In this special episode of Podcast Insider, Blubrry CEO Todd Cochrane sat down with Joe Pulizzi, one of the original evangelists of content marketing and founder of industry-shaping initiatives like The Tilt, Content Entrepreneur Expo, and the Content Marketing Institute. Their conversation covered a broad and deeply insightful range of topics — from owning your digital real estate to building sustainable media brands in the age of AI.
Owning the Platform: Build on Your .com
One of the most pressing themes of the conversation was the danger of building an audience on “rented land” — third-party platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, or Meta. Joe and Todd stress the importance of owning your stack: your domain, email list, and content channels.
Todd shared stories of creators who lost their livelihood almost overnight when platform algorithms changed or accounts were deactivated. Joe illustrated this through the hypothetical (but very real) risk that someone like Mr. Beast faces: despite having 300 million followers on YouTube, he ultimately doesn’t control access to his audience.
“If you let another platform control that, I can’t tell you what your planning should be for tomorrow.” – Joe Pulizzi
Their advice? Establish a direct line to your audience. A website and newsletter give creators long-term resilience, whereas algorithms and terms of service can change overnight.
Content Mission and the “Tilt”
Joe introduced one of his signature concepts: “the content tilt.” It’s the differentiating angle that helps your content stand out in an increasingly crowded digital space. Before creators dive into producing content, he urges them to define their content mission statement — an editorial blueprint answering:
- Who is the audience?
- What value will they get?
- What is the expected outcome?
“You want to figure out a way to differentiate. Then once you do that, we say, okay, we want to build a mission statement from that.” – Joe Pulizzi
He emphasized that this foundation makes it easier to say no to content that doesn’t serve the mission, helping creators stay focused and aligned.
AI in Content Creation: Use With Care
While both speakers acknowledged the powerful efficiencies brought by AI, Joe was adamant about maintaining a human voice in content creation. He advocates for using AI to assist with research, persona building, and strategic planning, but not as a substitute for storytelling.
“When you start having [AI] create content from other people’s content… I think you’re taking away your content soul.” – Joe Pulizzi
He suggested that in a future saturated with machine-generated content, human-driven narratives will stand out as differentiators.
Start Small, Scale Smart
Another practical takeaway was Joe’s advice to build a minimum viable audience through one primary content channel—be it a podcast, newsletter, or YouTube channel—before expanding. Only after creating a solid base should creators begin branching out.
He personally focuses on his newsletter, podcasts, and book sales, with limited engagement on social media — specifically, LinkedIn, which he deems most relevant for his audience.
Email as Community Hub
While many creators chase vanity metrics on social media, Joe pointed out that email remains the most powerful community-building tool. He explained how his newsletter often spurs real dialogue with readers—something many podcasters struggle with when building community.
Check out the video, as this discussion between two veterans of the content world offers a powerful reminder: while platforms and tools may change, strategy, audience connection, and content ownership are timeless. For content entrepreneurs navigating the complex media ecosystem, Joe and Todd offer a roadmap built on authenticity, sustainability, and strategic control.