This week on Content & Coffee, we’re taking it all the way back to the basics: What exactly is content?

It sounds like a simple question, but the answer is layered. In this episode, I break down the many forms content can take—from VHS tapes and magazine spreads to TikToks, tweets, and interactive polls—and why it matters to understand content as something broader than just social media posts.

We’ll look at the dictionary definition and then move into the more nuanced, cultural understanding of content: the media we consume, create, and share to express ideas, inspire action, and build community. I also walk through how the content landscape has evolved, from the era of mass media and centralized control to today’s decentralized, interest-driven platforms that let anyone with a phone and an idea build an audience.

We’ll cover:

• The history of content creation and how it shifted from traditional gatekeepers to user-generated culture

• Why content doesn’t have to be “valuable” in a textbook sense to matter—it can just be fun or meaningful to you

• How algorithms shape what we see and what we don’t

• The difference between reach, impressions, engagement, and other terms marketers throw around

• What separates an influencer from a content creator (and why it’s okay to be both—or neither)

Toward the end of the episode, I also introduce a quick glossary of essential terms for new creators, small business owners, or anyone who wants to understand how content functions in today’s media environment. This includes everything from SEO and organic reach to viral content and evergreen posts. You can even download a copy of the full glossary on the Content & Coffee website or through the link in my bio on Instagram and TikTok.

Featured in this episode:

☕ Peixoto Coffee – I’m sipping their rocket-powered cold brew while recording from Thrive Coworking in downtown Gilbert. Peixoto sources beans directly from their family farm in Brazil, and Thrive is a women-only co-working space that’s made a huge difference in how I show up creatively. Both are worth checking out!

This episode is a great place to start if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by content culture, confused by creator lingo, or curious about how the content you consume every day actually works. Whether you’re creating for fun, trying to build a brand, or just figuring out how to show up online in a way that feels good, this one’s for you.