Sisuformaadi

Sisuformaadi is a concept used in Estonian media studies and content design to describe the relationship between the substance (sisu) of content and its form (formaadi). The term combines sisu meaning “substance” or “meaningful content” and formaadi derived from “formaat” meaning “format,” and is used to discuss how content’s meaning is shaped by its presentation.

In practice, sisuformaadi refers to a framework for analyzing and planning content: it separates what is being said (the sisu) from how it is delivered (the formaadi), and asks how the form influences audience engagement and comprehension. This distinction helps content creators consider both the message and its delivery when designing communications.

Applications include journalism, education, marketing, and digital media production. Content teams map a topic to various forms—text articles, podcasts, videos, infographics—and assess alignment between substance and format to meet audience needs. The framework supports cross-media repurposing and strategic decisions about where to invest effort in development and distribution.

Critics note that the dichotomy can oversimplify how audiences interpret content and that form can alter perceived meaning. Nonetheless, sisuformaadi is commonly used as a planning and evaluation tool, a language for discussing content strategy, and a prompt for experimentation with different formats and combinations to improve clarity and impact.