Don't Be Boring: Make Memorable Content

A couple of years ago, Edelman asked about 3,000 business leaders to rate the content they read, watched, and listened to for work.

Almost 3/4 of them said most of the stuff had no value.

It was fluff.

And not even fun fluff, like cotton candy. Dry, itchy fluff like fiberglass insulation.

(OK, I may have made the simile up. But they DID say it had no value.)

And here’s the kicker: that survey was BEFORE the GenAI boom.

That was content written by humans. I can’t imagine it’s gotten better.

Our current content crisis is one of quality, not quantity. It’s easier than ever to put out flat, boring content - so people are.

You, my friend, are not like those people. You have valuable things to say, and you’ll be gosh-darned if you’re going to let some bland, boring bot grab your share of audience attention.

Before you post a piece you threw together just to hit your deadline, shake off the complacency and give it a critical look.

Is it offering something unique and novel?

To be memorable, you need to shake your audience out of their patterns.

Ideally, that means offering a unique and novel idea - something that’s not been said before.

You can talk about an idea you didn’t propose, especially if it’s something you feel strongly about. But you still need to have a unique spin, take, or position on it.

Repeating the same thing that’s been said 6,742,912 times gets you a first-class ticket to forgettable.

Does it offer deeper insight?

Not observations. Not tips. Insights.

“Insight” means perception or understanding of the true, inner nature of a situation.

It’s the truth at the core of why this situation exists and of what it will take to change it.

When someone offers insight, it demonstrates a deeper understanding of the situation than that of the average layperson. That indicates expertise, which contributes to authority.

If you want more people to remember and trust you, take your content a level deeper and share some insights.

Does it address a complex business problem?

Not all content is going to hit this last one. But the hallmark of a memorable, influential creator is someone who sees the big picture of the mess we’re in - and sees a way out.

Content remains the most effective, reliable, cost-efficient way to build your reputation and authority. But it is not a pure numbers game. Quantity will only get you so far.

You’re not competing for views; you’re competing for attention and a sliver of memory. You can’t get there with fluff.

If you need a hand finding your unique, insightful groove, get in touch and I’ll help you figure it out.