Bruce Kohl
Content Producer
Inc.com

1. What are the differences between producing online and offline content?

To really grab and hold onto an audience, online content has to be infinitely more intimate and incisive than its offline counterpart. We have always produced content in the offline world geared towards certain demographics, but the Internet has allowed us to hyper-target our messages. These messages are received in the context of the Internet, the most intimate mass media since the introduction of radio. Online content has to respect and play off of that deeply personal and dynamic connection by being more vibrant, respectful and intimate than what we've traditionally created offline. If you're not hearing "I feel like that article was written just for me" as we do daily at inc.com, you've probably not harnessed the power of online content completely.

2. What type of academic background is necessary for a content role?

I don't think there is one magical background necessary for those in content roles. Certainly a solid liberal arts education and editorial experience provide a greater base from which to work, but an intuitive sense of what provokes and challenges an audience is more important than any credentials. The Internet is so dynamic, that adaptability and creativity should be among the most revered talents. At inc.com, our content producers bring a range of skills some that could never have been discerned as important in the hiring process, but have turned out to be critical to the success of the company. Recruiting narrowly for those in content roles will quickly prove shortsighted and stymie the growth of the enterprise.

In my own experience, eight years of work as a talk-radio producer have been more valuable in my role as an Internet content producer than my journalism background. By listening intently to thousands of callers and booking hundreds of guests on a myriad of topics, I've developed an innate sense of content to which people will be most responsive.

3. How are design and content connected?

Technological advances have far outpaced our understanding of content issues. Simply because we have the capability, we are often inclined to create innovative graphics and other accompaniments to our content that don't always relate. As such, we've created two parallel tracks going in divergent directions. The connection between content and design needs to be easily discernible to users in a way it largely isn't now. All the technical wizardry in the world isn't relevant if it doesn't enhance the intimate and intellectual experience of the user. Content shouldn't be considered as merely a placeholder in and around a dynamic design. All elements should be easily organically related.