Start with Dessert: The Sweet First Step to a Delicious Content Strategy
Never heard of Dessert Content? Think of it as a key ingredient in your #contentmarketing recipe—indulgent, sweet, and eye-catching. It’s the kind of content that grabs attention and delights a wider audience, even those unfamiliar with your brand… yet.
Over a decade ago, Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman introduced the concept of Content Food Groups in their co-authored book Content Rules. Since discovering this approach, I’ve added some Caribbean flavor, dug deeper into the idea, and layered in insights from years of crafting content strategies for clients of all shapes and sizes.
This article offers a few tasty tips to help you create your own Dessert Content—my twist on Handley’s “Chocolate Cake” category.
What Is Dessert Content, Exactly?
Dessert Content lives at the top of your marketing funnel. Its job? To catch the eyes of the people you want in your world—those who may not know your brand yet but are already aligned with your values and likely follow adjacent brands, trends, or hashtags.
The challenge is this: once you’ve hooked them with the figurative chocolate cake, how do you keep them at the table?
The Common Mistake: Too Much Sweet, Not Enough Substance
Here’s where many brands slip up—they go heavy on Dessert Content. And while it may earn you likes, shares, or even saves, it doesn’t always translate into brand loyalty, high conversions, or consistent sales. Why? Because too much fluff positions your brand as lacking nutritional value. You become the content equivalent of a sugar rush.
Remember: Dessert Content is best served as the icing on the cake—not the whole meal. It should complement your strategy, not carry it.
Types of Dessert Content (with a twist)
🍬 EDIBLES
Cerebral and highly enjoyable (see what I did there?), this type of content is rich and insightful but should be offered in moderation. It offers your audience a peek behind the curtain—giving context, perspective, and emotional depth. Example: Behind-the-scenes footage, creative process videos, or "day in the life" reels.
🥤 SMOOTHIES
Sweet with a little substance. Smoothies blend entertainment with value—they’re fun, filling, and repeatable. Example: Client testimonials, playful brand stories, or quick wins shared by your customers.
🍰 CAKE
This is your fluffiest content—pretty, light, and easy to consume. Great for lifestyle appeal, but too much can feel insubstantial to savvy followers.
Key Takeaways
✔️ Keep it Relevant – Make sure your Dessert Content still connects to your brand’s purpose and audience’s interests.
✔️ Tie It to an Objective – Know what action you want your audience to take. Click through to your catalog? Subscribe to your newsletter? Share with a friend? Be clear.
✔️ Use It Sparingly – Dessert is a treat, not the main course. Let it support your broader strategy—not define it.
🍴 This is just the first course in your full-flavored content strategy. Stay tuned for the next servings in the Content Chef’s Guide—ROAST, GREENS, GRAINS, and HOT SAUCE—each one cooked up to feed your audience and fire up your brand.
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