The next big thing in content

by Yann Girard

There’s no such thing as the next big thing in content. And if you’re waiting for the next big thing in content you’re missing the point.

Here’s the thing. No one is able to predict what’s going to be the next big thing. Ever.

That’s why everybody is doing all sorts of content. That’s why you should be doing all sorts of content as well. Because no one knows what’s going to be the next big thing. Everybody is just guessing.

And if you’re waiting until the next big thing is here, until there’s a clear winner, you’re missing the point.

Because once it’s clear what’s going to be the next big thing it’s already too late. People already cashed out. People already built their audiences and most of the readers, listeners or viewers are already taken.

You know, it’s so much harder to build an audience from scratch on a platform that has already reached the masses. That has already found its winners.

When it comes to leveraging the next big thing it’s just like everything else in life.

The bigger the risk you’re willing to take, the bigger the potential outcome. And the smaller the risk you’re willing to take, the smaller the potential outcome.

When you’re willing to invest time and resources into learning and understanding all the new platforms out there early on, then you’re taking a pretty big risk. Because those platforms might not exist anymore in two months from now.

On the other hand, when you join the game late, you won’t take much of a risk anymore. It’s already clear that this platform is going to be around for a while. But at the same time you won’t be able to build an audience so easily anymore.

The competition will be a lot tougher. The readers, viewers or listeners already found their favorite folks. It’ll only get harder and harder to break through that noise and to become that signal.

Small risk. Small return. Big risk. Big return..