring writers

We do not recommend hiring a full-time writer or content marketer at the pre-Seed stage. Depending on your content marketing strategy, it may be useful to hire a freelance or contract writer for support. When working with writers, it's important to establish clear expectations and communication channels. Here are some tips:

  1. Provide a clear brief: Make sure the writer understands the topic, target audience, tone, and any other relevant details.
  2. Set deadlines: Be clear about when you need the content and when revisions are due.
  3. Provide feedback: Review drafts promptly and provide constructive feedback to help the writer improve.
  4. Be open to collaboration: The writer may have ideas or suggestions that could improve the content.
  5. Pay fairly: Agree on a fair rate for the work and pay the writer promptly.

It's also important to establish clear ownership of the content. Make sure to agree on who owns the rights to the content and how it can be used. If you plan to publish the content under your name, establish this upfront with the writer.

Most contractors assign all copyrights to the company they are contracted by. This means you are free to use, modify, and share the content in the way you choose. We highly suggest you have the contract writers ghostwrite for you and publish under your name. This will help position you as a thought leader. The default OCV contract stipulates that content will be published under the founder's name.

Early competitive marketing strategies