How much time have you spent creating content that went nowhere? Probably more than you’d care to admit. We’ve all been through it, spending hours on the perfect blog post or weeks on a stellar video, only to launch and get…crickets. It’s frustrating. It’s painful. And it’s unnecessary.
According to Drew Evans, who leads content strategy at Notion, there’s one question you can ask to come up with content ideas that will always make an impact, and that question is simply: “So what?”
As Drew explained on our Best Story Wins podcast, “So what?” is the guiding philosophy behind Notion’s marketing, helping the team better vet their ideas, uncover their best stories, and build a strong community through those stories. If their devoted global fanbase is any indicator, it’s clear Notion has cracked the code on content marketing that connects. (And savvy marketers should pay attention.)
If you want to follow in Notion’s footsteps, here’s how Drew says he puts the “so what?” philosophy into practice to make his team successful with every piece of content.
1. Make “so what?” your guiding question.
It’s easy to brainstorm fun content ideas or experiment with flashy formats, but the difference between content that connects and content that gets ignored is how well it resonates with your audience. Really, it comes down to purpose.
Drew says you should think about things from the perspective of your reader, listener, or viewer. What is the purpose of your content? Why should they care? What should they take away from it? What should their next steps be after consuming it?
Asking “so what?” as you ideate helps you answer each of these questions and come up with an airtight idea.
Remember: If you can’t articulate the reason your audience would be interested in your content, they’re probably going to scroll right past it.
2. Put education over promotion.
At Notion, this purpose-driven approach doesn’t just mean creating content that drives product sign-ups or sales. Drew prefers to focus on becoming a trusted resource that provides genuine value, not just a product pitch.
In fact, Drew says he doesn’t want to just give people the tools to do something in Notion. He’d rather give them a strategy, tip, or piece of advice they could apply elsewhere (even if they choose a different tool). This approach helps Notion build trust and authority in the space and creates much more value than constant product promotion.
3. Find meaningful stories behind closed doors.
Here’s a perfect example of how Drew’s team used the “so what?” approach to turn a product launch into a genuinely compelling story.
After launching Notion Charts (a feature for visualizing database information), the team discovered that one of their colleagues was using the feature to track his diabetes. They immediately recognized this as a story worth telling, not just because it showcased the product feature but because it demonstrated a real human solving a real problem.
For Drew, the “so what?” of the story was about how Notion’s new tool could help you manage something as important as your health.
How to Adopt Your Own “So What?” Philosophy
Brainstorming great ideas is one thing; bringing them to life compellingly and cohesively is another. To do this well, you need to apply “so what?” thinking to every aspect of your content marketing.
- Start with the end in mind. Before creating any piece of content, ask yourself what tangible value you want your audience to walk away with. If you can’t articulate this clearly, go back to the drawing board. (You can also use our tips to brainstorm content people will actually care about.)
- Plan for distribution from day one. Where will this content live? How will your audience find it? Think about how to present your story in the best format for the story and channel. (See our breakdown of the best formats for different stories to pique your audience’s interest.)
- Focus on the human story at the core. Find the real people using your product or service to solve real problems. These narratives are almost always more compelling than feature descriptions. Just like Drew’s team, you can also mine your fellow employees’ experiences for inspiration. (See our tips to turn your own team into content creators.)
- Test with a real human. Before publishing, have someone unfamiliar with the content read or view it, then ask them to explain what they learned or how they might apply it. If they struggle to answer, you might need to revisit your idea.
Ultimately, Drew’s approach boils down to a simple truth: good content makes people’s lives better in some tangible way. Whether you’re solving a problem, providing a new perspective, or teaching people something valuable, your content has to do something for them.
On that note, we took a lot more away from our conversation with Drew than just his “so what?” philosophy. To find out more about Notion’s marketing strategy, the untapped power of Notion as a storytelling tool, and the evolution of B2B storytelling, check out our whole conversation on Apple or YouTube. (And consider subscribing to Best Story Wins for more industry tips on how to win hearts, minds, and market share.)
