How Do You Do Content Marketing Without Content?

At first glance, the idea of doing content marketing without content sounds like an oxymoron. After all, content is the lifeblood of content marketing, right? But let's dive a little deeper, because there’s more than one way to approach this. You can absolutely carry out a content marketing strategy without constantly creating traditional content like blog posts, articles, or videos.

1. Leverage User-Generated Content

One of the most effective ways to do content marketing without creating your own content is to harness the power of your audience. User-generated content (UGC) takes the load off your shoulders and places it in the hands of your customers or followers. Think about brands that encourage their users to share photos, reviews, or testimonials on social media. You’re essentially allowing your audience to market on your behalf, while also adding a layer of authenticity to your brand.

For example, Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign invited users to share photos of their personalized Coke bottles on social media. The campaign itself didn’t rely on content that Coca-Cola produced—it thrived on the content created by customers.

If you can build a strong community around your brand, UGC can serve as a continuous stream of fresh content that keeps your brand visible without you needing to produce new material constantly.

2. Repurpose Existing Content

Another strategy to "do content marketing without content" is by repurposing what you already have. Often, companies already have a treasure trove of resources they can reuse. Old blog posts, presentations, case studies, or webinars can be given new life in different formats.

You can turn an existing blog post into an infographic, an old webinar into a podcast episode, or a set of testimonials into a social media campaign. This way, you’re not necessarily creating new content, but rather transforming existing material into different forms that appeal to various platforms and audiences.

A classic example is HubSpot. They are known for repurposing their blog content into guides, videos, and even courses. This strategy not only maximizes the lifespan of their content but ensures their message reaches wider audiences across different channels.

3. Curate Content

Curation is a smart way to deliver value to your audience without generating fresh material from scratch. Content curation involves gathering relevant articles, research, news, or even social media posts from other sources and sharing them with your audience.

For instance, you could put together a weekly or monthly newsletter featuring the best content from around the web that aligns with your brand’s values or the interests of your audience. By positioning yourself as a thought leader or a trusted source of information, you're still providing value, even though the content itself comes from external sources.

Many online publications and newsletters, like The Hustle or Morning Brew, thrive on curated content. They pull together the most relevant industry news, saving their audience time and effort, while positioning themselves as an indispensable resource.

4. Interactive Campaigns and Experiences

Interactive campaigns like quizzes, polls, or contests can be highly engaging and provide value without relying on traditional content creation. For example, a quiz that helps your audience find out what product or service suits them best can act as a marketing tool, while collecting valuable insights into customer preferences.

A real-world example of this is BuzzFeed’s quizzes, which became so viral that they contributed significantly to their traffic growth. They aren’t producing “content” in the traditional sense, but these interactive tools still engage the audience and drive results.

5. Focus on Conversations, Not Just Content

Sometimes, marketing is more about facilitating conversations than producing material. Brands that focus on being a part of their audience’s conversations—through social media, forums, or even at events—can build relationships and grow their presence without the constant churn of content creation.

Take Red Bull, for instance. They are famous for pushing extreme sports, music, and cultural events—encouraging fans to discuss and share their experiences. Red Bull itself isn’t always the one creating content; they are more often the facilitators of conversations about their brand and lifestyle.

In the end, content marketing without traditional content isn’t just possible—it can actually be more effective in some cases. By leveraging your community, repurposing existing resources, curating relevant material, launching interactive experiences, and engaging in conversations, you can execute a powerful content marketing strategy without the constant need to churn out new content.

It’s all about working smarter, not harder, while still delivering value to your audience.