There are two ways that any piece of content can create value: intrinsically and extrinsically.

Extrinsic value is like a treasure map. It is not very valuable in itself, but rather it points you to where something of value can be found.

For example, an advertisement letting you know about a deal at a restaurant, or a customer testimonial that gives you more confidence that a particular business can deliver on their claims.

Intrinsic value is like the treasure chest. It contains something valuable within itself.

Think of an informative how-to video that helps you solve a problem or learn a skill, or a film which gives you a sense of nostalgia or changes your perspective in some way.

When it comes to your business, the more intrinsic value your customers or prospects feel that they have gained from your content, the more they already feel a debt of gratitude when it comes to their purchasing decisions.

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P.S. These forms of value are not necessarily mutually exclusive. And, since value is subjective, it’s also possible for a piece of content to contain neither form of value for a particular person.

But we want to avoid that as much as possible, because that’s wasting time.