A Case Study in Content Marketing

I’m a big believer in content marketing. Done well, content marketing can support both your own business and our shared profession, because it shows potential clients what editors do and the wealth of knowledge we hold.

When I’ve spoken with other editors about content marketing, I regularly encounter misconceptions: some folks assume it means they have to dance on TikTok; others conflate it with advertising and feel icky about schmoozing. Underneath these misconceptions, I think, is something more personal: many of us came to this work because we love words, language, ideas and stories. Marketing can feel like a compromise of that — like we’re selling not our businesses, but ourselves. 

I don’t think content marketing has to feel that way, and I’d like to try to convince you through a case study: “5 Questions to Ask When Writing Your Book,” published in the magazine Inside Higher Ed, by Katherine Wiley of Goldenrod Editorial. Katherine wrote it for her own prospective clients (academic book writers), but the principles it exemplifies will resonate for any editor concerned about feeling they have to sell themselves. The hallmarks of Katherine’s advice include:

1. Target narrowly

Katherine writes for established scholars who have sophisticated thinking but may be less sophisticated about craft and process. She doesn’t overexplain things her readers already know, and she doesn’t under-explain things they don’t. This kind of calibration is only possible if you’ve thought carefully about your audience, and you’re writing to a subset of potential clients who are experiencing a specific problem. When a reader feels that a piece was written for them, they’re more likely to trust the writer. The best content marketing is targeted at a narrow audience — a subset of your niche; the kind of person you love to work with — and speaks to a problem that they want to solve.

2. Exemplify practice 

Katherine is a developmental editor, someone who helps authors think through structure, argument and audience. Her piece is itself a demonstration of those skills: it’s carefully sequenced, beginning with craft (how do the chapters work?) before widening to audience (who will read this? how will it reach them?) and ending with motivation (why write it at all?). In its structure and organization, Katherine’s piece shows what she’s like to work with. When you’re doing content marketing well, you’ll also be both showing and telling.

3. Extend empathy

Katherine’s final question, “Why do I want to write this book?,” is a powerful closing move. After four practical questions, she pivots to motivation and emotional investment, acknowledging that institutional priorities can crowd out genuine passion. She’s communicating to her reader that she understands the competing pressures motivating their work and has strategies for navigating them well. 

In my own content marketing practice, I often forget to make an emotional move. Katherine’s piece has reminded me to remember my clients’ hearts, not just their writing tics. Your clients aren’t just hiring a set of skills. They’re trusting you with work that matters to them. Maybe it’s a dissertation that took years to draft or an argument they’ve been building for a decade. Good content marketing shows your nuanced understanding, and thus your empathy.

Katherine’s experience

I asked Katherine whether her article brought in new clients. She got a few inquiries, but their projects didn’t fit with her schedule. Does that mean it didn’t work as marketing? “It helped to build my profile,” she told me. “People who look at my website will see that I’ve published in IHE, which attests to my knowledge and competence.” 

She’s already planning to publish more. 

Want more examples? 

Join me on April 28, 2026, for “Content Marketing for Academic Editors,” which includes 20 examples of content marketing targeting academics. 

Not in your niche? My recorded webinar “Anti-Hustle: Marketing Against Greed” outlines my generous, slow, effective approach for freelancers across diverse fields. 

___

Previous post from Letitia Henville: When Two Neurodivergent Minds Meet: Part Two

The Editors’ Weekly is the official blog of Editors Canada. Contact us.