Technology is what helps great content be found and consumed. But you still need great content.

Programmatic advertising, real-time bidding, SEO, viewability metrics, all this technology that is part of the marketer’s toolbox.

If you listen to some people, it is as if the success of marketers and publishers was entirely dependant on technology.

In a way, it might be, but no matter what, at the end of that technological path, you still need great content. Technology by itself will not convert.

Sometimes you might be able to “game” the system (think about some past SEO practices), but in the end, you can’t game the consumer. He or she is looking for content that they will connect with, that will serve a need or that will pique their curiosity.

Storytelling helps you make sure they leave satisfied.

Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO of the IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau), recently wrote an article about just that over at AdWeek.

His conclusion? He sums it up this way:

Whether agency or publisher, all must start to take great content seriously if they want to secure a competitive advantage in the changing media arena.

The industry is changing. Technology is evolving and constantly keeping us on our toes.

But one thing remains: consumers want great content. They will steer away from an empty promise and will come back for more if you provide them with a compelling experience and quality storytelling.

Read more about why storytelling remains so important (a 4-min read)