M Edward, there’s a difference between what is now deemed “content” and personal writing. I don’t know why anyone would call this blog “content” except perhaps for the traditional use of the word “content” as in what is contained. “Content” refers to business writing, particularly to business writing that has been farmed out to freelance writers. I’ve done lots of it to supplement my income (I’m a journalist) and then more of it when I had to quit my job to be a caregiver. I now have gotten to the point where I have just a few clients who ask me for writing that I enjoy doing. For one, I write scenario training exercises, which I wouldn’t really call content (she works them into the system she uses). For the other, I write various articles relating to franchises (he has a franchise website on which he provides franchise-related financial analysis for subscribers); I’ve finally emerged from a couple of years of franchise “news of the year” articles to write more Buzzfeed-type list articles that bring traffic and potential subscribers to his site. I just finished the first one, about 30 healthy fast-food items. While not hugely important, I like the topic in part because you can go so wrong at fast-food restaurants and I like how these companies are having to change to meet customers’ expectations of healthier and more sustainable/humane practices. If you compare this to the hundreds of content articles I wrote via content websites, there is so much more that I put into what I do now than what I did then, although a fair number of those early articles were work I felt good about. Part of the problem with these sites is that they usually have pay rates tied to writer ratings and some clients choose the lowest. At one site (which has ratings from 2–6), I am a 6 and only write articles at that pay rate, but I see the 2-star jobs and the work expected of people for such low pay and the often poor quality of the job descriptions, and I realize that this work is a big part of what gives “content” such a bad name. It’s not just product copy or PR copy or marketing or advertorial copy or whatever you want to call it; it’s that it’s not considered good. It’s only as good as the writer and the client and the information. As a newspaper reporter/copy editor, I received hundreds of press releases over the years, and some were excellent. Most were fine, although PR writers don’t seem to get journalists very well; they work really hard on a 30-inch press release that I will condense to 5 inches because that’s where the information is. I love the ones that are hard to edit and don’t start out with a fluffy lede.
As far as what to call content, I’d probably stay away from the word if you’re producing good copy (I had to backspace over “content,” the traditional meaning!) because the word has been kind of ruined. Maybe keep it an in-house word for the traditional meaning, because it still means that. Maybe be more specific about the type of material … product copy, product descriptions, blog posts, etc. … and call the generic work marketing materials, marketing copy, business copy/writing.
I’d say one of the areas that has been stymied by the whole “content” thing is blogging, where content writers are producing 300- to 500-word blog posts about whatever clients want, and these posts are more like web articles than blogs. I even took a test at a writing site once and was criticized because I wrote a blog post in first person. I remember taking the test and being unsure if that’s what they wanted, but I was annoyed in advance that they wouldn’t specify, so I did it that way. I think I later explained that I think of blog posts as first-person or second-person though I’m willing to write third-person posts for clients, and I believe I was given a chance to write a post again. It was a site I was lukewarm about, so I didn’t care if they liked me. :)
My point is that there is a huge difference between a business blog and a personal blog. I suppose a personal blog could be called content if it was produced only for hits, advertising dollars and affiliate payments, but the key word here is “only.” I’ve seen excellent blogs that have advertising and have some posts that have affiliate links. It’s a way someone can make money blogging, and these bloggers feel very strongly about it. But I kinda think you can tell when someone is writing crap to make money, and when someone is writing because they love to write and because they love to connect with people. I haven’t had a lot of time to read Medium, but what I’ve read (including from someone I recently met in person and am greatly humbled by what she creates) has appeared to be very much created out of genuine passion for the topics.
As for what to call products, I agree with Augusta. “Products” is a fine word. Like “merchandise” and “services.” These words are descriptive. Business and selling aren’t bad; people need products, and people need to make a living selling them these products. I think being kind and ethical while marketing quality products and/or services is more important than what you call what you sell.
I liked reading your comment, by the way. You have a nice writing style that feels like a gentle stroll through the sentences. And in terms of wings and soul, maybe save that kind of wording for the “about me” section. I love a good “about me” section (although it needs to immediately describe what the company is! Sometimes when I want a few-word description of a company (like “ABC Corp. is a financial analysis company based in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico), I have to go to Wikipedia to get the version that doesn’t elevate the company to godlike levels without saying what the company actually does). I like it when the company explains what it does, how it began, and what drives it. I always think this is the place to shine, rather than on every single press release. ;)
Be well.